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<p>Big fan of Chicago football? Then check out this list of Chicago Bears running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Chicago Bears history, including current running backs and past ones. Featuring some of the greatest NFL&nbsp;running backs&nbsp;of all time, the best Bears RBs include Matt Forte, Walter Payton, Neal Anderson, Gale Sayers, Jordan Howard, and Thomas Jones, among other NFL greats.</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 Chicago Bears history? Vote below, and help decide the greatest Bears&nbsp;RB of all time!</p>


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Walter Payton

Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". A nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is remembered as a prolific rusher, once holding records for career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all-purpose yards, and many other categories. He was also versatile, and retired with the most receptions by a non-receiver, and had eight career touchdown passes. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame that same year, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Hall of Fame NFL player and coach Mike Ditka described Payton as the greatest football player he had ever seen—but even greater as a human being.Payton began his football career in Mississippi, and went on to have an outstanding collegiate football career at Jackson State University, where he was an All-American. He started his professional career with the Chicago Bears in 1975, who selected him with the 1975 Draft's fourth overall pick. Payton proceeded to win the 1977 AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award and won Super Bowl XX with the 1985 Chicago Bears. He retired from football at the end of the 1987 season having rushed for at least 1,200 yards in 10 of his 13 seasons in the NFL.
After struggling with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis for several months, Payton died on November 1, 1999, aged 45, from cholangiocarcinoma. His legacy includes the Walter Payton Award, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and a heightened awareness of the need for organ donations.

Gale Sayers

Gale Eugene Sayers (born May 30, 1943) is an American former professional football player who earned acclaim both as a halfback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). In a brief but highly productive NFL career, Sayers spent seven seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1965 to 1971, though multiple injuries effectively limited him to five seasons of play. He was known for his elusiveness and agility, and was regarded by his peers as one of the most difficult players to tackle.
Nicknamed the "Kansas Comet", Sayers played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks football team of the University of Kansas, where he compiled 4,020 all-purpose yards over three seasons and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. In his rookie NFL season, he set a league record by scoring 22 touchdowns—including a record-tying six in one game—and gained 2,272 all-purpose yards en route to being named the NFL's Rookie of the Year. He continued this production through his first five seasons, earning four Pro Bowl appearances and five first-team All-Pro selections. A right knee injury forced Sayers to miss the final five games of the 1968 season, but he returned in 1969 to lead the NFL in rushing yards and be named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. An injury to his left knee in the 1970 preseason as well as subsequent injuries kept him sidelined for most of his final two seasons.
His friendship with Bears teammate Brian Piccolo, who died of cancer in 1970, inspired Sayers to write his autobiography, I Am Third, which in turn was the basis for the 1971 made-for-TV movie Brian's Song. Sayers was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977 at age 34, and remains the youngest person to receive the honor. He was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team as a halfback and kick returner, the only player to occupy two positions on the team. For his achievements in college, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame the same year. His jersey number is retired by both the Bears and the University of Kansas. Following his NFL career, Sayers began a career in sports administration and business, and served as the athletic director of Southern Illinois University from 1976 to 1981.

Matt Forte

Matt Forté

Matthew Garrett Forte (born December 10, 1985) is a former American football running back who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tulane and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Forte established himself as a dual-threat running back who is capable of earning yards as a rusher and receiver and he's one of only three players on the "1,000-yard rushing, 100-catch season" club. He spent eight years with the Bears before playing for the New York Jets for two seasons..

Neal Anderson

Charles Neal Anderson (born August 14, 1964) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.  Anderson played college football for the University of Florida.  He was a first-round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, and he played professionally for the Chicago Bears of the NFL.

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.



Thomas Q. Jones is an actor who appeared in "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "All American," and "Straight Outta Compton."

Matt Suhey

Matthew Jerome Suhey (born July 7, 1958 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania) is a former professional American football player, playing fullback for ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears while scoring a touchdown in the game and was named to the Pennsylvania Football All-Century Team.Suhey was lead blocker and friend of Walter Payton. He is also a close friend of the Payton family, and the executor of the Payton estate since the death of Walter. Although Suhey was never a leader in any statistical category, he was a fan favorite for his personality and blocking ability.
Matt Suhey is one of three sons of College Football Hall of Fame guard Steve Suhey to letter at Penn State University and a grandson of Hall of Fame Penn State player and coach Bob Higgins.  His son, Joe Suhey, was a fullback at Penn State from 2007–2011. The Higgins–Suhey family is often referred to as the "first family of Penn State football" due to their affiliation with the program spanning four generations.

