Emmitt Smith, the Hall of Fame running back for the Dallas Cowboys, holds the all-time rushing record with 18,355 yards in his career. Even though Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson are relatively close, LaDainian Tomlinson made a bold statement about Smith's rushing record.
“No one will ever break this record,” Tomlinson said, via NFL Network. “There’s not enough opportunities that running backs will get. We know the shelf life is a lot shorter for running backs. I just don’t see guys getting a lot of opportunities. That’s a lot of yards for a guy to amass and I just don’t think it’s going to happen.”
While Emmitt Smith is the No. 1 all-time rusher, Tomlinson was a Hall of Fame running back as well. Throughout his 11 seasons in the NFL, Tomlinson rushed for 13,684 yards (seventh-most all-time).
On the other hand, Gore and Peterson are the two active players that are the closest to Smith's record. Gore currently sits at 15,347 yards (third-most all-time) and is entering his 16th season in the NFL after recently signing with the New York Jets. Seeing that he's nearing the end of his career, it's unlikely that Gore produces another 3,000+ yards.
As for Peterson, he is entering his 14th season in the NFL and he has totaled 14,216 yards (fifth-most all-time). However, it remains to be seen if Peterson remains with the Washington Redskins due to their crowded backfield.
In today's NFL, the running back position is viewed as expendable for the majority of teams. Despite the fact that Gore and Peterson have defied the odds at running back, playing into their mid-to-late 30s, it's hard to envision someone breaking Emmitt Smith's record anytime soon.
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