James Brooks ranks in the all-time elite tier for running backs — a career that places Brooks in the top 3% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Brooks a career score of 82, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Rushing | Receiving | Passing | Defense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | TD% | 1D | 1D% | Fmb | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | Cmp | Att | Cmp% | Yds | TD | Int | TD% | Int% | Y/A | AdjY/A | TD:INT | Rate | Sk | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1981 | 22–23 | SD | 14 | — | 109 | 525 | 3 | 4.8 | 2.8 | — | — | — | — | 46 | 329 | 3 | — | 7.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1982 | 23–24 | SD | 9 | — | 87 | 430 | 6 | 4.9 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 66 | 0 | — | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1983 | 24–25 | SD | 15 | — | 127 | 516 | 3 | 4.1 | 2.4 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 215 | 0 | — | 8.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1984 | 25–26 | CIN | 15 | — | 103 | 396 | 2 | 3.8 | 1.9 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 268 | 2 | — | 7.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | 26–27 | CIN | 16 | — | 192 | 929 | 7 | 4.8 | 3.6 | — | — | — | — | 55 | 576 | 5 | — | 10.5 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 100.0% | 8 | 1 | 0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 28.0 | — | 139.6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1986 | 27–28 | CIN | 16 | — | 205 | 1,087 | 5 | 5.3 | 2.4 | — | — | — | — | 54 | 686 | 4 | — | 12.7 | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 39.6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1987 | 28–29 | CIN | 9 | — | 94 | 290 | 1 | 3.1 | 1.1 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 272 | 2 | — | 12.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988 | 29–30 | CIN | 15 | — | 182 | 931 | 8 | 5.1 | 4.4 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 287 | 6 | — | 9.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | 30–31 | CIN | 16 | — | 221 | 1,239 | 7 | 5.6 | 3.2 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 306 | 2 | — | 8.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | 31–32 | CIN | 16 | — | 195 | 1,004 | 5 | 5.1 | 2.6 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 269 | 4 | — | 10.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991 | 32–33 | CIN | 15 | — | 152 | 571 | 2 | 3.8 | 1.3 | — | — | — | — | 40 | 348 | 2 | — | 8.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | 33–34 | CLE / TB | 12 | — | 18 | 44 | 0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | -1 | 0 | — | -0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Career | — | 168 | — | 1,685 | 7,962 | 49 | 4.7 | 2.9 | — | — | — | — | 383 | 3,621 | 30 | — | 9.5 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 8 | 1 | 0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 14.0 | — | 100.0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | |
Career Value · VORP
251 career value over replacement — #225 all-time of 4,695. 20.9/season above a replacement-level RB.
Pick #24 (Rd 1) · SDG · 1981 · +25.7 vs expected KV-H
Fan Rating
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Regular-season all-time ranks
An all-time caliber running back (top 5% all-time) who combined elite production with exceptional availability — almost never missed time. Iron Legends define eras — they show up, every game, for years on end.
Worth 251 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back — top 6% of all 4,695 ranked at the position. 11 of 12 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +22.8 on average.See board →
Seasons above replacement
11 seasons × ~22.8 surplus ≈ VORP 251
Austin Ekeler
RB
91% match