NFL: 30 running backs who got better after leaving their first team

As the No. 10 overall pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, Jerome Bettis had a tremendous start to his pro career with the Los Angeles Rams. The former Notre Dame product ran for 1,429 yards, ranked second in the league. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Pro and was a Pro Bowler for the 1993 NFL season.

But after another 1,000+ yard season, Bettis saw his carries drastically diminish, as the Rams were running a different offensive system. So he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1996 after three years with the Rams.

It was a perfect match, with Bettis going for 1,431 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns to be named as another All-Pro player in 1996. The Steelers were really on board the “Bus” the following season, as he ran the ball a league-leading 375 times for a career-high 1,665 yards.

He became the heart and soul of the team, going for at least 1,000 yards on the ground for six straight years. But as years went on, Pittsburgh started to have Bettis share the backfield more with other running backs to preserve him after he reached age-30.

He remained effective, including a career-high 13 rushing touchdowns in 2004. But it was his last NFL season in 2005 that ended up being special for both him and the franchise.

Bettis had only 368 rushing yards in the 2005 regular season, but played a big role in the Steelers’ postseason run, scoring a touchdown in all three wins leading up to Super Bowl XL. He had 14 rushes for 43 yards in the team’s Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks to give Bettis his ring before he retired.

It went nicely with the gold jacket he would later receive, as he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2015. Bettis finished his illustrious NFL with over 13,000 rushing yards and 91 touchdowns in an all-time great 13-year career with two franchises.