Ranking the top 25 running backs in NFL history…
Drafted eighth overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 1968 NFL Draft out of Syracuse University, Csonka established himself as a bruising running back/fullback central to the Dolphins’ dynasty.
He signed a three-year deal with a $34,000 bonus and played primarily for Miami (1968-1974, 1979), with a stint at the New York Giants (1976-1978) and a brief World Football League detour in 1975.
Csonka’s peak came during Miami’s dominant run, rushing for over 1,000 yards in three straight seasons (1971-1973) and leading the NFL in yards per carry (5.4) in 1971. He was pivotal in the 1972 perfect 17-0 season, rushing for 1,117 yards, and starred in back-to-back Super Bowl wins: VII (1973) with 112 yards and VIII (1974) earning MVP honors with a then-record 145 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 victory over Minnesota.
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Returning to Miami in 1979, he earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year with 837 yards and 12 touchdowns.
His top accomplishments include five Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro nods, and inductions into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1987) and College Football Hall of Fame (1989). Csonka set Dolphins franchise records with 6,737 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns, and his No. 39 jersey was retired in 2002.
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His career totals stand at 8,081 rushing yards on 1,891 attempts (4.3 average), 64 rushing touchdowns, 106 receptions for 820 yards and four receiving touchdowns over 146 games. At 6-foot-3 and 237 pounds, Csonka’s standout attributes were his raw power, durability and blocking prowess, rarely fumbling despite heavy contact.
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He was a classic bulldozer: a relentless, straight-ahead runner who dragged tacklers and powered through lines, often playing through injuries like concussions and a broken nose. His toughness defined the 1970s Dolphins’ ground game.
But who ranks ahead of Csonka at [No. 23 all-time](https://nesn.com/2025/08/nfl-all-time-rb-rank-no-23-joe-perry/)?
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Featured image via Rod Hanna/USA TODAY Sports