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The Philadelphia Eagles have had four backs play in at least 100 games for the team, and several more who came close to that total. The list of top franchise running backs makes for a very talented group of players, including Super Bowl performances and First Team All-Pro worthy seasons.

Who is the Running Back for the Eagles ?

Philadelphia’s running back group in 2022 is led by Miles Sanders, who was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Penn State. Sanders had backed up Saquon Barkley for the Nittany Lions, before stepping into the lead role after Barkley headed to the league.

In 2022, Miles Sanders put together his first 1,000-yard rushing season and a much higher workload than he had managed in his previous three years in the league. Before the 2022 season, his career-high rushing attempts sat at 179 in his rookie year, and his highest rushing total came to 867 yards in year two. The Eagles running back had scored nine rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons combined but exploded in 2022 with a new-look offense working heavily in his favor.

Sanders rushed for a career-high 1,269 yards in the regular season with 259 carries, surpassing his previous record, and added 11 touchdowns.

Philadelphia Eagles Running Backs History

The Philadelphia Eagles are often recognized for their elite quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb; however, their running backs also deserve attention for their impressive performances at certain points in the team's history.

From Shady McCoy to Steve Van Buren, the list of Philadelphia Eagles RBs spans over 70 years of team history, and plenty of names that football fans will recognize.

The Eagles have called on some of these backs in big moments, including Super Bowl LII where Philadelphia would go on to beat the New England Patriots and claim their first Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Famous Eagles Running Backs

Shady McCoy is one of the most well-known Eagles running backs, leading the NFL in rushing yards in 2013 and being named a First Team All-Pro on two occasions.

Thanks to the popular tv series ‘Hard Knocks’, former Eagles running back Duce Staley is now well known amongst NFL fans due to his role as the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Detroit Lions. Eagles’ fans will know him well for his playing ability, spending seven seasons in Philly in the late 90s to early 2000s.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Eagles Running Backs of All Time

10. LeGarrette Blount (2017)

LeGarrette Blount spent just one season with the Philadelphia Eagles in the twilight of his career in 2017. He had already won two Super Bowls when he arrived. Blount had just had a career-high year in 2016 while playing for the New England Patriots, who went on to win the Super Bowl that season.

He signed a small one-year deal with the Eagles for the 2017 season, rushing for 766 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and helping Philadelphia to a 13-3 record. In the playoffs, Blount scored a touchdown in all three games including Super Bowl LII, helping the team win their first NFL Championship in the modern era over his former team.

Blount wouldn’t re-sign with the team, instead moving on to play with the Detroit Lions in the 2018 season, before retiring in 2020. The three-time Super Bowl Champion is appreciated for being an integral part of the offense during the playoffs that year.

9. Miles Sanders (2019-Present)

Miles Sanders put his best season on tape with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, rushing for 1,269 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in the regular season. His efforts contributed to a powerful offense that led the Eagles to the #1 seed in the NFC.

Sanders had two touchdowns in the NFC Championship game against San Francisco, helping the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII.

The ex-Penn State running back, who grew up in Pittsburgh and played college football for his local team, will become a free agent after the 2022 season and the Eagles may consider re-signing him due to his impressive performance this year. He led a far improved group of Eagles running backs in 2022, and the team will want to keep that momentum going as they look to make a repeat challenge for the NFC in seasons to come.

Sanders is now ranked eighth on the Eagles all-time rushing leaderboard with over 3,700 yards in four seasons. After a slow start to his NFL career, Sanders came alive in 2022 and has been a vital contributor to their return to the Super Bowl.

8. Timmy Brown (1960-1967)

Timmy Brown was a part of the 1960 NFL Championship game in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brown, born in Palm Springs, California, excelled as a professional running back and kick returner during the 1960s. He was the NFL leader in kickoff return yards in 1961 and 1963 and was named a Second-Team All Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl three times each. He is the only Eagle in the team's history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in a single game, as well as holding the team's record for the longest kickoff return touchdown at 105 yards.

Brown is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame and stands ninth on the franchise leaderboard for rushing yards. He rushed for 3,703 yards and 29 touchdowns during his career with the team, before winning a second championship in his final season as a pro with the Baltimore Colts in 1968.

7. Ricky Watters (1995-1997)

Ricky Watters has played the least number of games on the Eagles top ten all-time rushing list but is still ranked seventh. The Pennsylvania native was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1991, where he set a postseason record with five rushing touchdowns in a single game as the Niners headed for Super Bowl XXIX.

With a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Watters joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995, where he spent three very productive years.

Watters ran for three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons including a career-high 1,411 yards in 1996. He rushed for 31 touchdowns during those three seasons with the Eagles, helping them to the playoffs twice.

One of the most electric of the former Eagles running backs, Watters had seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons in ten years in the league, including rushing for over 1,000 yards for three different teams. He is considered to be a Pro Football Hall of Fame snub whose 'loudmouth’ demeanor may have cost him a place in the hall. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, including his first two seasons with the Eagles.

6. Keith Byars (1986-1992)

Former Ohio State Buckeyes fullback Keith Byars was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 1986 draft. While not a typical running back, Byars still totaled 750 carries as a member of the organization.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, and playing college football for his hometown team, Byars developed into a do-it-all fullback who could rush, block, and play a pivotal role as a pass catcher for the team. Byars caught 371 passes for the Eagles, starting in a more traditional running back role before converting to tight end in his final year with the team.

Byars had career highs in receptions (81) and receiving yards (819) in 1990, and while his numbers might not be quite as high as some others on this list, his contribution to the Eagles is every bit as important. Byars made up the backfield alongside scrambling quarterback Randall Cunningham, and in the 1988 season, Byars totaled 1,222 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.

