Jim Brown is still the gold standard for NFL running backs. It doesn't matter how many other players pass him on the list for most career rushing yards. Brown's 12,312 yards stood as a record for almost two decades, and it still remains a milestone for other running backs.Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor gets this. That's why he told Vic Ketchman, editor of the team's web site, that he wants to pass Jim Brown on the all-time rushing yards list before he retires. Last week after a team workout with several Jaguars rookies, Taylor hinted he might stick around even after he passes Brown.
Clearly, moving ahead of the man that even Barry Sanders' father says is the best NFL running back of all time is a worthy goal -- especially since it will be that much harder to keep a guy who passes Brown out of the Hall of Fame.
Taylor is 1,597 yards short of Brown's yardage mark, so unless he has a career year, he probably won't pass that mark until 2009. Only seven other running backs have passed Brown on the all-time rushing yards list, and Taylor is one of three active backs within reach of 12,312 yards. The other two are Edgerrin James (11,617 yards) and LaDainian Tomlinson (10,543 yards).
