The Ever-Changing Joe Smith
August 1, 2017There and Back Again: Joe Smith’s Tale
August 1, 2017When looking into the history of the Cleveland Browns, the current state of the team clouds the mind and make it easy to forget there were so many great players on the squad in the past. Let’s reminisce about backfields that had once had both Pruitt’s at the same time,1 Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner double teaming defenses, and the GOAT.2
No. 5: Greg Pruitt
Stats: 5,496 rushing yards, 25 TDs, 3,022 receiving yards, 17 TDs, 4 Pro Bowls (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977)
Pruitt was a dynamic player for the Browns in the 70s, starting out as a punt and kick returner, even making the Pro Bowl in his rookie and sophomore years being used primarily as a returner. He eventually became a Pro Bowl level running back for the team, rushing for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons in 1976 and 1977. Greg Pruitt3 was with the Browns for nine years and totaled 5,496 rushing yards and 25 TDs.
No. 4: Marion Motley
Stats: 4,712 rushing yards, 31 TDs, 1,107 receiving yards, 7 TDs, 1 Pro Bowl (1950), 2 All Pro teams (1948, 1950), 1 NFL Championship (1950), Hall of Fame (1968)
Originally, I had Motley No. 5, just due to lack of stats comparatively, but when you look at the numbers he put up in an era where 1,000 yard seasons were almost unheard of, it put him above other worthy challengers. Motley paved the way for African American players in the NFL, with his no nonsense approach on and off the field. Motley was a “hit ’em in the teeth,” grind it out player and paid for it by having such a short career when you look at his successors. Running for 4,712 yards as a Brown, Motley comes in No. 6. He does lead the franchise in yards per attempt at 5.7 among those with at least 200 attempts (sorry Mike Phipps) and had only nine lost fumbles in his eight years as a Browns fullback. He was instrumental in the 1950 championship season, the one season he made the Pro Bowl.
No. 3: Mike Pruitt
Stats: 6,540 rushing yards, 47 TDs, 1,761 receiving yards, 5 TDs, 2 Pro Bowls (1979, 1980)
Mike Pruitt, no relation to Greg, was less flash but more production than his surname-sake. Rushing for 6,540 yards in nine years, he outproduced the other Pruitt by over 1,000 yards, while also losing fewer fumbles, 37 to 59. Mike was named starter midway through the 1978 season and never gave the job back. He was named to the Pro Bowl the next two seasons, helping the Browns make the playoffs in 1980.
No. 2: Leroy Kelly
Stats: 7,274 rushing yards, 74 TDs, 2,281 receiving yards, 13 TDs, 6 Pro Bowls (1966-1971), 3 All Pro teams (1966-1968), Hall of Fame (1994)
Kelly took over the starting job reigns from the legendary Jim Brown in 1966 and kept the train going into the 1970s. Once finally handed the starting job, Kelly went to six straight Pro Bowls and had three All Pro seasons. Rushing for 7,274 yards in his ten year career, Kelly finished as No. 2 in franchise history in yards. Kelly earned his place in the Hall of Fame, getting inducted in 1994.
No. 1: Jim Brown
Stats: 12,312 rushing yards, 106 TDs, 2,499 receiving yards, 20 TDs, 9 Pro Bowls (1957-1965), 8 All Pro teams (1957-1961, 1963-1965), NFL Championship (1964)
Another list where the top was always known. Jim Brown can make a claim that only Ric Flair can: best there is, best there was, best there ever will be. Totaling over 12,000 yards, he rushed for 1,000 more yards than No. 3 and 4 on this list combined. It’s not hard to grasp how good he was; he was named to the Pro Bowl every year he played, and was named to the All Pro team in every year except 1962, when he rushed for *only* 996 yards and 13 TDs. He was the focal point of the team that won the championship in 1964 and has set records that will likely never be beaten. It’s plain and simple: when it comes to Browns running backs, Jim Brown is the GOAT.4
Honorable Mention
It was hard to not list Kevin Mack or Earnest Byner, but it needs to be mentioned that in 1985, they were only the third teammates to both rush for 1,000 in the same season. For that reason they are here in the honorable mentions category. Out of the crop of “new” Browns, Jamal Lewis is No. 9 all time in rush yards in only three seasons, totaling 1,304 in 2007 and 1,002 in 2008. Of those currently on the roster, Isaiah Crowell is No. 12 with 2,265 rushing yards. If an extension is reached, he could eclipse some big names over the next year(s).
84 Comments
Ben Gay!
There wasn’t even a mention of St. Lawrence.
Careful Joe… you’re really trying to expedite your grace period, aren’t you?
Cleo Miller!
Gregg Pruitt was the man. Most of those receiving yards came off dump passes to the flat to get him to the corner quicker. Best I’ve seen, which does not include JB.
this list was too easy … it is right on , so too were the honorable mentions . if you want a little debate , list the greatest RB’s of all-time … my list :
1 – Jim Brown
2 – Walter Payton
3 – Barry Sanders
4 – Emmitt Smith
5 – L. Tomlinson
i was tempted to put O.J. Simpson at #5 , but went with Tomlinson … so , Simpson , Dickerson & Thurman Thomas are my honorable mentions.
