Image via Complex Original
There were many impressive runs during this NFL season, but there were very few Beast Mode plays. The term popularized by Marshawn Lynch can't be use to describe everything great, similar to how you can't describe a kid simply holding a door as "Jesus-like" (his mom probably trained him to that). There's an epic aura that surrounds such a run.
The 25 Greatest NFL Beast Mode Runs consists of plays that have a number of broken tackles, a sense of "What the hell just happened" reaction surrounding the play, and just display of raw athleticism. Lynch provided the perfect example of one with his legendary 64-yard touchdown run and manhandling of cornerback Tracy Porter that happened in the Seahawks-Saints Wild Card game back in 2011. That would be up there on this list because:
- That was the play that made Beast Mode a thing because of how Lynch straight-up ate that defense. Beasts are carnivorous.
- It was an improbable run. He was "supposed" to go down numerous times when it happened.
- The ground shook...Literally.
Not even Adrian Peterson made the Earthquake, nor did Barry Sanders, Steve Young, or Brandon Jacobs. But when it comes to plays similar the ones that made this list. Few come close.
25. The Longest Two Yards Ever
Date: 10/14/2007
Game: Patriots @ Cowboys
Run by: Marion Barber
Beast Mode constitutes of more than simply stuntin' on an opponent. The essence of being a true beast is having that instinctual will to survive, and Barber survived the shit out of this predicament. How high would this have ranked as one of the greatest runs of all time if he actually went all the way?
24. Jonathan Stewart Turns the G-Men into Boys
Date: 12/27/2009
Game: Panthers @ Giants
Run by: Jonathan Stewart
Jonathan Stewart was only in his second season when he ran all over the G-Men. *cues the soundtrack*
23. Barry the Magician
Date: Unknown
Game: Vikings @ Lions
Run by: Barry Sanders
The football Gods cursed the Lions to suffer through decades with no playoff wins because of how Sanders violated with this run. There's no magic allowed on the gridiron like this run.
22. Michael Vick Ruins the Vikings' Lives
Date: 12/1/2002
Game: Falcons @ Vikings
Run by: Michael Vick
Playing against Michael Vick in Madden was always a fucked up situation, but it's no where near as migraine-inducing as playing him when he's on-point in real life. Vick was particularly merciless against the Vikings, rushing for 173 yards and throwing for 173 more. The toughest pill to swallow? That 46-yard overtime touchdown to end the game.
21. Willis McGahee Makes Hiram Eugene Famous
Date: 1/3/2010
Game: Ravens @ Raiders
Run By: Willis McGahee
You can picture McGahee going "Boy, stop playing" as he bitch slaps him out of the way on this 77-yard touchdown. A sonning in every sense of the word except by childbirth.
20. You Need More People
Date: 11/7/2010
Game: Giants @ Seahawks
Run by: Marshawn Lynch
You ought to be doing squats as you click through the rest of this list . Lynch never skipped leg day and look how he turned out. Get inspired.
19. Taking Out the Laundry
Date: 9/13/2009
Game: Redskins @ Giants
Run By: Brandon Jacobs
It takes some serious balls for Brandon Jacobs to commit murder and stay in the league for as long as he did. What up, Aaron Hernandez?
18. Sometimes Sour...
Date: N/A
Game: Bears @ Vikings
Run by: Walter Payton
This is further proof that there will never be another. Side note, but a totally relevant one: why hasn't anybody compiled a Walter Payton highlight list to this?
17. Being a Viking Is the Only Struggle Adrian Peterson Can't Overcome
Date: 11/3/2013
Game: Vikings @ Cowboys
Run by: Adrian Peterson
Forget the rest of the team. Let's just give Adrian Peterson a wild card spot and work something out.
16. Marcus Allen Runs With the Night
Date: 1/22/1984
Game: Raiders vs. Redskins
Run by: Marcus Allen
This Allen masterpiece would definitely rank in the top five on any other "Best NFL Runs of All Time" list. The criteria for this list calls for a different element, however. Allen barely broke a tackle and the Raiders were already up by a considerable margin in Super Bowl XVIII when he ran this 74-yard touchdown in. This does rank as a Beast Mode play because a mere human would've took the negative yards, which is further proof the human race is doing it wrong.
15. When the Jaguars Were Good...
Date: 1/15/2000
Game: Dolphins @ Jaguars
Run by: Fred Taylor
The 11 Jaguars fans in America agree this is the greatest couple of seconds in the franchise's history. Miami is looking back like, "This is the team we lost 62-7 in the playoffs to?" Yep.