Willie Galimore

Willie "The Wisp" Galimore (March 30, 1935 – July 27, 1964) was an American football running back for the Chicago Bears from 1957–1963.  He attended Florida A&M University, working with the legendary coach Jake Gaither.  Galimore is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Galimore possessed incredible speed and lateral movement; many of the opposing players of the time stated that they believed Galimore could run side-to-side down the field just as fast as most men could in a straight line.  His running style could be said to most resemble the style of Billy Sims or perhaps Terrell Davis, but faster.
In a documentary short by NFL Films on Galimore, it was said that he was probably the last great find before NFL scouting became sophisticated.  Bears assistant coach Phil Handler, while scouting for talent in Florida, received a tip about Galimore's prowess as a halfback, and the Bears subsequently drafted him in the 5th round of the 1956 NFL draft.  Galimore's peers (including Chuck Bednarik and Doug Atkins) referred to Galimore as one of the best runners they ever faced.
Galimore was killed in an automobile accident on July 27, 1964 in Rensselaer, Indiana at the age of 29 with teammate Bo Farrington.  His number 28 has been retired by the Bears.His son, Ron Galimore, was the first Black U.S. Olympic gymnast.
Willie Galimore's last visit to his hometown of St. Augustine, Florida came just weeks before his death, and he participated in the St. Augustine movement during the Civil Rights Movement, becoming the first Black person who was able to register as a guest at the previously all-white Ponce de Leon Motor Lodge (where the arrest of the 72-year-old mother of the governor of Massachusetts for trying to be served in a racially integrated group had made national headlines a few months before).  Galimore's civil rights activism is honored with a Freedom Trail marker at his home at 57 Chapin Street in St. Augustine.  His widow, Mrs. Audrey Galimore, took part in the dedication of the marker on July 2, 2007.  A community center in the historic Lincolnville neighborhood of the city also bears Galimore's name, and he is depicted on a historical mural painted by schoolchildren on Washington Street.

Jordan Howard

Jordan Reginald Howard (born November 2, 1994) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UAB and Indiana. Howard played high school football at Gardendale High School in Gardendale, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham. He was a two-year starter for the Rockets, gaining 2,876 yards in his junior and senior seasons. While he excelled for the Rockets, he was generally regarded as a just two-star prospect and was not a highly sought-after recruit by major college programs. He ended up going to play college football just a few miles away from his home at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. On May 1, 2016, he participated at Indiana's pro day, along with Nate Sudfeld, Jason Spriggs, Darius Latham, and seven other then prospects. Howard was projected to be a second or third round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts.

Rick Casares

Richard Jose Casares (July 4, 1931 – September 13, 2013) was an American college and professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for twelve seasons during the 1950s and 1960s.  Casares played college football for the University of Florida, where he was standout fullback and kicker.  Casares played professionally for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins of the NFL, and was a member of the expansion Miami Dolphins of the AFL.

Roland Harper

For the naturalist see Roland McMillan Harper

Roland Harper (born February 28, 1953 in Seguin, Texas) is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Chicago Bears.  He was selected in the 17th and final round of the 1975 draft from Louisiana Tech.  He was a starting fullback known in his playing days as a punishing blocker who opened holes in opposing defenses for star halfback Walter Payton.  Harper ranks sixth on the Bears' all-time rushing list with 3,044 yards and 15 TDs on 757 carries in seven seasons. Harper was inducted into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
Although he was drafted in the final round of  the 1975, Harper wound up as the Bears starting fullback that season.  He was joined in the backfield that season by fellow rookie Payton, who was the Bears 1st round draft choice that season.  Fellow rookie Bob Avellini, the Bears 6th round draft pick in 1975, also started several games at quarterback that season, giving the Bears an all rookie backfield.  Harper, Payton and Avelleni started most of the games for the Bears together from 1976 through 1978.  In his rookie season, Harper rushed for 453 yards on 100 carries.  His 4.5 yards per rushing attempt ranked 7th in the NFL that season.  He also caught 27 passes for 191 yards in 1975.In 1976, Harper started all 14 games and increased his rushing yards total to 625 on 147 carries, for a 4.3 yards per carry average.  He also caught 29 passes for 291 yards.  In 1977, Harper rushed for 457 yards on 120 carries, a 3.8 yards per carry average, and caught 19 passes for 142 yards.Harper's best season was 1978, when he rushed for 992 yards on 240 carries, for a 4.1 yards per carry average.  Since Payton rushed for 1,395 yards that season, he fell just eight rushing yards short of making the 1978 Bears the 3rd NFL team and 1st NFC team to have two players with at least 1,000 rushing yards (after the 1972 Miami Dolphins and the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers).  He also caught a career-high 43 passes that season for 340 yards, and set another career high by scoring eight touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving).  His 1332 total yards from scrimmage ranked 10th in the NFL that season, and his 240 rushing attempts also ranked 10th in the NFL.Harper missed the entire 1979 season due to a knee injury.  However, he returned in 1980 and started 12 games.  In 1980, he rushed for 404 yards on 113 carries for a 3.6 yards per carry average and caught just 7 passes for 31 yards, but his blocking helped Payton run for 1,460 yards.  Although Harper played in 15 games in 1981, he was supplanted as the starting fullback for most of the season by Matt Suhey.  He rushed for just 106 yards on 34 carries (a 3.1 average) and caught just two passes all year for ten yards.  Harper's final season was 1982, when he played in eight games, rushed for seven yards on three carries, and caught one pass for eight yards.After his playing career ended, Harper continued to live in the Chicago area.  Since 1990, he ran Rohar Trucking and Excavating, a company that does snow removal, trucking, transporting construction materials and erecting steel.  The company helped build the skyboxes at Soldier Field, the Bears' home field.In June 2008, Harper pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.  The fraud allowed Monahan Landscape Co., a white-owned firm owned by Aidan Monahan, to receive a $1.5 million Chicago Public Schools landscaping contract that was supposed to be reserved for minority-owned firms.  The plea also revealed that Rohar was controlled by Monahan.  In June 2009 he was sentenced to two years probation, including one year house arrest.