This is obviously the most stacked position in Browns history.
I can’t argue with the five selections, Joe, but I’d put Motley (sight unseen) #3, Greg Pruitt #4, and Mike Pruitt #5. Stats ain’t everything.
My list:
1 Brown
2 Kelly
3 Motley
4 G Pruitt
5 M Pruitt
HM: K Mack, E. Green
Really though, it is a Top 2 and I could argue nearly any other combination of 3-7.
5 biggest flops at RB for Browns …
1 – W. Green
2 – Vardell
3 – T. Richardson
4 – C. White
5 – M. Hardesty
honorable mention going to Peyton Hillis … he could’ve been a God in Cleveland.
Tim Manoa !
I refuse to see William Green as the No. 1 flop/bust of Browns RBs since his most redeemable moment is also the only moment since 1999 that clinched a Browns playoff berth. “Run, William, Run!” alone puts him at No. 5 on that list (at the highest).
hi MG … we know you meant “E. Byner” , right ?? …
Bo Scott !
Ernie Green had 160 less yards compared to Byner but on 194 less carries.
for where Green , Vardell & Richardson were drafted , they were big-time busts … which also goes hand-in-hand with our less-than-stellar drafting history.
Your list is my list. I wrote mine out yesterday talking with Joe on it.
I don’t disagree Green was a bust. I disagree with you stating him a bigger bust than Richardson and Vardell especially if you are noting “where they were drafted”
It is absolutely nutso but Crowell with a good year (1100 yards) would wind up at No. 7 in career rushing yards ahead of Byner and Green.
got it … i didn’t get to see E. Green play , but Byner had 81 more receptions & i am only guessing the better blocker / all-around player.
Crowell is a better back than some people want to give him credit for.
i took in to account that T-Rich did break Jim Brown’s rookie record … so , T-Rich & Hillis had 1 good year , then poof !!
True, but he also has averaged less than 50 yards per game in his career (partially due to always sharing the role). I expect a breakout and for him to achieve that 1100 yards this season (barring injury).
I didn’t have the good fortune either but I have been told tales of how much fun E. Green was to watch and 4.8 ypc to 3.9 ypc for a runner is a big difference to me.
On a marginally related Browns note, I found this while perusing the web…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7f4374482f2e6b09601d2cdf715550084603d149b8a25709f5694b52603c9810.jpg
Whoever made this needs to be congratulated.
T-Rich did no such thing when looking at yards per game and 3.6 ypc is not a good year by any measure.
“fewer” yards on “fewer” carries.
–QC
his 950 yards & 11 Td’s are both Browns rookie records … these are respectable rookie numbers.
And to think that some people want this man to leave. It’s just shameful, I tell you, shameful.
Blindly running into defenders just because there is no one else on the bench to run into defenders is not in my definition of respectable.
… this was also on his rookie resume … https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/531fcae47bce4c906f61af8386973573ebb22d043cdd7f1f9d3cce675834f42b.gif
Richardson played in a 16-game season, Brown 12. No comparison.
His one and only moment of glory took place in his first-ever NFL game. After than, pffffft.
hi MARTY … i totally agree. but there have been many Browns rookie RB’s since Jim Brown & T-Rich was the one that broke his records. any time you break one of Jim Brown’s records , you’re doing something. T-Rich was a flop … but , he did have one good year.
Hi tb2. Records were made to be distorted, misinterpreted, and/or weaseled.
Trying to bulldoze NFL men over and over is a whole different animal than trucking kids from Kent State, and Vanderbilt, and North Texas, and Georgia Southern…
.. but are records nonetheless
“thanks , RGB !!” https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/21fa1ef38f88b405e2f792164a216a9c097265b047d2a4bac8be7f3283754b6f.jpg
Okay, I’ll concede that they are meaningless records.
his year was so “good” that the FO shipped him out early in Year 2
he had a cruddy year where he was given a lot of carries in an attempt to justify his draft position. the end.
Your list is NOTHING like my list after all.
And he catches the ball better than any of Ray’s WRs…
remember that you forced this upon yourself…
http://dailysnark.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Screen-Shot-2015-08-15-at-6.22.52-PM.png
http://dailysnark.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Screen-Shot-2015-08-15-at-11.08.36-PM.png
Yes, he goes the redline route into unblocked defender
https://nfldraftforce.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/trent1.png
and again…
http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Kgyhra.5AFEqNIzh2PMrrQ–/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1/http://media.zenfs.com/en-us/homerun/complex.com/0edecc4c2e35ff6178c98a2affea7cc8
Ha haaaaa! You’re vicious.
Shuffle to the right/hole or run into defender? You decide
https://nfldraftforce.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/trent3.png
3 choices, he runs directly into the DL in front of him instead
http://d2omoky3s7n2wz.cloudfront.net/112014ind4.png
Note to self:
Never open a can of Bode.
LMFAO !!! … so , i’m guessing T-Rich would be #1 on your flop list … in this pic he has a Raiders uniform on , what did you expect him to do , hit the hole & score a TD ??
Why take the hole when you can rest quicker by running directly into Cameron Wake
https://nfldraftforce.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/trent2.png