Cards From the Best RBs of the Decade
Loading ...Fun fact: The 1990s were the least effective rushing decade in football history, with a league average of 109.6 yards per game. It’s clear that in the ’90s, passing was taking over the game of football, but this doesn’t change the fact that the top RBs of the ’90s weren’t among the absolute best to haul the rock (and they also have some of the best and most interesting Topps Football cards you can collect).
Take a look back into the archives with us as we sift through the vintage Topps Football sets (and 2023 Topps Motif Football) that featured these offensive powerhouses. And while you’re here, vote for who you think the best RB of the ’90s was. Did we get it right?
The Top RBs of the 1990s
2023 Topps Motif Football Aquarelle Autographs #AA-TD Terrell Davis /15
Player info
• Most rushing yards in a season, including playoffs: 2,476
• Only 2,000+ yard rusher to win a league championship in the same season
Set info
• Aquarelle Autographs features 49 players with six parallels (/20 to /1)
what they said
• “I know it was shorter but TD’s career, it was awesome…I was a guy who was drafted higher than him and I’m looking at him and saying to myself: ‘Why can’t I do this? Why am I not doing this? What am I doing wrong?’ It helped me with my career.” – Marshall Faulk
2000 Bowman Chrome Football #106 Marshall Faulk Refractor
Player info
• Only player with 12,000 yds rushing and 6,000 yds receiving in a career
• two-time league offensive player of the year
set info
• 270 card base set featuring 140 veterans, 105 rookies, and 25 euro players with refractor parallels
• 10 insert sets
what they said
• “Marshall was a pioneering player. As a threat in so many different aspects of football, he revolutionized the way in which the running back position was played.” – Tiki Barber
1992 Topps Football #320 Thurman Thomas
Player info
• 1991 offensive player of the year
• first player in league history with 1,000+ rush yards and 500+ receiving yards in 4 straight seasons
Set info
• 759 card set featuring three insert sets (1000-yard club, 1000-yard club gold, and 4-card no.1 draft pick of the ’90s set)
What they said
•”He was a great receiver out of the backfield. He was Marshall Faulk before Marshall Faulk. He was the prototype of today’s running back and he started playing in the late 80’s. He was a guy that was ahead of his time.” – Steve Tasker
1990 Topps Football #27T Emmitt Smith RC
Player info
• holds the league record for career rushing yds: 18,355
• one of four players in league history with over 21,000 combined career yards (Jerry Rice, Brian Mitchell, Walter Payton)
set info
• 528-card set featuring three inserts sets: 1000-yard club, wax bottom singles, and wax bottom panels
what they said
• “He’s passed the test of time. He’s been there year after year, playing at a high level and with a lot of consistency. He plays the game like it’s supposed to be played. He’s a pro’s pro.” – Tony Dorsett
1999 Bowman’s Best Football #50 Barry Sanders Atomic Refractor /100
Player info
• 1997 league MVP
• First running back to record five 1,500-yd seasons
set info
• 133-card set with 12 insert sets and two parallels (refractor and atomic refractor)
What they said
• “Barry is like a little genius. Each play he runs is like an individual play which is sometimes great to watch and sometimes spectacular.” – jim brown