Tarik Cohen

Tarik Cohen (born July 26, 1995) is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Cohen played the same position for North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University before being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Cohen attended Bunn High School in his birth town of Bunn, North Carolina, excelling at football and track & field for the Wildcats athletic teams. As a senior, he helped lead the Wildcats to a 9–3 record and a third-round finish in the 2011 NCHSAA 2A playoffs. In his two years on the varsity team, he rushed for a total 808 yards, including 252 earned in a single game. He earned team MVP and all-conference honors in football and state championships in Track as he was part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 2A state champion 4×100 meter relay team.

Bronko Nagurski

Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski (November 3, 1908 – January 7, 1990) was a Canadian-born American football player in the National Football League (NFL), renowned for his strength and size. Nagurski was also a successful professional wrestler, recognized as a multiple-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Nagurski became a standout playing both tackle on defense and fullback on offense at the University of Minnesota from 1927 to 1929, selected a consensus All-American in 1929 and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1951. His professional career with the Chicago Bears, which began in 1930 and ended on two occasions in 1937 and 1943, also made him an inaugural inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.

Brian Piccolo

Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was an American professional football player, a running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for four years. He died at age 26 from embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, first diagnosed after it had spread to his chest cavity.
Piccolo was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, with a remake (of the same title) TV movie filmed in 2001. He was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake.

Anthony Thomas

Anthony Thomas (born November 7, 1977), nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football running back.
Thomas played college football at the University of Michigan from 1997 to 2000. He broke Michigan's career rushing record with a four-year total of 4,472 yards. As a senior, he rushed for 1,733 yards and was selected as a first-team running back on the 2000 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Thomas was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft and played for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). As a rookie with the Bears in 2001, Thomas rushed for over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns to earn NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He played for the Bears from 2001 to 2004, Dallas Cowboys in 2005, New Orleans Saints in 2005, and Buffalo Bills from 2006 to 2007.

Brad Muster

Bradley William Muster (born April 11, 1965) is a former American football fullback. He played college football at Stanford. He was selected in the 1st round (23rd overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Johnny Morris

Johnny Edward Morris (born September 26, 1935) is a former American football running back/wide receiver in the National Football League.  He spent his entire ten-year career with the Chicago Bears, and is the franchise's all-time leader in receiving yards with 5,059.  He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. Morris won an NFL championship in 1963. In 1964, he had his best season with 93 receptions for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In 1964, while still playing for the Bears, Morris joined WBBM-TV in Chicago as a sportscaster. Except for a six-year stint at rival WMAQ-TV, Morris remained at WBBM until 1992, serving for most of that time as sports director. During his time at WBBM-TV, he popularised the use of the telestrator (a device for drawing over still or moving video images) in sports television, which was invented by fellow WBBM-TV employee Leonard Reiffel for his science-related TV series Dimensions on Tomorrow's Living and The World Tomorrow. He also served as a football color commentator for CBS' NFL coverage from 1975 to 1986. He retired in 1996.

David Montgomery

David Montgomery (born June 7, 1997) is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft after playing college football at Iowa State. Montgomery was a consensus First-team All-Big 12 player in 2017. Growing up in the Cincinnati Ohio area, he is an Eagle Scout in addition to being a standout prep dual threat quarterback. Over his four-year career he rushed for 6,666 yards and 91 touchdowns. In 2015 he was named the Division III Ohio Player of the Year as well as the Southwest District Offensive Player of the Year. His senior season rushing total of 2,707 was good enough for the 21st best single season performance in Ohio high school history. He posted seven 200-yard games and three 300-yard games, including one 373 yard performance.

