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<p>Big fan of Arizona football? Then check out this list of Arizona Cardinals running backs with photos and seasons as starters.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Arizona Cardinals history, including current running backs and past ones. Featuring 2018-2019 Arizona Cardinals and some of the greatest NFL&nbsp;running backs&nbsp;of all time, the best Cardinals&nbsp;RBs include Edgerrin James, Ottis Anderson, Terry Metcalf, and Tim Hightower.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best running backs</a> in Arizona Cardinals history? Here is every player who has ever held the position of Arizona Cardinals&nbsp;starting running back.</p>


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Ottis Anderson

Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson (born January 19, 1957) is a former American football running back who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL).  He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press (AP) with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants.  He played college football at the University of Miami.

David Johnson

David Johnson (born August 26, 1987) is a former American football tight end and fullback. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round (241st overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Arkansas State, where he was twice awarded All-Sun Belt Conference honors. Johnson was also a member of the San Diego Chargers.

Beanie Wells

Christopher Michael Wells (born August 7, 1988), known as Chris Wells or Beanie Wells, is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft out of The Ohio State University. Wells currently co-hosts "Tim & Beanie" with Tim Hall on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, Ohio WBNS-FM.

Garrison Hearst

Gerard Garrison Hearst (born January 4, 1971) is a former  running back in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons.  He played college football for the University of Georgia, and was recognized as an All-American.  A first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, he also played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos of the NFL.  He ran for 1,000 yards or more in four different seasons. He was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2001.

Terry Metcalf

Terrance Randolph Metcalf (born September 24, 1951) is a former professional gridiron football running back who played six total seasons in the National Football League (NFL), five of them with the St. Louis Cardinals and one with the Washington Redskins, and three seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Toronto Argonauts.  He attended Long Beach State University. He is the father of former NFL wide receiver and kick returner Eric Metcalf.
Metcalf finished his NFL career with 3,489 rushing yards, 245 receptions for 2,457 yards, 936 punt return yards, and 3,087 yards returning kickoffs. He also scored 36 touchdowns (24 rushing, 9 receiving, 1 punt return, 2 kickoff returns). He holds the record for most games with 250+ all purpose yards: 7.
In the 14-game 1975 season, Metcalf set a then-NFL record for combined yards with 2,462. This feat has since been eclipsed during the 16-game era (instituted in 1978), with Lionel James of the San Diego Chargers being the first to do so in 1985. James' head coach was Don Coryell, who also coached Metcalf during his record-setting season.  He also became the first player in NFL history to average at least 30 yards per kick return and 10 yards per punt return in the same season.  Joshua Cribbs of the Cleveland Browns became the second in 2007.
Metcalf also played three full seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts. In 1978, he rushed 169 times for 669 yards, and caught 31 passes. In 1979, he carried the ball 141 times for 691 yards and caught 55 passes, and in his final year, 1980, he rushed for 540 yards and caught 51 passes. While he was a division all star in 1979, his rushing average is below the 5 yards per carry expected by a good running back in the CFL (with its three down game) and his performance in Toronto was seen as underwhelming.

Edgerrin James

Edgerrin Tyree James (; born August 1, 1978) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons.  He played college football for the University of Miami.  He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft.  James also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.  The AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1999, he earned four Pro Bowl selections and four All-Pro selections. James is the Colts' all-time leader in career rushing yards, attempts, and touchdowns. James is thirteenth on the all-time rushing list, and a member of the 10,000 Yards rushing club.

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a former college and professional American football running back who became the National Football League's (NFL) all-time leading rusher during his fifteen seasons in the league during the 1990s and 2000s.
Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida and became the second-leading rusher in American high school football history while playing for Escambia High School. Smith then attended the University of Florida, where he set numerous school rushing records over a three-year college career with the Florida Gators. After being named a unanimous All-American in 1989, Smith chose to forgo his senior year of eligibility and play professionally. He came back and completed his college coursework, graduating from the University of Florida in 1996.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his long professional career, he became the NFL's all-time rushing leader with 18,355 yards, breaking the record formerly held by Walter Payton, and played for three Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys teams. He also holds the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL Most Valuable Player award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award all in the same season (1993).  He is also one of four running backs to lead the NFL in rushing three or more consecutive seasons, joining Steve Van Buren, Jim Brown and Earl Campbell.  Smith led the league in rushing and won the Super Bowl in the same year three times (1992, 1993, and 1995) when to that point it had never been done.  Smith is also one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points (the other being Jerry Rice).  Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Smith played thirteen seasons with the Cowboys and two with the Arizona Cardinals. While playing for Dallas, Smith plus quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin were known as "The Triplets," and they led their team to three Super Bowl championships during the 1990s.

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.
Following his first professional season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.
In 2012, Peterson became the sixth fastest player to reach 8,000 rushing yards, ending the season with 2,097 rushing yards, just nine yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single season all-time record. Peterson amassed 2,314 all-purpose yards from scrimmage in 2012, tying Marcus Allen for the eighth-highest total ever. For his efforts, he received the NFL MVP Award and the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award for the 2012 NFL season. During the 2013 season, Peterson became the third fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history. In 2015, Peterson became the oldest running back to make first-team All-Pro, doing so at 30 years of age.
In September 2014, Peterson was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child that occurred earlier that year, and was suspended for the rest of the 2014 season. A free agent coming into the 2017 season, Peterson signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, but was traded to the Arizona Cardinals just five weeks into the season before being released following the season's end. Peterson then signed with the Washington Redskins in 2018, where he recorded the eighth 1,000-yard season of his career, tied for sixth-most all-time.

