Houston football has been around since 1960 as the Houston Oilers. They later left Houston and eventually became the Tennessee Titans, but football returned to Houston in 2002 when the Houston Texans joined as an expansion team.
When evaluating the history, you could say the Texans' history is separate from that of the Oilers but at the end of the day, Houston football is Houston football, regardless of the team's name. For the sake of compiling any sort of top-five player ranking, including the Houston Oilers seems fitting. After all, it's not the logo or team name that makes a team, it's the city.
How do we measure a player’s greatness? Are we looking solely at stats or perhaps their legacy? There have been several players throughout history that don’t have crazy stats, but someone like Bo Jackson can leave a lasting legacy that some would consider an all-time great.
I think it’s also important to take a look at a player’s situation and era as well. The game was played very differently in the 60s and 70s, compared to the 80s and 90s, or even now. There is also the offensive scheme that affects a player's numbers. So, to base a player’s greatness solely on stats would be a disservice to the fans.
When it comes to Houston football, there have been many great running backs throughout history. It’s not easy to narrow down the top five, but after considering statistics, impact on the game, and overall legacy, here are the top-five Houston football running backs of all time.