Best Running Quarterbacks Ever – Cam Newton
#4 – Cam Newton
I’m writing this list in 2020 which looks like the down turn of his career. This season has been his worst passing performance of his career with the Patriots. It makes me wonder if his shoulder will ever allow him to return to at least modest passing performances. That being said, I’m not falling for recency bias on this one. Even with his recent decline, this is still an MVP winner with a very impressive resume throughout the entirety of his career.
I remember coming out of the draft, many labelled him as a high probability bust candidate. They could not have been further from the truth as Cam went off in his rookie season. The result was him setting records going off for 4000 yards and 21 touchdowns in the air while also running for 700 yards and 14 touchdowns while winning Rookie of the Year. Since then, he has become the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing Touchdowns for Quarterbacks which will not be touched any time soon.
Can he return to his old self at 31 years old? Honestly, probably not and that’s the only way I’d move him higher up on this list. The shelf life for a physical running Quarterback is not very long, and I wouldn’t be shocked if we’re close to seeing the last of Cam as a starter.
Best Running Quarterbacks Ever – Steve Young
#3 – Steve Young
Steve Young is without a doubt the best Quarterback on this list and I say that confidently. As a running Quarterback he is perfect to slot in at number 3 considering the next two on this list.
When Steve Young joined the NFL, he was on the lowly Buccaneers who were fresh off their 12th straight 10+ loss season. With that team he only threw for 11 touchdowns compared to his 21 interceptions. Then he joined the 49ers which completely transformed his career as he became a hall-of-famer.
Bill Walsh saw something in Young, so much so he was willing to part ways with Joe Montana to start a new era for the team. It’s no easy task filling the shoes of who many deemed the greatest Quarterback of all-time, but Steve Young found a way. He won a Super Bowl as the starting Quarterback and did so in a very heroic fashion. His playoff run against the Vikings is one of the greatest individual effort runs by any player ever let alone a Quarterback. Many people don’t recognize how athletic Steve Young was! He was a phenomenal athlete with a highlight reel to back it up.
