Okay, so I’ve been digging into this whole “tallest running back in the NFL” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a rabbit hole. I started out just curious, you know? I mean, you always hear about these massive linemen, but what about the running backs? They’re usually portrayed as these smaller, quicker guys, right?
So, I fired up my computer and started searching. My first move was to check out the current roster for running backs, specifically their height stats. I typed in some basic stuff like “current NFL running backs by height”, which actually pulled up a few lists with their games played, rushing yards, and all that jazz. But I wanted to refine it more, focusing on getting a clear list from tallest to shortest.
After a few more refined searches, I found some other lists ranked by height and it looks like “Johnny (Blood)” was considered the tallest historically but he was not from the recent seasons, so I ruled him out.
Next, I tried searching for the tallest running back specifically in 2024. I found some useful info on 2024 NFL starting running backs by height. I was able to pull their names, seasons, teams, and a whole bunch of other stats, but I was really just after the height.
Tallest Running Back
I did stumble upon a name that kept popping up: Derrick Henry. This guy’s listed at 6’3″, playing for the Tennessee Titans. Now, 6’3″ is pretty darn tall for a running back! He seemed to be the clear winner for the current season.
But then things got a bit murky. I found another name, John David Moore, supposedly playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, and the sources claimed he was 6’4″. Sounds impressive, but it said he spent the 2018 season on injured reserve. So, I was not sure if he was still an active player and I couldn’t find him on any recent lists.
And then I saw a player named Richard Sligh, who played for the Oakland Raiders, and he was listed at 7’0″! But, he was a defensive tackle, not a running back, so he was out of consideration. And, there was also a guy named Dan Skipper, 6’10” playing for the Detroit Lions. But, he is an offensive tackle, so he was not relevant.
Honestly, it was way tougher than I thought to nail down a definitive answer. I kept finding conflicting information. Most sources seem to point to Derrick Henry as the tallest active running back, but there’s a little confusion out there.
Anyway, that’s where I’m at with it. I figured I’d share my little investigation, maybe someone else out there has found something I missed! It’s been a fun little project, even if I didn’t get the crystal-clear answer I was hoping for.
