Atlanta Falcons: Top 5 RBs of All Time

I can’t believe Gerald Riggs is only third on this list.  Riggs went to three consecutive Pro Bowls as an Atlanta Falcon.  He had three 1,000 rushing seasons.  Gerald Riggs also rushed for more yards any running back to ever play for the Atlanta Falcons.  His 6,631 career yards in 7 seasons with Atlanta has stood as the franchise mark since Riggs joined the Washington Redskins in 1989.

Gerald Riggs was a first-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons back in 1982, when Atlanta took him 9th overall out of Arizona State.  In his prime (1984-1988), Riggs was an obvious starting running back for the Falcons, starting 66 games over that five-year stretch.  His rushing totals from ’84 to ’86 are astonishing: 1,486, 1,719, and 1,327.  Riggs also averaged 72.9 yards per game with Falcons, scoring 48 career rushing touchdowns.

More from Falcons All-Time Lists

• Atlanta Falcons: Who are the top 5 Offensive Linemen of All-Time for the Falcons?
• Atlanta Falcons: Who are the Top 5 Tight Ends of All-Time for the Falcons?
• Top 5 Wide Receivers All-Time For The Atlanta Falcons
• Who are the Top 5 Quarterbacks of All-Time for the Falcons?
• Atlanta Falcons: All-Time Team

But what hurts Riggs’ legacy to me is that not one of his Atlanta Falcons teams made the playoffs when he was the featured back.  He was sparingly used in the 1982 campaign.  Though he accumulated many yards and franchise records for the Atlanta Falcons during his tenure with the team, he never once led our team to the playoffs.

Playoff criticism aside, Gerald Riggs’ franchise rushing record has stood for over 25 years and unless Devonta Freeman or Tevin Coleman are Pro Bowl caliber backs the next five seasons, I see Riggs’ record standing at least through 2020.  Any time you can claim a franchise record for over 30 years, you’ve done something truly special.

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