How has the NFL shifted from a running back league to a quarterback league?

Up until 1990s, some of the NFL's most popular players were running backs. Players like Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith were the faces of their franchise. The running back was expected to be the team's primary playmaker and lead the charge to a championship.

It didn't even seem to matter if the quarterback was or wasn't "elite." Their primary job was to hand the ball off to the running back. But now, things have changed. The quarterback is now the face of every franchise.

In the NFL, it's all about the quarterback

Due to changes in safety regulations that minimized big hits and physical defense, the NFL has now become more offense-oriented. Almost every team in the league is using pass-heavy schemes, and keeping the ground game minimal in most cases. Hence, the league's power dynamic has shifted from running backs to quarterbacks.

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A quarterback is the face of every team in the NFL. The team's gameplan revolves around their signal-caller. Teams even appoint specific coaches to get the best out of their quarterbacks.

Quarterbacks in the NFL expect preferential treatment. Not involving the franchise cornerstone in the decision-making process could lead to friction between the two parties. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers' current situation is a good example of this.

Rodgers, who is not only a Super Bowl champion but also the reigning NFL MVP, is not happy with the Packers front office. The team has not consulted him or asked for his insight before making any big decisions pertaining to the team.

As a veteran player and franchise cornerstone, Aaron Rodgers expected the Packers to clue him in on their draft plans in 2020 and 2021. They did not, which has led to him asking for a trade away from the franchise.

In a recent segment on Fox Sports' morning show "The Herd", host Colin Cowherd defended the current quarterbacks in the NFL. He said that years ago the league was different:

"20 years ago you could have an average quarterback, the best player be a running back, have a good defense and make Super Bowls. 25 years ago that happened a lot, you really didn't throw the ball much."

Now that the NFL has become a league where all 32 teams are looking to build a team around their quarterbacks, it's only natural for them to demand a bigger say in how the franchise operates.

About the author

Bethany Cohen is an NFL writer at Sportskeeda, with a rich prior 15-year experience in the sports writing industry, primarily covering the MLB and MiLB. She majored in Communications from the University of South Florida and has previously worked for top companies such as Examiner.com and Legends on Deck.

Bethany owes her NFL allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers owing to their long-standing tradition and competitiveness. She is a fan of old stalwarts such as Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris and would love to watch them in the 1970s if she manages to get her hand on a time machine. She also acknowledges the greatness of modern icons like T.J. Watt for his desire to continuously improve despite being on top. She admires coaches Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid for their longevity and success.

The ace reporter credits her knowledge and love for the sport to be her biggest reporting strengths. Prior fact-checking is a big component of her process and she always scours through additional sources to ensure complete accuracy in her content.

Super Bowl XLIII, when the Steelers won the the grand prize after Santonio Holmes’ epic catch in the end zone with just seconds left on the clock is etched in Bethany’s memory forever. When she is free of her professional commitments, she likes to attend sports events and music concerts.

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Edited by Jay Lokegaonkar