The 10 best running backs in the history of the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have a long history of being a formidable running team, but the NFL no longer puts the same emphasis on the position. There was a time before Dan Marino entered the league, that the Dolphins were a powerhouse rushing unit. With the emergence and relaxation of NFL passing rules, the RB position no longer holds the same allure. Given the current status of the NFL, it may be decades before some records are ever broken.

If we look back at the Dolphins running backs throughout their franchise history, will we ever see a runner climb the statistical ranks? While rushing statistics and touchdowns are a big part of any ranking, they are not always the end-all as you will see.

Criteria for selection

For the purpose of this list, we used more than just the rushing stats. We looked at overall performances, what the players did for the offense and the team. What was the success of their contributions to the team's success and in one case, the failures. We looked at whether they were leaders on the roster or played specific roles in the locker room that others may not have.

In addition, we took into consideration the longevity of certain players. We took into account the changing offensive systems that Don Shula used in the early 1970s and the lack of running back use in the Marino years, and then again, in the post Marino years.

The top 10 running backs in Dolphins history:

10. Karim Abdul-Jabbar

The fact that Karim Abdul-Jabbar is on this list at all is interesting and also points to the ever-changing ebb and flow of the NFL and the run game. The Dolphins, once Marino arrived, transitioned to an almost continual aerial attack until he retired. Abdul-Jabbar remains the seventh-ranked rusher in Dolphins history. Karim only spent 3.5 seasons with Miami, but managed to rush for 3,063 yards and 33 total touchdowns from 1996-1999. It's hard to do more when Marino is throwing the ball.

In the seasons Abdul-Jabbar was with Miami, he led the team in rushing, which wasn't all that hard to do. Then head coach Jimmy Johnson believed that the RB would make a perfect complement to an aging Marino, but it was hard not allowing Marino to throw the ball.

9. Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush only spent two seasons with the Dolphins, but it was good enough to land him 14th on the team's all-time rushing list. When Bush was on the field, he was dynamic and hard to bring down. He carried Miami's offensive ground attack and posted 1,086 yards his first season and narrowly missed a second 1,000-yard season in Year 2, posting 986. He combined for 12 touchdowns in those two seasons. Bush also added 78 receptions for 588 yards.

Bush's contributions to the team were much more than statistical. While he would lead the team in rushing, Bush brought a veteran presence to the locker room and was still considered to be in his prime. Bush could have done more with the Dolphins, but Miami began trending away from a singular featured back style and instead began using a committee approach. Bush would be the last top RB free agent the Dolphins would sign.

8. Don Nottingham

Don Nottingham may not be one of the highest-ranking rushers in Dolphins history. He only ran for 1,542 yards, but he scored 25 times, good enough for seventh on the Dolphins RB list. He was known as a human bowling bowl - a hard-hitting, physical runner. He spent 4.5 seasons in Miami.

Previously coached by Shula in Baltimore, Nottingham was brought to Miami in 1973. He became a part of a running back committee that would be split with Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick. He was listed as both a running back and a fullback. In 1976, the Dolphins used him as a kick returner as well, one of the only fullbacks used in the return game in the NFL. He posted six returns for 107 yards.

7. Lamar Miller

Lamar Miller quickly became a fan favorite and when he was not re-signed after his contract expired, fans were not happy. He would go on to make the Pro Bowl three years later for Houston. While with the Dolphins, Miller rushed once for over 1,000 yards and in his final two seasons scored 16 times on the ground including a 97-yard run.

Miller would start a trend in Miami that continues today. He was a mid-round draft pick who found success. Since his drafting, the Dolphins have not selected a running back higher than the third round. Miami saw that mid-round backs could be successful and Miami moves on from them after their rookie contracts are complete, if not before.

6. Tony Nathan

Tony Nathan may indeed be the last running back in the foreseeable future who spends not only his entire career with the team, but also lasted more than four years. Drafted in 1979, Nathan turned in a nine-year NFL career with Miami. He rushed for 3,543 yards and added another 3,592 yards as a receiver. He scored 16 touchdowns in his career on the ground and caught another 16. Nathan was one of the first balanced running backs that saw nearly an equal split in runs and reception production.

Nathan was extremely reliable and when the Dolphins needed him to make a play, he did. Nathan was on the receiving end of the famous "Hook and Lateral" play against the Chargers. Don Strock threw the ball to Duriel Harris, who pitched it back to Nathan immediately after catching it. Nathan scampered untouched into the endzone.

5. Jim Kiick

Kiick's contributions to the Dolphins are far more than rushing yards. His 3,644 yards are respectable but he was one of the reasons Larry Csonka was so good. Kiick scored 28 touchdowns running the ball and three more in the passing game. Kiick is rightfully a member of the Dolphins Ring of Honor.

Kiick may have been able to do more if he could escape the shadow of Csonka. He had the tools to be great, but the Dolphins viewed him more as a change of pace back who fit between the bulldozing Csonka and the elusive and speedy Morris. Kiick still managed to carve out an impressive career in a well-balanced system.

4. Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown played six seasons with the Dolphins, but his best years came with the "Wildcat" offense and the return of Ricky Williams. With Miami, Brown ran for 4,815 yards and scored 36 times as a runner. He also contributed 1,491 yards receiving with two touchdowns and threw two others. Brown is ranked third in the history of the Dolphins as a rusher.

Taken No. 2 overall, Brown fit in well with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's offense. In his rookie season, he posted an impressive 907 yards despite Williams being on the roster. The Dolphins relied on Brown consistently as he ran 207 times in his rookie season.

3. Mercury Morris

Morris may be the most underrated running back in Dolphins history. Statistically, his seven seasons in Miami produced 3,877 yards and three Pro Bowls. He was an integral part of the 1972 undefeated season where he split carries with Csonka and Kiick. In '72, he rushed for 1,000 yards and added 168 yards receiving. He became the Dolphins primary running back when Csonka and Kiick left after the '73 season.

Morris was the vocal leader of the 1972 team and he continues to showcase the accomplishment to anyone that will listen. Despite taking a backseat to Csonka and Kiick, the Dolphins 1972 season would not have been perfect without the play of Morris.

2. Ricky Williams

Williams would have been the best running back in Dolphins history if he could have stayed on the field. He fell just 301 yards shy of Csonka's franchise record and missed two seasons due to suspensions and a retirement. Williams' problem was the social anxiety he endured and as a result, the Dolphins second best rusher in their history doesn't have a spot in their Ring of Honor or the Walk of Fame.

While Williams may not have had enough time with the Dolphins to surpass Csonka, it should be noted that no other running back in Miami Dolphins history has more rushing attempts. Williams rushed 1,509 times for Miami. Williams missed two full seasons and all but one game in a third. He outrushed Csonka by only three attempts. Brown was third with 1,128 attempts.

1. Larry Csonka

Csonka is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and continues to support the Dolphins. His record 6,737 yards, as low as it is, may never be broken given the current state of the NFL and running backs. He remains one of the best players in Dolphins history and widely considered one of the best in NFL history as well.

It is hard to imagine what Csonka's career may have looked like if he was more of a featured running back and not just a bruising fullback or for that matter if he had not left for the WFL. After playing a couple of years with the Giants after negotiations to rejoin the Dolphins fell apart, Csonka retired where he started.

The 10 best running backs in Dolphins history ranked by rushing yards: