NFL: The 1990s All-Decade Team
By Phil Watson
Running Back: Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions (1990-98)
Sanders joined a rare club in 1997 when he rushed for more than 2,000 yards, finishing the season with 2,053 and a share of the NFL MVP award. He was also the Offensive Player of the Year in both 1994 and 1997.
A four-time NFL rushing champion, Sanders was a five-time All-Pro selection and was picked for the Pro Bowl every season he played.
Despite not playing the last season of the decade, Sanders finished less than 200 yards behind Emmitt Smith in second place on the list of top rushers in the 1990s with 13,799 yards.
Running Back: Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys (1990-99)
Smith won four NFL rushing titles in the 1990s and was a four-time All-Pro selection. His 13,963 rushing yards and 136 rushing touchdowns were the best of the decade, as well.
Smith was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1990 and the NFL MVP in 1993, the year he was also named Super Bowl MVP after leading Dallas to its second straight win in the big game at the end.
His 25 touchdowns in 1995 set a single-season NFL record (later broken in 2000 by Marshall Faulk).
Smith retired after the 2004 season as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, a title he still holds.