Ranking the top 25 running backs in NFL history…
Drafted in the first round (4th overall) by the Chicago Bears in 1965 out of the University of Kansas, Sayers burst onto the NFL scene with unparalleled explosiveness, earning the nickname “The Kansas Comet.”
In just seven seasons, all with the Bears, Sayers dazzled despite knee injuries cutting his career short. He earned five first-team All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl nods, leading the league in rushing twice (1966, 1969).
As a rookie, he set an NFL record with 22 touchdowns, including six in one game against the 49ers—still tied for the most all-purpose scores in a game. His 1966 season featured 1,231 rushing yards, and he averaged 5.0 yards per carry career-wide. Sayers also excelled as a returner, with a record six kickoff return touchdowns as a rookie.
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Retiring in 1971 after recurring injuries, Sayers left an indelible mark in limited time.
Sayers’s career totals include 4,956 rushing yards on 991 carries, 39 rushing touchdowns, 112 receptions for 1,307 yards, nine receiving touchdowns and 3,172 return yards with eight return scores, amassing 9,435 all-purpose yards and 56 total touchdowns.
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Sayers’s standout attributes were his extraordinary acceleration, elusiveness and open-field vision, allowing him to change direction at full speed without losing momentum. He was a dynamic playmaker: long-striding and graceful, with jukes that left defenders grasping air, equally dangerous as a runner, receiver or returner.
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He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 at age 34—the youngest ever.
But who ranks ahead of Sayers at [No. 10 all-time](https://nesn.com/2025/08/nfl-all-time-rb-rank-no-10-earl-campbell/)?
Featured image via David Boss/USA TODAY Sports