Everybody in America has a beef. We complain about politics, education, pop culture, and the media. I think baseball season is too long and football season is too short. Most football teams don’t run the ball enough. Boomers like me long for the day when running backs were the heart and soul of a great football team. Running backs in the National Football Leagues are beefing a lot! They believe they are undervalued and underpaid.
Running Backs in the League
Teams ride with backs that are on their rookie contract and give more opportunities to undrafted free agents. Football is a different game in 2023. The days of workhorses like Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith, and, dare I say, Derrick Henry are long gone. Derrick Henry is exceptional and may hang around longer than others, however big and powerful backs are dinosaurs. Recent history shows us that running backs on second contracts can be disastrous. Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette are examples of tanks being empty and tread being worn before the contract ends.
Undervalued and Underpaid
Running backs are undervalued and underpaid. Maybe. A running back who cannot affect the passing game has very little value. The National Football League is a passing league. Do you still need to run the ball? Yes, but you have to pass it efficiently in order to score points. Running backs are mad at the owners and their union because they are being passed over. The real culprit may not be found in the board room, but rather in the huddle. Eleven quarterbacks in the NFL make over 40 Million dollars annually. If the quarterbacks would take less the running backs could make more. But alas, running backs are a dime a dozen and quarterbacks may be the rarest commodity in sports. It is easier to find a guy who can run than a guy who can pass. Welcome to football in 2023.
