Franchise running backs have not been en vogue in the NFL lately. In a new “public service announcement,” Steven Jackson is looking to change that.
In the PSA, Jackson notes that the every-down back is “an endangered species” and he urges fans to advocate on behalf of their team’s best running back to make sure that they “play their best running back all of the time.”
If one heads to www.savetherunningback.com, they are greeted by a pre-written letter that can be sent to their favorite team.
Dear Team Representative,
I am writing you on behalf of SaveTheRunningBack.org, an organization founded by Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson, to express my dissatisfaction with the way that running backs are being treated in professional football today.
Running backs aren’t all the same. They’re not interchangeable. I yearn for the days of yesteryear, when players like Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and Emmitt Smith were allowed to run free. The NFL was built on the carries of men like them.
Please value the running back position in the way that it was meant to be valued. Because when we do, everybody wins. Learn more at http://www.savetherunningback.org.
Signed,
I doubt that this will amount to much as long as NFL rules keep shifting to encourage the passing game but at least proceeds from Save the Running Back apparel will go towards Steven Jackson’s charity, which “promotes strong educational values and healthy living among today’s youth.”
