Ranking the top 10 running backs in NY Jets history

7. John Riggins, RB, NY Jets

John Riggins had a brief but impactful stint with the Jets from 1971 to 1975. Though he later achieved greater fame with Washington, Riggins displayed his potential in New York.

His combination of power, speed, and determination made him a formidable force in the backfield. Riggins' career took off after leaving the Jets, but his early contributions cannot be overlooked.

Riggins played five seasons with the Jets at fullback. Some younger readers might ask- how impactful could a fullback possibly have been? But being Riggins played during the 1970s and 1980s, his role was far different than the fullbacks of today.

To prove the point, in just five seasons with the Jets, Riggins logged 928 carries for 3,880 yards and 25 touchdowns. Across eight seasons with the team, Bilal Powell, the number eight entry on our list, only carried the ball 850 times.

Riggins's best season with the Jets was the 1975 season, where he carried the ball 238 times for 1,005 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught the ball another 30 times for over 350 yards, earning him a spot in the Pro Bowl that season.

Following the 1975 season, Riggins signed with Washington, and it was here he would really emerge as a top rusher in the league. In those nine seasons in Washington, Riggins added almost 2,000 carries for over 7,400 yards and 79 touchdowns, and another 1,000 yards through the air.

One of the crazier stats I looked at while writing was that in just the 1983 season alone, Riggins carried the ball 375 times for 1,374 yards and 24 touchdowns, earning an All-Pro nomination.

Riggins would win a Super Bowl with Washington, earning a Super Bowl MVP and an induction into the 1980s All-Decade Team. Just his stats with the Jets would earn him a spot on the list, but his career as a whole solidified him as an all-time Jets great, even if he did get away. Riggins is still the 19th-leading rusher in NFL history.