Ranker

Anime Underground

Button Mash

Graveyard Shift

Total Nerd

Unspeakable Times

Weird History

Weird Nature

Weirdly Interesting

Sports

Music

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Culture

Food

Makeup

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Holidays

Watchworthy

HBO Max

Lists that rank the greatest players and coaches in the history of the NFL franchise.

Arizona Cardinals

pageType

safe_grapeshot

X_AMP

edit_update_annually

top_search_2-3

mod_alexa

srch

Mens Lifestyle

Scalable Cleaned

Football

<p>Big fan of Arizona football? Then check out this list of Arizona Cardinals running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Arizona Cardinals history, including current running backs and past ones. Featuring some of the greatest NFL&nbsp;running backs&nbsp;of all time, the best Cardinals&nbsp;RBs include Edgerrin James, David Johnson, Emmitt Smith, 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? &nbsp;Vote below, and help decide the greatest Cardinals&nbsp;RB of all time!</p>


The 25+ Best Arizona Cardinals Running Backs, Ranked

The Best Arizona Cardinals Running Backs of All Time

Best Football Players Lists, Top 10 Football Players- Find any Football Player List at Ranker

Football player

Best Rankings of Sports Teams and Players, Interesting Sports Facts, and Moments in Sports

sports

Ranker NFL

Gender

Women

Gen Zs

Millenials

Gen Xers

Baby Boomers

Region

West Coast US

Mountain US

Midwest US

Southern US

Northeastern US

International

None

FREEFORM

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.

Larry Centers

Larry Eugene Centers (born June 1, 1968) is a former American football fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, mostly for his first team, the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1990–1998). Centers then played for the Washington Redskins (1999–2000), Buffalo Bills (2001–2002), and finally was a member of the New England Patriots for their second Super Bowl win in 2003.
One of the most prolific pass catching running backs in NFL history, Centers topped 100 receptions in 1995 and had 99 receptions in 1996. He owns the NFL record for most passes caught by a running back during a career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1995, 1996, and 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.

Jim Otis

James Lloyd Otis (born April 29, 1948) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1970s.  Otis played college football for Ohio State University, and was recognized as an All-American.  He played professionally for the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL.

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.

Kerwynn Williams

Kerwynn Arthur Logan Williams is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Williams played college football at Utah State.

LaRod Stephens-Howling

LaRod Stephens-Howling (born April 26, 1987) is a former American football running back and kickoff returner. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh. He was also a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stephens-Howling now serves as the running backs coach for Robert Morris Colonials football.

Mal Hammack

Malcolm Eugene Hammack (June 19, 1933 – July 19, 2004) was an American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve years during the 1950s and 1960s.  Hammack played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Chicago and St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL.

Eno Benjamin

Jonathan Ward

Johnny Olszewski

John Peter Olszewski (December 21, 1929 – December 8, 1996) was an American football Fullback.  He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Cardinals, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.  He also played in the American Football League (AFL) for the Denver Broncos in 1962.  Olszewski was an All-American at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1953 NFL Draft.

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.

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.

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.

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.

David Johnson

David Jerome Johnson Sr. (born December 16, 1991) is an American football running back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northern Iowa. Johnson attended Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa, where he was a three-sport star in football, track, and basketball. He played as a running back and defensive back for the River Kings high school football team. He set numerous school records including touchdowns in a season, career receptions, career receiving yards, career and single-season total offense and single game record for touchdowns. As a senior, Johnson led Clinton to an 11–1 record while accounting for a school-record 42 touchdowns. For his efforts, he was selected 2009 Outstanding Offensive Player for Clinton.

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.

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.

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.

Kenyan Drake

Kenyan Drake (born January 26, 1994) is an American football running back and kick returner for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama. Drake was drafted by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Drake attended Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. He played football at Hillgrove. As a senior, he rushed for 1,610 yards with 18 touchdowns and was named the Gatorade Football Player of the Year for Georgia. He was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com. He received offers from Alabama, Georgia, and Georgia Tech. He committed to the University of Alabama to play college football.

Charley Trippi

Charles Louis Trippi (born December 14, 1921) is a former American football player. He played professionally for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1947 to 1955. Although primarily a running back, his versatility allowed him to fill a multitude of roles over his career, including quarterback, defensive back, punter, and return specialist. A "quintuple-threat", Trippi was adept at running, catching, passing, punting, and defense.
Trippi attended the University of Georgia, where he played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1942 to 1946, with an interlude in 1944 while serving in the military during World War II. As a sophomore, he guided Georgia to victory in the 1943 Rose Bowl and was named the game's most valuable player. As a senior in 1946, he won the Maxwell Award as the nation's most outstanding college football player, was named the Southeastern Conference's player of the year, and earned unanimous first-team All-America recognition.
Drafted first overall by the Cardinals as a "future pick" in the 1945 NFL Draft, Trippi was also pursued by the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) as well as multiple professional baseball teams. He ultimately signed a record $100,000 contract with the Cardinals. As a rookie, Trippi led Chicago's "Million Dollar Backfield" to victory in the 1947 NFL Championship Game. By the time he retired he had compiled the most yards of total offense by a player in NFL history. Trippi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Trippi is the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the oldest living first overall NFL draft pick, and one of the oldest living former American football players.

Chase Edmonds

Chase Edmonds (born April 13, 1996) is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fordham University and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

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.

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.

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).

Big fan of Arizona football? Then check out this list of Arizona Cardinals running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Arizona ...