Miami hasn’t had a true workhorse running back in some time now, making this list a bit thin. However, we’re not only going to be grading on statistics and production, but entertainment value is a big player here, too. Be prepared for some good memories.
- Reggie Bush
- This spot came down to Reggie Bush and Kenyan Drake for me. Drake played 3 years and some change in Miami, while the former USC Trojan had just 2 seasons in South Beach. However, Bush put up 2,072 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in his two seasons as a Dolphin compared to Drake’s line of 1,532 yards and 9 touchdowns. Reggie’s first season in Miami was his 6th in the NFL and he averaged 72 rushing yards per game – the highest of any season of his career. He was quite the attraction on some rather depressing Dolphins teams.
- Lamar Miller
- A lot of people would probably have Miller in the 3 spot on this list, but not here. I loved Lamar Miller as a Dolphin and his ability to break off some long distance runs. He was part of some Dolphins teams that should’ve been better than they ever were, but he was consistently a producer in Miami’s offense. Miller rushed for 19 touchdowns in 4 seasons in Miami and is statistically the better option than my #3 pick, but we’ll get to that.
- Jay Ajayi
- Ajayi was just too much fun to watch, plus he was on a playoff team! There are few running backs that I have enjoyed watching more than I did Ajayi in 2016. 2 200+ yard games, a Pro-Bowl, running all over the Bills, the dreads, the Jay-Train. He was the engine on that 2016 team which turned around a lost season and made it to the playoffs for the first time since the Pennington era. Sure, Lamar Miller has the numbers here but Ajayi’s entertainment value soars him here.
- Ronnie Brown
- This is the player who turned me into a Miami Dolphins fan. The wildcat days are part of my prime and watching #23 run around in those beautiful orange jerseys is what enticed me to sign a lifetime contract as a Dolphins fan. The Auburn product rushed for 36 touchdowns and 4,815 yards in 6 years as a Dolphin. As one of the lone bright spots on some of the worst teams in franchise history, Brown takes the #2 spot on this list rather easily.
- Ricky Williams
- You knew this was coming. There truly is no one quite like Ricky. Ricky Williams is truly one of the most talented running backs to ever strap it up. If it weren’t for his other interests, his numbers would obviously be much different but he still ran for 63 TDs with Miami. Ricky is one of the most interesting characters in football history, and the legend of his career only adds to his case. Find me a running back that looked tougher than Ricky in the aqua and teal with the dark visor. You can’t. Run Ricky Run, the clear number one here.
Hopefully the 2020 draft provides the next candidate for this list.
