The New England Patriots used to be an established ground-and-pound running football team. Here are the last 10 1,000-yard rushers in team history.
The New England Patriots had the luxury of watching Tom Brady evolve into the greatest quarterback of all time throughout the last 20 years.
Due in part to Brady being so elite, the Patriots have never been recognized as being an established running team.
Dating all the way back to the mid 70s, New England has had some bruising runners throughout their franchise’s history to run behind John Hannah, who became one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history with the Patriots.
Although in more recent years, we have seen New England fade away from the traditional running back position in favor of their runner being utilized more as a receiver out of the backfield. These great receiving backs have made Super Bowl-winning contributions through the air for the Pats.
Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead, Dion Lewis, and James White all have made their impact on the Patriots through the air as being confident enough options that Brady could throw to over the years.
It’s worth mentioning that this list is a little dated, as there haven’t been many 1,000-yard rushers in recent New England Patriots history.
LeGarrette Blount, 2016
After going undrafted in 2010, LeGarrette Blount spent the first three seasons of his NFL career playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being traded to the New England Patriots in 2013.
Blount finished out his rookie contract in New England before signing a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency the following offseason, but it only lasted for one season.
In 2014, the Patriots signed Blount again for what was his second stint with the team. Blount rushed for 1,161 yards and tied a franchise record by scoring 18 touchdowns during the 2016 season — which was also the highest mark in the NFL that year.
Blount finished his Patriots career winning two Super Bowls and totaling 677 carries for 2,917 yards and 34 touchdowns, which is good for fifth all-time in Patriots franchise history.
Stevan Ridley, 2012
The Patriots drafted Stevan Ridley in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was taken in the same class as Shane Vereen.
In Ridley’s second season, he rushed for 1,263 yards and scored 12 touchdowns along the way. He would go on to finish his four-year Patriots career with 649 carries for 2,817 yards and 22 touchdowns (10th most in franchise history)
Although he was on the injured reserve list, Ridley was on the team when the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, which makes him a Super Bowl champion.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, 2010
The New England Patriots signed BenJarvus Green Ellis as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2008. Green-Ellis is remembered for many reasons, but the main one being that he never fumbled the football during his four years while playing for the Patriots.
In 2010, Green-Ellis carried the ball 229 times, averaging 4.4 yards per carry for 1,008 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. He became the first Patriots running back to reach the 1,000-yard plateau since Corey Dillion did it in 2004.
In 2011, Green-Ellis and the Patriots lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI before he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals the following year.
Green-Ellis finished his Patriots career with 510 carries for 2,064 yards and scored 29 touchdowns, which is good for the eighth-most in franchise history.
Corey Dillon, 2004
Corey Dillon was one of the best running backs in the NFL throughout the duration of his 10-year career. Dillon — who started his career with the Cincinnati Bengals — rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons in the NFL.
Dillon joined the New England Patriots as the Bengals’ all-time leading rusher and set a Patriots franchise record during his first season with the team in 2004 by rushing for 1,635 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.
The rushing attack from Dillion in his first season with the team propelled the Patriots to win Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dillon was productive in his three years with the Patriots, even as he was nearing the end of his career. He carried the ball 753 times for 3,180 yards and scored 37 touchdowns (third all-time in franchise history).
The Patriots released him after the 2006 season, after which he then retired.
Antowain Smith, 2001
Antowain Smith won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots in 2001 and 2003. But before he was on the Pats, he was drafted in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He rushed for 1,124 yards in his second season with the Bills.
In his first season with the Patriots, Smith rushed for 1,157 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Throughout the course of his three years with the team, Smith became more active in the team’s growing passing attack that utilized the running backs.
In three years with the Patriots, Smith carried the ball 721 times for 2,781 yards and scored 24 total touchdowns (12th all-time in franchise history), as well as winning two Super Bowls.
Robert Edwards, 1998
The New England Patriots selected Robert Edwards in the first round (18th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Georgia. Edwards carried the ball 291 times for 1,115 yards and scored nine touchdowns in his rookie year.
Unfortunately, Edwards’ career was cut short after a devastating knee injury he suffered in the rookie flag football game during Pro Bowl week in 1998. Although he attempted to play again for the Miami Dolphins, this injury ended his career after just one terrific year.
Curtis Martin, 1995-1997
The New England Patriots selected Curtis Martin in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Martin led the AFC in rushing with 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. Martin won Offensive Rookie of the Year, becoming the third Patriots running back to do so in a seven-year span (John Stephens and Leonard Russell also won).
Martin followed up his rookie year in 1996 by rushing for 1,152 yards and another 14 touchdowns in his second season with the Patriots, en route to leading the team to Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers. Then in 1997, his third season with the team, Martin rushed for 1,160 yards.
In his first three seasons in the league, Martin carried the ball 958 times for 3,799 yards and scored 32 touchdowns with the Patriots. Martin went on to be a five-time Pro Bowl running back and was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after retiring with the New York Jets.
Martin was one of the best running backs in his time and definitely someone the Patriots let get away.
Leonard Russell, 1993
The New England Patriots drafted Leonard Russell in the first round (14th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft. He became the second Patriot running back in a three-year span to win Offensive Rookie of the Year (1988, John Stephens).
In 1993, Russell had 300 carries and averaged 3.6 yards per attempt for 1,088 yards along with scoring seven touchdowns. He totaled 2,437 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns during his Patriot career.
Russell played in 40 out of 43 games he was available and only missed one game in each of the three seasons he played for the Patriots. After his best season, the Pats released Russell after trading with the San Diego Chargers for the league’s leading rusher, Marion Butts.
John Stephens, 1988
John Stephens was selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft out of Northwestern State University by the Patriots.
Stephens carried the ball 297 times and averaged 3.9 yards per carry for 1,168 yards and four touchdowns. He also won Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first and only season of rushing for 1,000 yards with the Patriots.
Stephens went on to have a productive career that included three straight years of rushing over 800 yards.
Stephens played the majority of his six-year NFL career with the Patriots before being traded to the Green Bay Packers and then the Kansas City Chiefs. Stephens retired in 1993 and was killed in a tragic car accident in 2009.
Craig James, 1985
After a stellar college career at Southern Methodist University, running back Craig James was drafted fourth overall to the Washington Federals of the USFL in 1983 before signing with the New England Patriots just one year later.
James, who was initially the backup running back to Tony Collins, proved his worth and eventually took over the starting job during his first season with the Patriots in 1984, and became the full-time starter the following year in 1985.
In 1985, James rushed 263 times averaging 4.7 yards per attempt for 1,227 yards and seven total touchdowns. He helped carry New England to the Super Bowl where they lost to the Bears that year.
It’s worth mentioning the Patriots offense was a little more diverse in the 80s, as Tony Eason was capable of running read-option plays, along with James who would often play fullback and reliably catch passes out of the backfield.
Due to injury complications, James only lasted five seasons in the NFL. But in that time he established himself as being one of the most versatile running backs in this time frame and also became the last white running back to rush for 1,000 yards until Peyton Hillis in 2010.