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February 17, 2020

Fumble-itis

Fumble-prone running backs have become rare breed

The idea of a player having a “fumbling problem” is different than what it used to be. For that portion of the game, players are far better coached than in the past.

Take, for example, Chris Carson. After he lost fumbles in each of Seattle’s first three games last year, there was some talk of whether the Seahawks would bench him or reduce his playing time. Carson finished the season with 7 fumbles, losing 4.

But on the all-time scale of fumbling, Carson doesn’t even show up on the radar at all.

Since the merger in 1970, 62 running backs have fumbled at least 10 times in a season. Hall of Fame running backs like Eric Dickerson, Franco Harris, and Tony Dorsett all had at least three seasons with 10-plus fumbles.

Coaches, apparently, are doing a better job of making corrections when they notice that a ball isn’t being held properly.

Of those 62 seasons with at least 10 fumbles, only one has come in the last 20 years. Travis Henry fumbled 11 times back in 2002. Only two others came from the ‘90s – Cleveland Gary (1990) and Garrison Hearst (1995).

So, for 10-fumble seasons, you’ve got 59 for the ‘70s and ‘80s, yet only three in the last 30 years. Here’s one area where teams are definitely better today.

Fumbles have become so rare (for running backs) that I wonder if they’re really worth paying much attention to anymore. I don’t consider Carson, for example, to be a fumbler. Reports indicate he didn’t fumble at all in college, and he fumbled only 3 times (losing 2) while running for 1,151 yards in 2018.

Below is the list of the 10-fumble running backs since the merger. I’ve got the only back from this century (Henry) in bold. The two from the ‘90s are tagged with black dots.

Numbers compiled using the Pro-Football-Reference website.

RUNNING BACKS WITH 10-PLUS FUMBLES
YearPlayerFumbles
1980Joe Cribbs, Buff.16
1976Terry Metcalf, St.L.15
1984Eric Dickerson, LAR14
1983Marcus Allen, Oak.14
1974Terry Metcalf, St.L.14
1979Wilbert Montgomery, Phil.14
1973Carl Garrett, Chi.13
1983Eric Dickerson, LAR13
1981George Rogers, N.O.13
1981Ottis Anderson, St.L.13
1984Wendell Tyler, S.F.13
1990• Cleveland Gary, LAR12
1995• Garrison Hearst, Ariz.12
1980Billy Sims, Det.12
1975Chuck Foreman, Min.12
1986Eric Dickerson, LAR12
1978Greg Pruitt, Clev.12
1981Joe Cribbs, Buff.12
1978Joe Washington, Balt.12
1974Mack Herron, N.E.12
1975Sam Cunningham, N.E.12
1978Tony Dorsett, Dall.12
1984Tony Dorsett, Dall.12
1981William Andrews, Atl.12
2002Travis Henry, Buff.11
1971Altie Taylor, Det.11
1980Chuck Muncie, 2TM11
1979Franco Harris, Pitt.11
1984Gerald Riggs, Atl.11
1977Walter Payton, Chi.11
1981Wendell Tyler, LAR11
1975Willard Harrell, G.B.11
1972Art Malone, Atl.10
1989Barry Sanders, Det.10
1970Cannonball Butler, Atl.10
1979Curtis Brown, Buff.10
1981Earl Campbell, Hou.10
1972Ed Podolak, K.C.10
1989Eric Dickerson, Ind.10
1985Eric Dickerson, LAR10
1977Franco Harris, Pitt.10
1983Franco Harris, Pitt.10
1974Greg Pruitt, Clev.10
1975Greg Pruitt, Clev.10
1983Greg Pruitt, Oak.10
1984James Wilder, T.B.10
1986James Wilder, T.B.10
1981Kenny King, Oak.10
1976Lawrence McCutcheon, LAR10
1977Mike Thomas, Was.10
1979Ottis Anderson, St.L.10
1983Ottis Anderson, St.L.10
1977Rick Kane, Det.10
1973Sam Cunningham, N.E.10
1977Sam Cunningham, N.E.10
1977Terry Metcalf, St.L.10
1983Tony Collins, N.E.10
1981Tony Dorsett, Dall.10
1971Vic Washington, S.F.10
1976Walter Payton, Chi.10
1982Wendell Tyler, LAR10
1980Wilbur Jackson, Was.10

—Ian Allan

Chris Carson
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