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<p>Big fan of Atlanta football? Then check out this list of Atlanta Falcons running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-atlanta-falcons-of-all-time/ranker-nfl?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Atlanta Falcons history</a>, including current running backs and past ones. Featuring&nbsp;some of the greatest NFL&nbsp;running backs&nbsp;of all time, the best Falcons RBs include&nbsp;Michael Turner, Devonta Freeman, Steven Jackson, Warrick Dunn, Todd Gurley, and Jamal Anderson.</p>

<p>Who are the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best running backs</a> in Atlanta Falcons history? Vote below, and help decide the greatest Falcons RB of all time!</p>


The 25+ Best Atlanta Falcons Running Backs, Ranked

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Warrick Dunn

Warrick De'Mon Dunn (born January 5, 1975) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons.  He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State.  Dunn was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career.  After his playing career, Dunn took a minority stake in the Falcons' ownership group led by Arthur Blank.

William Andrews

William Andrews (born December 25, 1955) is a former NFL football running back.  He played collegiately at Auburn University along with future NFL backs James Brooks and Joe Cribbs.
Andrews was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft. While he was primarily used as a blocking back in college, Andrews excelled as a blocker, runner and pass catcher during his pro career. He would make an immediate impact, finishing with 167 yards rushing in his NFL debut as the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, 40-34. Playing in 15 games, Andrews finished his rookie season with 1,023 yards rushing and was named to the all-rookie team. In 1980, Andrews helped lead the Falcons to a 12-4 record and a first-place finish in the NFC West division.  He finished the season with 1,308 yards rushing, averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and also caught 51 passes for 456 yards.  The season was the first of four straight in which Andrews was selected to play in the Pro Bowl.
While the Falcons record slipped in 1981, Andrews would have another great season. He led the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,036, again went over 1,300 yards rushing and scored a career-high 12 touchdowns (10 rushing, 2 receiving). Andrews became one of the first running backs in the NFL, along with Tony Dorsett, John Brockington, Ottis Anderson and Earl Campbell, to gain at least 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. Andrews was also fourth in receptions that season with 81. Andrews finished the strike-shortened 1982 season second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,076 and helped the Falcons return to the postseason.
In 1983, Andrews had his best season yet statistically.  He was second in the NFL in rushing with 1,567 yards, second in rushing yards per game with an average of 97.9 and caught for 59 passes for 609 yards.  His also finished second in yards from scrimmage with a total of 2,176.  At season's end, he was named All-Pro by both the NEA and The Sporting News.
In the prime of his career, Andrews sustained a serious knee injury during the 1984 preseason that sidelined him for two years. He returned in 1986 for one season, largely as a tight end. He rushed for 214 yards on 52 attempts and scored 1 touchdown before retiring from the NFL with a career total of 5,986 yards rushing. At the time of his retirement, Andrews ranked 24th in NFL history in rushing yards.In his prime, Andrews was regarded as arguably the most bruising, powerful running back in the NFL.  Ronnie Lott would later state that a head-on-collision he had with Andrews during a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Falcons on December 19, 1982 was the hardest hit that he had received during his NFL career. In addition to leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 1981,  Andrews also finished in the top four in that category three other times.  He was named as the Falcons Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1983.  To celebrate his career, his number 31 was retired in 2004 by the Falcons. Andrews was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
On Friday, March 30, 2012, Andrews was jailed in Cobb County, Georgia, on a civil contempt charge, stemming from on-going child support issues.

Gerald Riggs

Gerald Antonio Riggs (born November 6, 1960) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982 to 1988 and the Washington Redskins from 1989 to 1991.
Before his NFL career, he attended Bonanza High School in Las Vegas, Nevada and after graduation attended Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.  He played sparingly in 1978, running for 410 yards and four touchdowns along with 10 catches for 126 yards.  In 1979, he ran for 363 yards with three touchdowns and 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown.  In 1980, he continued in a backup role and ran for 422 yards with four touchdowns with 15 catches for 165 yards.  In 1981 as the starter, he ran for 891 yards with six touchdowns and 11 catches for 139 yards in 11 games.
He would close out his collegiate career with 2,086 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground and 50 catches for 550 yards.
A superb rusher and pass receiver out of the backfield, Riggs made the Pro Bowl three times in his career from 1985 to 1987.  His best season was in 1985, when he rushed for 1,719 yards and ten touchdowns, while also catching 33 passes for 267 yards, all without a fumble.  He was the only running back in the 1980s to record a 1,000 yard rushing season without a fumble.  In the three seasons from 1984 to 1986, Riggs amassed a whopping 5,212 combined rushing and receiving yards, and scored 32 touchdowns.  In his seven years with the Falcons, he rushed for 6,631 yards, making him the franchise all-time leading rusher.  Prior to the 1989 season, Riggs was traded to the Washington Redskins.
In his final year of 1991, Riggs rushed for 248 yards and 11 touchdowns, assisting his team to a 14–2 record.  He is the only player to rush for 11 touchdowns in fewer than 80 attempts in a single season.  He went on to rush for four touchdowns in Washington's two playoff games, and two touchdowns in Washington's 37–24 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.  His six touchdowns in the postseason tied an NFL record.
Riggs finished his 10 NFL seasons with 8,188 rushing yards and 69 touchdowns, along with 201 receptions for 1,516 yards.
He is the father of Gerald Riggs, Jr., former running back at the University of Tennessee, who played for the Miami Dolphins, and Cody Riggs, a cornerback for the Tennessee Titans.

