They are the only 2 running backs to make the Finalists for the Pro Football Hall Fame 2025.

Here’s a look at their numbers and accomplishments.

Ricky Watters: 

5 Pro Bowls, 1 Super Bowl. Led the NFL in 1996 for the most carries with 353. His highest rushing yards in a season is 1411. The most TD scored in a season is 13. His highest total yards in a season is 1855. His longest run was 57 yards. Career average is 4.1 ypc.

*made 2 Pro Bowls with under 1,000 yards rushing.

*made 1 Pro Bowl with 1,013 yards rushing in 1992

*Rookie Season = 1,418 scrimmage yards with 11 TD

Career scrimmage yards -14,891
Career rushing yards - 10,643
Career receiving yards - 4,248
Total Touchdowns - 91
Career Rushing TD - 78
Career Receiving TD - 13

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Fred Taylor:

1 Pro Bowl, 0 Super Bowls, Led NFL in average rushing yards per game in 2000. His highest rushing yards in a season is 1,572. The most TD scored in a season is 17. His highest total yards in a season is 1,942. His longest run was 80 yards. Career average is 4.6.

*scored 17 TD with just 12 starts, and didn’t make the pro bowl in 1998.

*had more yards than pro bowl EB Eddie George in a year where Fred didn’t make the pro bowl. (I don’t feel like looking it up)

*had more yards than Corey Dillion in another year that Fred wasn’t selected. (I think 2003)

*there was a year that Bettis had 941 yards rushing, and made the pro bowl over Fred who had over 1200.

*after looking into Fred not Pro Bowl enough, there was at minimum 3 seasons where he should have been an absolute pro bowler. And it could be debated that he could have made another one, which would have given Taylor 5 to 6 Pro Bowls. If anybody needs specifics on that, just let me know and I’ll dig up my information.

*Rookie Season = 1,644 scrimmage yards with 17 TD

Career Scrimmage Yards - 14,079
Career Rushing Yards - 11,695
Career Receiving Yards - 2,384
Total Touchdowns - 74
Rushing TD - 66
Receiving TD - 8

JagFanatic24’s thoughts: Corey Dillon is lucky he made the Pro Bowl in 1999 with them 6 rushing TD’s, if Fred plays all 16 he would have doubled that. Taylor had just as many rushing TD as Dillon that year while missing 7 games. The 2001 season would have given Taylor everything he needed to be a no-brained hall of famer. If Taylor didn’t get pulled in the 2nd quarter of the Dolphin playoff game in 1999, he would have rushed for 280-300 yards. How in the world did Tom Coughlin allow Stewart to start any games over Taylor and why in the world did Mack score any TDs in any season other than 2001. All of those TD could have went to Taylor. Then Del Rio comes in and does something similar with Jones-Drew. Plenty of those TD could have been given to Fred for everything he’s done for the Jaguars.

With the way the NFL is today, Fred Taylor’s franchise rushing records could stand the test of time. He was an all-time great that was respected across the league and every defensive coordinator knew what Fred could do on any given play. Fred scored on the first offensive play of the game or busted off a 60+ run in about 10 games.

Fred was famous for the “look back” whenever he broke one. There is a clip of Taylor “looking back” from the 37 yard line ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 50. If you want that game and clip, let me know.

This dude was an all time elite, jump in mid-air like a Jack rabbit to give you a peek-a-boo to freeze you enough so he can get the corner and absolutely run away from you and leave the defenders reaching out and a finger never grazes his jersey type of runner. Fred had instant speed and he could glide when he needed to. He could run sideways as fast as he could straight on. When Taylor’s jersey started bouncing when he got in stride, it was game over - he was taking it to the house. So many 50+ yard TD. Just electrifying. I wish he could have half of those games back to injury. He missed 55 regular season games which is 4.5 seasons of PRIME of his career football. How did Taylor only have 2 rushing TD in 2002. How do some of these coaches get jobs in the NFL, he’ll put me out there and we’ll play some dang football.

Anybody that knows football would pick Fred Taylor over Ricky Watters in any category, game, anything. Watters is not the pedigree Taylor is. Taylor is on another level.

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Fred's longest run was more than 80

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Fred’s longest run is not more than 80 yards. Regular season. The Pro Football Hall of Fame does not include playoff stats.

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During his time here, Vic shared the PFRA, Pro Football Researchers Association. They have an ongoing list of the "Hall of Very Good" - guys that were very good in their time, but not necessarily HOF-worthy. I hear a name like Ricky Watters, I absolutely think "HOVG". He's not an HOF-caliber guy, at all. I'd put Roger Craig in the HOF before I put a Ricky Watters in there.

Fred's a tough case. I think he is probably the best RB that nobody pays (or paid) attention to, and the Probe Owl stat proves that. Nobody worth a darn should be using a popularity contest to determine career recognition.

Neither one is in the HOVG, for the record, but Craig is. Kinda surprised that Fred hasn't gotten a nod, but maybe that's because they think he's due for a trip to Canton.

If Watters gets in the HOF, everyone get your broom, we're declaring shenanigans.

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Fred’s longest run is not more than 80 yards. Regular season. The Pro Football Hall of Fame does not include playoff stats.

Gotcha; thanks for the clarification. That seems like an unspoken contradiction, as a player's postseason accomplishments (or lack thereof) sways voting. Bah.

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Taylor is 1 of only 5 running backs in NFL History to have a rushing touchdown of 80 yards or more at the age of 31 or older.

Adrian Peterson had a 90 yarder at age 33
Hershel Walker had a 91 yarder at age 32
Brian Mitchell had a 85 yarder at age 32
Warrick Dunn had a 90 yarder at age 31
Fred Taylor had a 80 yarder at age 31

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Well Fred was crapped on again. This year is particularly insulting due to the very small size of the class. The four that made it in deserved to be there, but so does Fred and with this class so small there is no reason to not have given him the honor. Well other than #becauseJaguars

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Ricky Watters was fun to watch but he took a hit to his career when he chased the $$ and went to Philly as he could very well have more SB wins. He won the SB with SF in 1995 then left for Philly.

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How did the NFL not put Fred Taylor in the 2025 class?? Only 4 players is crazy. They should have put Fred in this year.

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Fred Taylor is the all-time franchise leader with 607 first downs

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