Where Are They Now? Your Favorite NFL Running Backs of the '90s

Ever wonder what happened to your favorite 90's ball carriers? We have your update.

Oct 02, 2014
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Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

In American sports, there may not be a position that has a shorter lifespan than that of NFL running back. In today's game the idea of a single running back taking the large majority of carries is almost entirely dead, with coaches moving towards multi-back systems as both a tactical means of outsmarting an opponent as well as a simple way of keeping ball carriers fresh. This was not so much the case in the 1990s.

Back in the day, workhorse running backs were both common and celebrated by fans. We loved Jamal Anderson's "Dirty Bird" celebration, Terrell Davis' "Mile-High Salute", and the raw fat-guy power displayed by Jerome "The Bus" Bettis. These men etched themselves in football history by abusing their bodies for the sake of the team.

Unfortunately, all things must end, and the era of the NFL running back plowing forward for 30+ carries a game is now behind us. But that doesn't mean we still can't look back and celebrate the heroes of our youth. That doesn't mean we still can't think about them and wonder what they've been up to. Is Ricky Watters still acting like Ricky Watters did in the 90s? Let's find out together. Here is Where Are They Now: Your Favorite NFL Running Backs of the '90s. 

To save time we focused on the very best running backs of the 90's, so please forgive us, Tim Biakabutuka fans.

10. Jamal Anderson

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Years Active: 1994-2001

Team(s): Falcons

Career Stats: 5,336 rushing yards, 41 rushing TDs, 4.0 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: He's a huge Game of Thrones fan, even going so far as to write GoT recaps for TMZ.

While not as dominant statistically as some of the other backs on this list, Jamal easily makes up for this numbers gap by being the creator of "The Dirty Bird". Who has time to worry about yards per carry or Pro Bowls when you have an entire city doing your dance like Jamal did in the late 90's? 

Jamal's career ended in 2001 following an ACL injury, but in the past decade-plus he has managed to stay around the game by getting into broadcasting, most recently with CNN Newsroom as an NFL analyst. He also is very active on Twitter and has a website with an interactive intro for the ages. Happy belated born day to #32!

9. Jerome Bettis

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Years Active: 1993-2005

Team(s): Rams, Steelers

Career Stats: 13,662 rushing yards, 94 TDs, 3.9 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: Organizes the Jerome Bettis Asthma and Sports Camp annually for kids with asthma.

Who doesn't love a 300-pound running back nicknamed "The Bus"? Easily one of the most fitting monikers in sports history. Jerome Bettis spent 12 years in the league running over defenses and wore yellow as part of his uniform for both the Rams and the Steelers. The only way he could've been more of a bus on the field is if he hollowed himself out and filled his insides with school children. Actually...that's kinda gross. Forget I ever said that.

These days Jerome can be found doing the TV analyst thing for ESPN on various NFL-related shows as well as on local Pittsburgh station WPXI as the host of "The Jerome Bettis Show". He also opened "Jerome Bettis' Grille 36" on Pittsburgh's north side in June 2007, had a cameo as himself in season 3 of The Office, and has delivered over 1,000 pairs of cleats to school children in Detroit, his hometown.

8. Ricky Watters

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Years Active: 1991-2001

Team(s): 49ers, Eagles, Seahawks

Career Stats: 10,643 rushing yards, 78 TDs, 4.1 YPC, 4,248 receiving yards, 9.1 yards per catch 

Little-Known Fact: His son Ricky Jr. is an aspiring actor.

Ricky Watters was as known for his brash attitude as his moves on the field, which unfortunately worked against him when it came to Hall of Fame voting. His "For who? For what?" quote still lives in infamy in Philadelphia. Regardless, nobody could deny his talent, which netted him five Pro Bowls and a spot in the 10,000 rushing yards club. 

These days Ricky has settled in Orlando after previously living in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He was recently inducted into the Central Florida Hall of Fame along with current L.A. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, and even went back this summer to Notre Dame to get a degree in graphic design. So, if you're looking for a Super Bowl champion to retouch your pictures in Photoshop...you know who to call.

7. Curtis Martin

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Years Active: 1995-2005

Team(s): Patriots, Jets

Career Stats: 14,101 rushing yards, 90 TDs, 4.0 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: He has a perfect QB passer rating, as both of his two career passes were competed for touchdowns.

What has Hall of Famer Curtis Martin been up to since he left the league nine years ago? Oh, I don't know, JUST BEING THE BEST FATHER IN THE COUNTRY.

Yep, Curtis Martin literally won Father of the Year for 2014 from the Nation Father's Day Council. He is the #1 dad. That mug you bought your pops on Father's Day? LIES.

6. Terrell Davis

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Years Active: 1995-2002

Team(s): Broncos

Career Stats: 7,607 rushing yards, 65 TDs, 4.6 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: Suffered his first migraine—the type of headache that he played through in Super Bowl XXXII—at the age of seven.