14. And Down Goes Urlacher
Date: 12/11/2005
Game: Bears @ Steelers
Run by: Jerome Bettis
Brian Urlacher is a former All-Pro and future Hall of Famer. Jerome Bettis is a bus. See the problem here?
13. This Is Why Action Bronson Wrote That Song
Date: 1/14/1973
Game: Redskins vs. Dolphins
Run By: Larry Csonka
This is why Action Bronson was so disgusted at the idea of you not knowing who Larry Csonka is.
12. Literally Hopping on the Bo Jackson Bandwagon
Date: 11/30/1987
Game: Raiders @ Seahawks
Run by: Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson takes it from the nine-yard line to the tunnel. What could've been.
11. Shut Up, Ronde Barber
Date: 12/8/2008
Game: Buccaneers @ Panthers
Run By: Jonathan Stewart
Left him laying like:
10. The GOAT in Full Effect
Date: 11/13/1977
Game: Chiefs @ Bears
Run by: Walter Payton
Could you imagine how pissed those poor Chiefs defenders must have been in this sequence? "The dude was right fucking here in my arms man." "I'm over here trying to flourish, and this cat is out here playing like he got The Force (Star Wars was released months prior)." There's no rage quit in '70s football.
9. John Riggins Makes No. 26 a Sad Man
Date: 1/30/1983
Game: Redskins vs. Dolphins
Run by: John Riggins
The poor dude, Don McNeal, was only trying to make a play on Super Bowl XVII. Instead, he ended up with a fail and a seat on the turf. Soundtrack, folks...
8. Christian Okoye Is a Problem
Date: 10/13/1991
Game: Chiefs @ Raiders
Run by: Christian Okoye
It's one thing if he was called "The Nightmare." Okoye is called "The Nigerian Nightmare" though, so the weight of repping his country is on him as well. Multiply that by the force of a battering ram and you get what happened to the Raiders defense here.
7. Tony Dorsett Doesn't Have Time for Fools
Date: 1/3/1982
Game: Cowboys @ Vikings
Run by: Emmitt Smith
It wasn't like Dorsett had straight green in front of him to make the longest rushing play in NFL history (99 yards). With a burst of speed here, a tackle break there, and a stiff arm there, Dorsett says, "Get your petty, Super Bowl Championship-less asses out of my way. Let me be great!"
6. Adrian Peterson the God
Date: 9/13/2009
Game: Vikings @ Browns
Run by: Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson bitch slap to the defender wasn't just for foolishly trying to tackle him; it was also a slap to an organization for years upon years of bad maintenance. Thus, Peterson became some sort of lowkey, abusive folk hero. Or not. Either way, this run is pretty amazing.
5. Blount 2
Date: 11/20/2011
Game: Buccaneers @ Packers
Run by: LeGarrette Blount
After seeing how Blount annihilated the Packers' defense, you have to ask: Why did the Bucs let him walk?
4. Puttin 'Em in a Hearst
Date: 9/6/1998
Game: Jets @ 49ers
Run by: Garrison Hearst
Special belated condolences to Kevin Williams, whose face just happened to be near the wrong arm at the wrong time. It's unfortunate, but Hearst was out here trying to win it for his team in overtime, which he did as San Francisco won 36-30.
3. Steve Young Won't Go Down
Date: 10/30/1988
Game: Vikings @ 49ers
Run By: Steve Young
It's about to be 16 years since this play, and there's yet to have been a single quarterback run that can top this. Joe Montana, Young's predecessor, is considered the greater player, but even Joe Cool knows he would've never been able to pull something off like this.
2. Earl Campbell the Bull
Date: 9/24/1978
Game: Rams @ Oilers
Run by: Earl Campbell
The Rams' presence here is the equivalent of when that security guard tried to half-ass step to Marlo in The Wire. It's that "I'm here to do my job but don't kill my ass"-type of stepping to, but the half-steppers have to go night night. They want it to be one way and that doesn't fly.
1. Beast Mode Immortal
Date: 1/8/2011
Game: Saints @ Seahawks
Run by: Marshawn Lynch
The author was about to put this at No. 5 just to be ironic, but then he thought about how upset Lynch would be if he found out. How he'd enter his house and truck me mercilessly like Terry Tate for my foolishness. How his neighbors would suddenly appear at the scene to jeer and slander me because of what had just occurred. He and his parents would have to move out of the neighborhood, and then the parents would disown him out of disdain for the disgrace he's brought upon the family.
Unable to find a job because of his shattered reputation and no family to stay with, he'd spend the rest of his days traveling long, 24-hour Greyhound bus rides, continuously trying to come up with new ways to convince the bus driver that he loves visiting his relatives instead of being homeless. And so, he places Lynch's game-winning run at No. 1. And rightfully so, too.