Jamal "J Lew" Lewis turns 35 today

[Stillriledup]

Aah, the short careers of NFL RBs. Seems like this guy hasn't played in decades, its been about 5 years since he's played. Washed up at 30.

Does anyone have a list of RB's who were still effective at 35 and beyond? It has to be a very short list.

[proximity]

don't worry about jamal.

once track collector signs him up for the big rebates it'll be life of riley time! :)

[RaceBookJoe]

Running back isn't normally a longterm job. Franco Harris was one of the few that rushed for over 1000yds at the age of 32. Marcus Allen played a while into his 30's. There were a few others, but over 35...cant be many at all.

[Stillriledup]

Running back isn't normally a longterm job. Franco Harris was one of the few that rushed for over 1000yds at the age of 32. Marcus Allen played a while into his 30's. There were a few others, but over 35...cant be many at all.

Emmitt Smith played till he was 35, but i dont know how good he was in the final years in Zona.

[RaceBookJoe]

Emmitt Smith played till he was 35, but i dont know how good he was in the final years in Zona.

Tough sport, as a rb everytime you touch the ball you get hit by 1 or more guys and the ground..unless you either run out of bounds or score a td untouched, otherwise its get hit and down.

[Robert Fischer]

It's the position with the largest pool of players, and one of the most physically violent.

[Bettowin]

Tony Richardson played until 39 or maybe even 40.

[RaceBookJoe]

I think Riggins also played past 35? Jim Thorpe played until 40, and George Blanda played until 48, but he also kicked even though he was listed as a rb iirc?

[RaceBookJoe]

Just found this article, pretty interesting :

http://www.footballperspective.com/a-closer-look-at-running-back-aging-patterns/

[Valuist]

Walter Payton was the most durable RB I've ever seen. And he paid a price. I think he died in his forties. In recent years, I'd say Tomlinson was the most durable.

[Delta Cone]

Walter Payton was the most durable RB I've ever seen. And he paid a price. I think he died in his forties. In recent years, I'd say Tomlinson was the most durable.

Walter Payton died in 1999 at age 45 due to bile duct cancer. He had a rare autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis.

His death had nothing to do with football.

[ronsmac]

Walter Payton was the most durable RB I've ever seen. And he paid a price. I think he died in his forties. In recent years, I'd say Tomlinson was the most durable.
Emmitt Smith was pretty durable too. I'm sure the old timers would mention Jim Brown, even though he retired early. He was quoted as saying he was never carried off the field in a game.

[rastajenk]

It's the position with the largest pool of players, and one of the most physically violent.
I would guess that most normal human beings get some sense knocked into them by the time they're 30 or so.

[cj]

I think Riggins also played past 35? Jim Thorpe played until 40, and George Blanda played until 48, but he also kicked even though he was listed as a rb iirc?

Actually, he was K/QB

[Valuist]

Walter Payton died in 1999 at age 45 due to bile duct cancer. He had a rare autoimmune liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis.

His death had nothing to do with football.



We don't know that. We don't know how many pain killers he took along the way or what else he took. Its a fact that pain killers are rough on the liver, and a guy like that who took a beating (and dished out plenty a beating) probably took thousands of pain killers in his life.

[RaceBookJoe]

Actually, he was K/QB

Yeah, I knew he was mainly a K/QB, but for some reason I thought he came into the league as a rb..guess not, not he did play some linebacker too.