5 Best Running Backs in New York Giants History
The New York Giants are one of the NFL's most historic franchises. While the legacies of the Giants' defensive icons, top five quarterbacks, and top five wide receivers are well documented, it's worth asking who have been the best running backs in franchise history.
Needless to say, there's a fairly long line of legendary Giants running backs.
5. Rodney Hampton (1990-1997)
Hampton had a rare combination of individual excellence, durability, and playoff success over a long career in New York, which easily lends him a spot on this list.
A first-round draft pick in 1990, Hampton came to New Jersey from Athens as a three-year member of the Georgia Bulldogs. A career peak came in the 1994 Wild Card game -- a win over the Minnesota Vikings in which he rushed for a franchise record 161 yards.
Hampton rushed for 1,000 yards in five consecutive seasons from 1991 to 1995, and despite being out with a fractured fibula, Hampton was a key contributor on the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXV.
4. Saquon Barkley (2018-2023)
Yes, Barkley did leave for Philadelphia, committing a Giants cardinal sin and eliminating much of the goodwill he had in East Rutherford. At the same time, he was one of the most electric running backs in recent memory, and his performance begged a higher contract that he felt he had been offered from the Giants.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Barkley was everything the Giants could've asked for in his first year, winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with 2,028 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns.
After battling through debilitating injuries in 2020 and 2021, Barkley was much of the reason the Giants made a surprise run to the 2022 NFC divisional round after he rushed for 1,312 yards and made the Pro Bowl.
3. Joe Morris (1982-1988)
A true workhorse, Morris was the offensive engine behind the Giants' Super Bowl XXI win in 1986. The center of Bill Parcells' ground-and-pound offense, Morris' best season came a year before the Giants won it all, when he set the single-season franchise record with 21 rushing touchdowns.
As far as all-time franchise leaders go, Morris is third all-time among Giants players with 5,296 rushing touchdowns, and his 50 rushing touchdowns are a stellar career tally. For a running back with a smaller stature, the 5-foot-7 Morris is one of the all-time franchise greats.
2. Frank Gifford (1952-1964)
Gifford comes from a far-gone era where players would often fill several different roles. A "do-it-all" sort of player, Gifford played both offense and defense and earned Pro Bowl honors at three different positions, along with an MVP in 1956.
He stands alone atop the Giants' leaderboard for all-time touchdowns with 78, as well as 3,609 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns over his career.
His career nearly fell apart after suffering a major hit in 1960, but he returned after missing 18 months. The fact that he was able to do all that while playing wide receiver and defensive back puts him squarely on this list.
1. Tiki Barber (1997-2006)
There's only one player who could land atop this list, and that's Tiki Barber. The all-time leader in yards from scrimmage (15,632), Barber is part of an elite club of four players to achieve both 5,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards in their career.
Barber saved the best in many ways for last, as he posted three consecutive 1,500 rushing yard seasons in his final three NFL campaigns from 2004 to 2006.
Despite fans having mixed opinions on his final season and his abrupt retirement, his dominant 10-year career, all spent in New York, is elite.
Related: Best NFL Teams at Drafting Running Backs
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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 11:19 AM.