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Week
Five poll: Greatest backfield
This week,
profootballhof.com takes a look back at the greatest backfields in the history
of the game. From the Cardinals' "Dream Backfield" of 1947 to the
'90s Cowboys of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and the "Moose," Darryl
Johnston, the NFL has seen its share of great backfields. Which one is your
favorite?
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49ers'
"Million-Dollar Backfield"
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The
"Million-Dollar Backfield" -- consisting of Y.A.
Tittle, John Henry Johnson, Hugh “The King” McElhenny (pictured), and Joe
“The Jet” Perry -- supplied their fair share of excitement on the
NFL gridiron during a three-year period. The "Million Dollar
Backfield" is the only full-house backfield to have all four of
its members enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
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Cardinals'
"Dream Backfield"
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Charley
Trippi (pictured), Paul Christman, Elmer Angsman, and Pat Harder made up the "Dream
Backfield" for the 1947 NFL-champion Chicago Cardinals. In the
'47 Championship against Philadelphia, Trippi scored on a 44-yard run
and a 70-yard punt return, while Angsman torched the Steelers for two
70-yard touchdown runs. Cards' owner Charles Bidwill, who assembled the
"Dream Backfield," died in April of '47 and never saw his
team win the title.
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Packers'
Starr, Taylor, and Hornung
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Green
Bay became "Titletown" after the backfield of Bart Starr,
Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung led the Packers to five world titles and
victories in the first
two Super Bowls. Starr led the League in passing in 1962, 1964 and
1966, and was named to the Pro Bowl four times. Taylor rushed for
over 1,000 yards five straight seasons and is the 16th-ranked rusher
in league history. Hornung won the NFL scoring title in three consecutive
years (1959-61), setting the all-time league record of 176 points in
1960.
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Steelers'
Bradshaw, Harris, and Bleier
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The
Steelers won six consecutive division titles and four Super Bowls behind the backfield of Terry Bradshaw,
Franco Harris, and Rocky Bleier. Bradshaw, MVP of Super Bowls
XIII and XIV, threw for 27,989 yards and 212 TDs, and he also ran for
2,257 yards and 32 TDs. Harris was elected to the Pro Bowl eight
times and ran for 1,000 yards or more in nine seasons during his
career. Bleier scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Steelers in
Super Bowl XIII.
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Cowboys'
Aikman, Smith, and Johnston
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The
team of the '90s was led by the outstanding play of quarterback Troy
Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and fullback Darryl
"Moose" Johnston. In 1989, the Cowboys were 1-15 with
rookie Aikman at the helm, but Aikman became the winningest
quarterback of any decade in NFL history with 90 wins in the '90s,
topping Joe Montana’s previous best of 86 wins in the 1980s. Smith
holds the all-time record for touchdown runs with 138 and is the
third-ranked rusher on the NFL’s all-time list. Smith has also won
four NFL rushing titles behind Johnston's blocking.
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| | | | | Note: Photos
courtesy of the Associated Press.
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