Robert Smith retired at the height of his career, right after he rushed for over 1,500 Yards for the first time in his career and made his second Pro Bowl.   He didn’t leave the game due to injury but rather to preserve his long term health, a decision made more and more in the current generation.  While Smith did retire early, he did produce over 6,000 Rushing Yards with 38 total Touchdowns, more than enough to earn him a spot here.

In 1989, Keith Millard had one of the most incredible defensive seasons ever, winning the AP Defensive Player of the Year and leading the NFL in Pro Football Reference’s Approximate Value metric.  That year, Millard would record 18 Sacks, the third time he exceeded double digits in that statistic.  He still holds the singles season record for Quarterback Sacks by a Defensive Tackle.  Millard would be hampered by a severe knee injury that would hamper his effectiveness late in his career otherwise he would likely be higher on this list.

A former shot put champion in the Big 10, Bill Brown used his power to become a four-time Pro Bowler in a career that was spent mostly with the Vikings.  Brown rushed for over 5,000 Yards and still holds the Vikings record for most consecutive games by a Running Back and the most Rushing Attempts.  Brown may not have the Yards/Rush in comparison to later Vikings Backs, but his Touchdown production is impressive for any player of any era.

Minnesota selected Brown for their Ring of Honor in 2004.

Seriously, how cool is the name “Scott Studwell”?