George McAfee

George Anderson McAfee (March 13, 1918 – March 4, 2009) was a professional American football player. He played halfback and defensive back for the Chicago Bears from 1940 to 1941 and 1945 to 1950. As an undergraduate at Duke University, McAfee starred in baseball and track and field as well as college football. McAfee was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As of 2018, he still holds the NFL record for punt return average in a career.

Bill Osmanski

William Thomas Osmanski (December 29, 1915 – December 25, 1996) was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and in 1977 he was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.

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.

Raymont Harris

Raymont LaShawn Harris (born December 23, 1970) is a former American football running back.  He played college football at Ohio State University.  Harris played professionally for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) between 1994 and 2000 with the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.  He was nicknamed the "Ultraback" because of his versatility.

Beattie Feathers

William Beattie "Big Chief" Feathers (August 20, 1909 – March 11, 1979) was an American football player and coach of football and baseball.  He played college football and college basketball at the University of Tennessee.

Joe Marconi

Joseph George Marconi (February 6, 1934 – August 23, 1992) was an American football fullback who played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL).
Marconi was born in the Pittsburgh area city of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania. He played football in high school and was offered an athletic scholarship at the University of Maryland, but he didn't like the school and found himself at West Virginia University.
He was first used on defense, but was found to be too productive on offense in the running game and was part of the backfield. As a running back, he piled up 998 career yards on 181 carries for an impressive 5.5 average and 18 touchdowns.
Marconi helped West Virginia to a 31–7 record during his four-year tenure. He was selected to play in the College Football All-Star Game and the Blue–Gray Football Classic after his senior season and he ended up being the Los Angeles Rams first pick in the 1956 draft. He accumulated impressive yardage as a Ram with 1,769 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was traded to the Bears before the 1962 season.
He played five years with the Bears organization and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 1964. In 1966, he retired from football to become a sales representative in the steel business. He died in Downers Grove, Illinois, his home.

Ronnie Bull

Ronald David Bull (born February 2, 1940) is a retired American football running back. He played running back at Bishop High School in Bishop, Texas.
Bull played halfback at Baylor University wearing jersey No. 25 from 1958 to 1961. While at Baylor he played at the Gator Bowl against the University of Florida. He also played in the East–West Shrine Game, the Senior Bowl, and the College All-Star Game.
Bull was drafted in the 1962 American Football League Draft by the Dallas Texans with the team's first pick, but elected to play for the National Football League instead. Bull was taken out of the Baylor University by the Chicago Bears as the seventh pick in the first round in the 1962 NFL Draft. He played for the Bears wearing jersey No. 29 and the Philadelphia Eagles wearing jersey No. 47.  During his career, Bull played in 123 games, carried the ball 881 times for 3,222 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was named the 1962 Senior Bowl most valuable player and 1962 UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year. Bull was among the inaugural inductees in the Texas High School Hall of Fame in 1985. He was also inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
He currently runs his specialty advertising business, Ronnie Bull Sales, Inc in the Chicago area.

George Gulyanics

George Gulyanics (June 11, 1921 – January 19, 1990) was born in Mishawaka, Indiana and was a professional American football player who played running back and punter for six seasons for the Chicago Bears. He currently ranks eleventh all-time in the National Football League in career average yards per punt, at 44.531 yards.
Gulyanics won the South Bend, Indiana Golden Gloves welterweight title in 1937 and was an Indiana All-State fullback in 1941 at Mishawaka High School. He then attended Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi and later played on the 1941 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He served in the First Army Signal Corps from 1942 to 1945 and went ashore in Normandy at Utah Beach on D-Day Plus 1,  June 7, 1944.
While waiting for his return home after the war's end, he played football with a service team in France, where word of his ability filtered back to Chicago Bears' owner-coach, George Halas, who offered him a tryout. In 1946, he played for the Halas-owned Akron Bears of the AFL, before being "promoted" to the Chicago Bears in 1947. Nicknamed "Little Bronko" (after Bears' Hall-of-Famer Bronko Nagurski), he played six years at fullback and halfback and was the team's punter. He ranks 15th on the Bears' all-time rushing list with 2,081 yards, a 4.1 yards per rush average; he scored 19 touchdowns between 1947 and his retirement after the 1952 season.
In 1953, he returned to Mishawaka and was elected to the Penn Township assessor's office in 1954. He held that office for 32 years before his retirement in 1986. He and his wife, Ann Marie, had four children. He is a member of the Mishawaka High School Athletics Hall-of-Fame.

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