Chris Johnson

Christopher Duan "Chris" Johnson (born September 23, 1985) is a former American football running back. Born in Orlando, Florida, Johnson emerged as a senior for East Carolina University where he broke out for 2,960 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, after running a then-record breaking 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. In 2009, he won the NFL rushing title with 2,006 yards (the sixth of only seven players ever to gain over 2,000 in a season), and broke Marshall Faulk's record of total yards from scrimmage with 2,509. This earned him the nickname CJ2K. He has been to three Pro Bowls and was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. Johnson has also played for the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.

Ronald Moore

Ronald L. Moore (born January 26, 1970 in Spencer, Oklahoma), is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Phoenix Cardinals in the 4th round of the 1993 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 220-lb. running back from Pittsburg State University and member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Moore played in six NFL seasons from 1993 to 1998. His best season as a pro came during his rookie season for the Cardinals when he rushed for 1,018 yards and nine touchdowns. He was the winner of 1992 Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II's equivalent to the Heisman Trophy).

John Carlson

John David Carlson, Jr. (born May 12, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and later played for the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at Notre Dame.

Tim Hightower

Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at University of Richmond and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints.

Stump Mitchell

Lyvonia Albert "Stump" Mitchell (born March 15, 1959) is an American football coach and former player who is the running backs coach of the Cleveland Browns. He served as head football coach at Morgan State University from 1996 to 1998 and Southern University from 2010 to 2012, compiling an overall college football record of 14–42. Mitchell played collegiately at The Citadel and thereafter was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a running back and return specialist for the Cardinals from 1981 to 1989.

Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones (born August 19, 1978) is an American actor who performs as Thomas Q. Jones, and a former American football running back who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL).  He played college football for the University of Virginia.  He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in addition to the New York Jets, Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.  He retired among the top 25 leading rushers in NFL history (currently 26th, after LeSean McCoy passed him), and a member of the 10,000 yards club.
In 2013, performing under the name Thomas Q. Jones, he began an acting career. Among his credits are 2015's Straight Outta Compton, a starring role in A Violent Man, and a series regular role in the Luke Cage TV series.



Donny Anderson

Garry Don "Donny" Anderson (born May 16, 1943) is a former professional football player, a halfback and punter for nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League.
From Texas Tech (then Texas Technological College, now Texas Tech University), Anderson was the first-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 1965 NFL draft, the seventh overall selection. That year's draft included future hall-of-famers Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Joe Namath, and Fred Biletnikoff.

Andre Ellington

Andre DeAngelo Ellington is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers. He was considered one of the top prospects at his position in the 2013 NFL Draft. His cousin, Bruce Ellington, is a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver.

Marcel Shipp

Marcel Cornelius Shipp (born August 8, 1978) is an American football running back and current coach. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) from 2001 to 2008 for the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2001, and played with them through the 2007 season. He was signed for a short time by the Texans in 2008.  He played college football at University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass). Shipp was last the running backs coach for the New York Jets.

Michael Pittman

Michael Pittman (born August 14, 1975) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State.
Pittman also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos in the National Football League, and the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. Pittman also has 3 sons and 2 daughters

Johnny Johnson

Johnny Johnson, Jr. (born June 11, 1968) is a retired American football running back who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the Phoenix Cardinals between 1990 and 1994.

Rashard Mendenhall

Rashard Jamal Mendenhall (born June 19, 1987) is a former American football running back and current television writer who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football at Illinois and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He won Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals, for whom he later played one season.

Cid Edwards

Cleophus "Cid" Edwards, (born October 10, 1943 in Selma, Alabama – died April 6, 2013) was a graduate from Tennessee State University who played professional American football in the NFL from 1968 to 1975. Edwards, a running back, in his play for the San Diego Chargers, had one particularly good year, 1972, wherein the Chargers' offense largely consisted of lobbing screen passes to Edwards, who would rumble down field for much positive yardage.  He is in a sense an obscure folk hero in Chargers lore.

Leeland McElroy

Leeland Anthony McElroy (born June 25, 1974) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s.  He played college football for Texas A&M University, and was recognized as an All-American kick returner.  A second-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Arizona Cardinals.

MacArthur Lane

MacArthur Lane (March 16, 1942 – May 4, 2019) was a professional football player, a running back in the National Football League for eleven seasons, from 1968 to 1978 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Lane graduated from its Fremont High School, where he was all-city. He worked for several years in a machine shop, then played his first season of college football at Merritt College and transferred to Utah State University in 1965. Known as "Truck" in Logan, Lane was a linebacker as a sophomore and moved to running back as a junior, and averaged 6.9 yards per carry for his final two seasons.Lane was the 13th overall selection of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft, taken by the St. Louis Cardinals. 
He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1970 when he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns with eleven. After four seasons in St. Louis, Lane was traded to Green Bay in February 1972 for Donny Anderson. Teamed in the backfield with John Brockington, the Packers won the division and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1967. Under new head coach Bart Starr in 1975, Lane was traded to Kansas City in July for a future draft pick. He played his final four seasons with the Chiefs, and during the 1976 season, Lane led the NFL in receptions with 66.
Lane was inducted in the Utah State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. He died on May 4, 2019, aged 77.

Adrian Murrell

Adrian Byran Murrell (born October 16, 1970) is a former professional American football running back.  He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft after playing collegiately for the West Virginia Mountaineers.  Murrell played in nine NFL seasons from 1993 to 2000 and 2003.

Wayne Morris

Wayne Morris (born May 3, 1954) is a former college and professional American football running back, having played for the Cardinals and the Chargers (1976–84). He is a 1972 graduate of South Oak Cliff High School and a former player for Southern Methodist University. He currently resides in Dallas and is single and has one daughter.

Big fan of Arizona football? Then check out this list of Arizona Cardinals running backs with photos and seasons as starters.&nbsp;It includes every starting ...