30 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

28. DeMarco Murray, 2011-2017
Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans

Today, DeMarco Murray is known as a player who got the bag and fell off a cliff. The Philadelphia Eagles paid him when the Dallas Cowboys wouldn’t. After Dallas ran him into the ground (392 carries is the seventh most ever in a season and a number that hasn’t been matched since), he signed with the Eagles and was a shell of his former self. However, let’s talk about the positives. 

His 2014 season was what happens when a team relies entirely on one player. Not only did he rush 392 times, but he caught 57 balls for 416 yards. He led the league with 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns. He finished the season as the All-Pro running back, added his second Pro Bowl (eventually a three-time Pro Bowler), and won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award. 

Murray did have one good season in Philly, rushing for 1,287 yards in 2016. Oops, that wasn’t in Philadelphia. The Eagles got rid of Murray just one season into his massive contract, trading him for a fourth-round pick swap. He immediately found his rhythm again, scoring 12 times between rushing and receiving. 

In his last season, he was forced to split time with Derrick Henry, and it was apparent he was being squeezed out. Murray was one of the greatest college running backs of all time. It’s surprising how long it took him to find his stride in the NFL, and it’s sad it only lasted a few seasons, but this greatness deserved to be recognized, even if it was short-lived.