Jamal Anderson

Jamal Sharif Anderson (born September 30, 1972) is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played high school football at El Camino Real High School, where he was named to the CIF Los Angeles City Section 4-A All-City first team in 1989.  He went on to play college football at Moorpark College for the Moorpark College Raiders before playing at Utah.
Anderson earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1998, leading the NFC in rushing and helping the Falcons to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIII. He suffered a career-ending knee injury in 2001 while finishing his eight-year career with 41 touchdowns and nearly 7,000 yards of offense.

Michael Turner

Michael Turner (born February 13, 1982) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft and also played for the Atlanta Falcons. He played college football at Northern Illinois.

Devonta Freeman

Devonta Freeman (born March 15, 1992) is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He attended and played college football for Florida State from 2011–2013. Freeman attended Miami Central High School in West Little River, Florida. He helped lead the Rockets football team to the 2010 Class 6A state championship and was named the MVP after gaining 308 yards on 36 carries, falling just 20 yards shy of a state championship game record. As a senior, he ran for a Miami-Dade County leading 2,208 yards and 26 touchdowns, and also recorded 663 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the final two games of the state playoffs. Considered a 4-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was rated the best running back in the nation.

Lynn Cain

Lynn Dwight Cain (born October 16, 1955) is a retired American football running back in the National Football League.

Tevin Coleman

Tevin Ford Coleman (born April 16, 1993) is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana, where he was a unanimous All-American. Coleman attended Oak Forest High School in Oak Forest, Illinois. He played running back, wide receiver, and cornerback, and also returned kicks and punts. He was named the 2011 Southtown Star Player of the Year. As a senior, he rushed for 949 yards on 83 carries with 13 touchdowns, and also had 16 receptions for 345 yards and five touchdowns. Coleman attended and played college football for Indiana University from 2012–2014 under head coach Kevin Wilson.

Jerious Norwood

Jerious Montreal Norwood (born July 29, 1983) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State and is the schools second all-time leading rusher.

Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson is an American football wide receiver and kickoff returner for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee. On October 27, 2013 in a game against the Green Bay Packers, Patterson tied the NFL record for longest play and set the NFL record for longest kick return with 109 yards, the longest possible kick return. His nickname is Flash.

T.J. Duckett

T. J. Duckett

Todd Jeffery "T. J." Duckett (born February 17, 1981) is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons 18th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft and also played for the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. He played college football at Michigan State.

Craig Heyward

Craig William "Ironhead" Heyward (September 26, 1966 – May 27, 2006) was an American football fullback who played for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, and Indianapolis Colts in an 11-year National Football League (NFL) career.

Jason Snelling

Jason Michael Snelling (born December 29, 1983) is a former American football running back. He played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.

Dave Hampton

David Hampton (born May 7, 1947) is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Junior Coffey

Junior Lee Coffey (born March 21, 1942) is a former professional football player, a running back in the National Football League with the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, and New York Giants.

Cannonball Butler

Jim Butler

James "Cannonball" Butler (May 4, 1943 – February 10, 2014) was an American football player who played running back for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons and the St. Louis Cardinals.  Butler grew up in Delray Beach, Florida and played college football at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. To this day, he is the only alumnus from the school to ever play in the NFL.In the NFL, Butler was the leading rusher for the Atlanta Falcons in each of his four seasons with the team (1968-1971), and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1969.

Jacquizz Rodgers

Jacquizz "Quizz" Rodgers (born February 6, 1990) is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Oregon State, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Mike Davis

Mike Davis (born February 19, 1993) is an American football running back for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Carolina, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Steve Broussard

Steve Nelson Broussard (born February 22, 1967) is a former American football player, a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Seattle. He has also served as a former assistant coach for several college football teams.

Patrick DiMarco

Patrick DiMarco is an American football fullback.

Haskel Stanback

Haskel LaVon Stanback (born March 19, 1952) is a former professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons for  the Atlanta Falcons. He was selected in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals after attending the University of Tennessee. After his football career, he began work with Norfolk Southern Corporation, and is Superintendent of the its Virginia Division in Roanoke.

Todd Gurley

Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia where he earned All-SEC honors in 2012 and 2013. Gurley was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the tenth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Despite missing three games due to a torn ACL suffered during his junior year at Georgia, Gurley rushed for 1,106 yards in his rookie season and was voted Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press following the 2017 season after gaining 19 offensive touchdowns.

Erric Pegram

Erric Demont Pegram (born January 7, 1969) is a retired professional American football player who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 5'9", 188-pound running back from the University of North Texas, Pegram played in seven NFL seasons from 1991-1997. He played high school football at Hillcrest High School, a perennial powerhouse.
Pegram's best season as a pro was during the 1993 season with the Falcons, rushing for 1,185 yards and three touchdowns. In a game that season against the San Francisco 49ers on September 19, 1993, Pegram ran for 192 yards on 27 carries. Two years later, he found himself as the leading rusher for the Pittsburgh Steelers with 813 yards and led them to a trip to Super Bowl XXX, only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys 27-17. He ended his career after the 1997 NFL season when he split time between the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers.
Pegram lives in Naples, Florida, is married, and has four daughters. He coaches a little league football team – the North Texas Express.

Art Malone

Arthur Lee Malone (March 20, 1948 – July 27, 2012) is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for seven seasons for the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.  He played college football at Arizona State University and was drafted in the second round of the 1970 NFL Draft.
He is the brother of Benny Malone.

Bob Christian

Robert Douglas Christian (born November 14, 1968) is a former American football fullback who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, the Carolina Panthers, and the Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 2002. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft.

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