Jim Harbaugh vs. Bo Jackson rushing yards: How NFL journeyman QB outran Heisman winner in pro playing career

Jim Harbaugh vs. Bo Jackson rushing yards: How NFL journeyman QB outran Heisman winner in pro playing career

The NFL has seen plenty of talented running backs during its existence. Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton and Adrian Peterson are just a handful of the Hall of Fame talents who have wowed fans since the NFL’s rise as America’s favorite sport.

Among those greats is the legendary Bo Jackson. The Auburn product was one of the last great two-sport athletes to come into the NFL, and he starred during his four years of action with the Raiders.

Jackson was one of the NFL’s most explosive playmakers during his playing days. He recorded the longest rush in three of his four seasons with the Raiders and racked up a solid chunk of yardage for the team as a result.

Jackson’s electric playmaking skills are part of what made him such a star at Auburn, where he won the Heisman Trophy. He was good enough to be selected No. 1 overall in the 1986 NFL Draft — though he never played for the Buccaneers because of a dispute with the team — and many believed at the time he would end his career as one of the NFL’s all-time rushing leaders.

While Jackson was able to become one of the NFL’s most efficient runners, his career didn’t last long. It was cut short by injury after just four seasons; that’s the reason he is considered one of the greatest “what ifs” in NFL history.

That also happened to prevent Jackson from racking up the yardage needed to make any sort of run at the NFL’s all-time rushing leaders. In fact, believe it or not, Jackson’s career rushing totals are lower than those of journeyman quarterback Jim Harbaugh.

MORE: Explaining Jim Harbaugh’s three-game suspension and sign stealing in football

Just how much separates the two former NFL stars? Here’s what to know about Harbaugh and Jackson’s rushing stats and how similar they were despite their very different careers.

Jim Harbaugh rushing stats

Harbaugh wasn’t exactly a scrambling quarterback during his NFL career, but he consistently generated yardage on the ground throughout his 14 NFL seasons.

From 1989 to 1997, Harbaugh ran for at least 200 yards in all but one season. He logged a career-best mark with 338 yards on 70 scrambles in 1991 and twice generated four touchdowns on the ground, in 1990 and 1993.

Below is a look at Harbaugh’s total rushing stats from his NFL career, which spanned 177 games over 14 seasons.

MORE: Inside Jim Harbaugh’s coaching history at Michigan

Bo Jackson rushing stats

Jackson was one of the NFL’s most prolific runners during his brief-but-impressive NFL career. The Raiders star averaged 73.2 rushing yards per game during his career and while he never eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground, he came close during the 1989 season.

Jackson racked up 950 yards and four touchdowns in just 11 games (nine starts) that season. His results were bolstered by a 92-yard run, but all still were career-high marks for his career.

Unfortunately, Jackson would be forced to stop playing after the 1990 season because of a hip injury he suffered while being tackled in the 1991 postseason. He ultimately played in just 38 regular-season games over four seasons.

Below is a look at Jackson’s total rushing stats from his NFL career.

MORE: Jim Harbaugh earns hefty bonus for Michigan beating Ohio State… despite suspension

Jim Harbaugh rushing stats vs. Bo Jackson rushing stats

Because Jackson’s career was cut so short, he ended up posting just 5 fewer rushing yards than Harbaugh did during the backup quarterback’s lengthy career. You can see below the eerie similarities between the duo’s stats.

Of course, many will note that Harbaugh was able to reach Jackson’s rushing yardage total only because he played in a whopping 139 more games than the Raiders star. That is certainly true.

However, it’s also true that Harbaugh’s 2,787 rushing yards presently ranks 14th-most among quarterbacks in NFL history. So it was impressive that he ultimately reached that high-water mark while displaying the longevity needed to thrive as an NFL journeyman.

Jackson’s career was also a remarkable one. While his dominance occurred in short bursts because of his health issues, he was a true star running back. There’s little doubt that would be among the best statistical running backs of all time had he not gotten injured; sadly, that just wasn’t in the cards for Bo.

Even so, Jackson’s legacy as an all-time great running back lives on to this day. And while Harbaugh’s playing career isn’t as notable as his coaching career at Michigan now is, it’s cool to see the careers of these two prominent football figures tied together statistically.