TD may have never become a Hall of Famer due to the short life span of his career, but anybody who watched him during his peak respects the talent. Not only did he win a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP, he did so while suffering from a migraine headache. If you've ever had a migraine you know first-hand how difficult it can be to sit comfortably in a lit room let alone play under stadium lights in front of the entire planet while getting bashed by drugged-up 300-pound psychopaths for several hours.

Davis currently resides in Temecula, California with his wife and lives what seems to be a relatively quiet life. He was a correspondent for NFL Total Access on the NFL Network for a while, but his most recent public appearance was in early September when he honored the Longmont Trojans high school team on The Today Show for their community service.

5. Eddie George

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Years Active: 1996-2004

Team(s): Titans, Cowboys

Career Stats: 10,441 rushing yards, 78 TDs, 3.6 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: His mother, a flight attendant, changed her schedule to attend Eddie's first contract signing on July 19, 1996. If she hadn't changed her schedule, she would have been aboard TWA Flight 800, which crashed shortly after takeoff two days before the signing.

Since leaving the NFL behind Eddie Gorge has been quite the entertainer. He hosted a video game-themed show called G4's Training Camp, played the roles of Julius Caesar and Othello for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's winter show, and currently is on several television programs including "The Quad" on the Big 10 Network, NBC's "American Dream Builders", and two FOX Sports pre-game shows. His wife was also a contestant on Survivor: Tocantins.

4. Thurman Thomas

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Years Active: 1988-2000

Team(s): Bills, Dolphins

Career Stats: 12,074 rushing yards, 88 TDs, 4.2 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: Made phone calls in support of New York Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, Thurman Thomas has been keeping himself busy in upstate New York since his playing days ended. He started his own energy company in 2010 called the Thurman Thomas Global Energy Group, hosted The Thurman Thomas Show with Jeff Russo on WKBW-TW until 2011, and is currently the President and CEO of Thurman Thomas Sports Training in Elma, New York.

He also frequently visited former teammate Jim Kelly while he was hospitalized for oral cancer earlier this year. Kelly famously was declared cancer-free in early September, so who knows? Maybe Thurman Thomas made the difference.

3. Marshall Faulk

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Years Active: 1994-2005

Team(s): Colts, Rams

Career Stats: 12,280 rushing yards, 136 TDs, 4.3 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: Became a member of the board of directors for the new USFL in 2012, which is scheduled to kick off in 2015.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, Marshall Faulk is still in the public eye as he's entering his fifth season as an NFL Network analyst. You can catch him on NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Kickoff, the Sprint Halftime Show, and NFL GameDay Morning, most of the time trying to prove a point over the maniacal yelling of Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp.

Also, Marshall has a bunch of kids with awesome names. According to Wikipedia he was #blest with eight children: Marshall Faulk, Jr., Jaden Faulk, Brooklyn Faulk, Presley Faulk, Farrah Faulk, Mahlik Faulk, Kwuan Faulk, and Hakim Faulk. Maybe one of them will end up a pass-catching Pro Bowl running back like dad.

2. Emmitt Smith

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Years Active: 1990-2004

Team(s): Cowboys, Cardinals

Career Stats: 18,355 rushing yards, 164 rushing TDs, 515 receptions, 11 receiving TDs

Little-Known Fact: He's quite the wordsmith.

Emmitt is the NFL's all-time leading rusher, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and former analyst for ESPN, but you may know him as the winner of the third season of Dancing with the Stars. What many don't know is that Emmitt was quite smart with his money both during and after his career, working in real estate with former Cowboy Roger Staubach for years before forming Smith/Cypress Partners LP and getting more serious about the real estate development game after retirement. He's buying property all over Texas, but most recently has started expanding nationwide including cities like New York City and Baltimore.

He also participated in the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, making it to the second round before losing to Andrew Robl. But even with all the rings of honor and Super Bowls and Hall of Fame inductions, nothing can compare to Emmitt's immortalization in song by the great Migos on their track "Emmitt Smith". 

 

1. Barry Sanders

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Years Active: 1989-1998

Team(s): Lions

Career Stats: 15,269 rushing yards, 99 rushing TDs, 5.0 YPC 

Little-Known Fact: Claimed Detroit's losing culture robbed him of his competitive spirit and love of the sport.

For 80's babies like myself, childhood glimpses of Barry Sanders destroying ankles all over the NFL are forever imprinted in our minds. Which is a major reason why many Millennials and Generation X-ers will tell you without hesitation that Barry Sanders was the greatest back who ever lived. Have you seen some of these highlights? Do any of us even care that he doesn't smile?

After retiring years before he should have (and only a few years from breaking several major NFL rushing records) due to an ongoing dispute with the Detroit Lions organization, Barry fought the Lions for his last signing bonus and was actually forced to pay back $5.5 million of the $11 million he was given. More recently Sanders was featured on the cover of last year's Madden 25, and can be seen popping up here and there at NFL events taking pictures with adoring fans who remember his special talent and running style. And for those who don't remember, they can check out his son Barry Sanders, Jr., who is currently a running back at Stanford University.

 

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