5. Duce Staley (1997-2003)

Duce Staley took over as the starting running back for the Eagles following the departure of Ricky Watters in 1997. It was Staley who became a centerpiece of the offense when Andy Reid took over as the Eagles head coach in 1998, both in the running game and as a pass catcher in a screen-heavy offense.

Staley had three 1,000-yard seasons with the Eagles while being hampered by injury in both 2000 and 2001. His career high came in 1999 under Reid, when he rushed for 1,273 yards while also catching 41 passes. He caught over 50 passes in a season three times during his time in Philadelphia, peaking in 2001 with 63 catches for 626 yards.

Staley ranks fifth all-time on the Eagles rushing leaderboard, playing in 98 games, and rushing for 4,807 yards during his time in Philadelphia. He returned to the team in 2011 as a special teams coach, before coaching the running backs from 2013-2020. This included the Eagles Super Bowl winning season in 2017.

4. Wilbert Montgomery (1977-1984)

Wilbert Montgomery was a critical part of the Dick Vermeil era of the Philadelphia Eagles, which took the team from being one of the league's poorest performers to a contender. Montgomery was the leader of the Philadelphia Eagles running backs during that era, joining quarterback Ron Jaworski in the backfield.

In his eight seasons in Philadelphia, Montgomery led the team in rushing six times. The Greenville, Mississippi native made an immediate impact on the team after being drafted in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL draft. He was a Pro Bowler in 1978, and again in 1979. The Eagles RB helped the team to Super Bowl XV, the first in franchise history.

By the time Montgomery moved on, he had broken multiple franchise records, including single-season rushing yards (1,512), 100-yard rushing games (29), career rushing attempts (1,465), and career rushing yards (6,538), amongst others.

Upon retiring and going into coaching, Wilbert Montgomery coached legendary back Marshall Faulk with the St. Louis Rams, where he served as the running backs coach and tight ends coach from 1997-2005, helping the Rams win a Super Bowl. He worked in the same role with the Detroit Lions, and then the Baltimore Ravens, where he would win his second Super Bowl success as a coach.

Montgomery ranks second on the Eagles all-time rushing leaderboard in both yards and touchdowns, playing in 100 games for the Eagles and cementing his name in the team's history.

3. Brian Westbrook (2002-2009)

Brian Westbrook had proven himself at the collegiate level, where he holds the record for all-purpose yardage (9,512). However, due to his five-foot-eight frame, NFL franchises were not sure if he would make it as a pro. As it transpired, Westbrook went on to be one of the most dangerous and exciting players in Eagles running back history.

He continued his fine college contribution as an equally dangerous running back and pass catcher, with 37 career rushing touchdowns for the Eagles and 29 receiving touchdowns.

Westbrook is ranked third all-time on the Eagles all-time rushing leaderboard, with 1,308 carries for 5,995 yards. He was voted a First Team All-Pro in 2007 after career highs in rushing yards (1,333) and receiving yards (771), totaling 12 touchdowns that season and leading the league in yards from scrimmage.

He was voted to two Pro Bowls while playing in Philly and is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame. He was an extremely fun player to watch during his playing days, and currently holds the franchise record for yards from scrimmage (10,275).

2. LeSean ‘Shady’ McCoy (2009-2014)

Shady McCoy was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the same town as Ricky Watters. He played college football locally at the University of Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft.

He would be the successor to Brian Westbrook, who was ruled out in Week 3 of McCoy’s rookie season due to an injury. He went on to spend six seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, with four seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing and 44 rushing touchdowns. This included his incredible run in 2011 in which he rushed for 1,309 yards and no less than 17 rushing TDs.

Two seasons later in 2013, Shady McCoy rushed for 1,609 yards, setting a new franchise record for rushing yards in a single season, a record that still stands. He was a regular contributor as a pass catcher, adding another 10 receiving touchdowns to his Philadelphia total.

Had he not been traded to Buffalo in 2015, McCoy would likely be the number one name on this list, but his career headed in a different path with other franchises. He went on to win two Super Bowl rings despite only making minor contributions with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

Shady McCoy was one of the most electric running backs of his time, and certainly a consideration for the best Eagles running back of all time. He holds the franchise record for career rushing yards while being named a two-time First Team All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler.

1. Steve Van Buren (1944-1951)

Steve Van Buren is the earliest of the Eagles past running backs on this list, and one of the very best.

After the war, Van Buren was the catalyst of the Philadelphia Eagles offense. He led the NFL in rushing yards attempts and touchdowns four times during his eight years in Philly and rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season twice, back when the league season was only 12 games long.

The former Eagles running back came up clutch for the franchise twice in the postseason before the league merger and the Super Bowl era. Van Buren led the Eagles to two NFL Championships in 1948 and 1949, with big performances in both games against both Chicago and the LA Rams.

In a tough, gritty era of football where gaining significant yardage was a real grind, Van Buren prevailed. His 69 rushing touchdowns for the team is a whole 24 more than the player in second place, and despite playing so many years ago, he still ranks fourth on the Eagles all-time rushing leaderboard.

Van Buren was voted a five-time First Team All-Pro and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965. It's very difficult to rank him against modern-day running backs, but no Eagles back have quite matched up to the achievements of Van Buren thus far, meaning he claims the number one spot.

Parameters for Ranking

These all-time Philadelphia Eagles running backs have been ranked based on their achievements while playing for the team. Their era, duration of time spent with the team, and production during that period were taken into consideration, but factors such as Super Bowl wins (e.g., LeSean McCoy has two) were not a part of the ranking criteria.

Related: Top 10 best Eagles quarterbacks of all time