Keith Byars is a career quality starter — a running back whose body of work places Byars in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Byars's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.

FBNYJ#41ACT

Keith Byars

1× Pro BowlTop 17% all-time RBsIron Man🏆 Clutch · +29% playoffs

Height6'1"

Weight257 lb

BornOct 14, 1963

Age62

CollegeOhio State See College Stats

Rookie yr1986

Draft1986 · Rd 1, Pick 10 · PHI

All-Time Rank & Honors

career ranks, postseason ranks, awards, title context

Regular-season all-time ranks

6thReceptions·1,220 45thReceiving Yards·11,322 yds 80thReceiving Touchdowns·62 92ndRushing Yards·6,218 yds

Postseason all-time ranks

4thPlayoff Receptions·104 23rdPlayoff Receiving Yards·886 yds 69thPlayoff Receiving Touchdowns·4

Pro Bowls

Archetype Intelligence

Iron ManExplore archetypes →

A high-end running back defined as much by excellent availability over their career as by their on-field impact (top 20% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.

Career Value · VORP

VORP 114 · #934 · High-Value

Worth 114 points of value above a freely-available replacement running back — top 21% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 11 of 13 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +10.4 on average.See board →

Seasons above replacement

11 cleared

Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it — adds 0, never a debit

Replacement

the KC-H bar

→

Seasons over

cleared the bar

+10.4

Avg surplus

peak +18

11 seasons × ~10.4 surplus ≈ VORP 114

Combined Season Grid

The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at once—no tab hopping.

2 grids split in one view

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Rushing								Receiving
Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	TD	Y/A	TD%	1D	1D%	Fmb	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Ctch%	Y/R	Y/Tgt	AirYd/T	1D
1986	—	PHI	16	—	177	577	1	3.3	0.6	—	—	—	—	11	44	0	—	4.0	—	—	—
1987	—	PHI	10	—	116	426	3	3.7	2.6	—	—	—	—	21	177	1	—	8.4	—	—	—
1988	—	PHI	16	—	152	517	6	3.4	3.9	—	—	—	—	72	705	4	—	9.8	—	—	—
1989	—	PHI	16	—	133	452	5	3.4	3.8	—	—	—	—	68	721	0	—	10.6	—	—	—
1990	—	PHI	16	—	37	141	0	3.8	0.0	—	—	—	—	81	819	3	—	10.1	—	—	—
1991	—	PHI	16	—	94	383	1	4.1	1.1	—	—	—	—	62	564	3	—	9.1	—	—	—
1992	—	PHI	15	—	41	176	1	4.3	2.4	—	—	—	—	56	502	2	—	9.0	—	—	—
1993	—	MIA	16	—	64	269	3	4.2	4.7	—	—	—	—	61	613	3	—	10.0	—	—	—
1994	—	MIA	9	—	19	64	2	3.4	10.5	—	—	—	—	49	418	5	—	8.5	—	—	—
1995	—	MIA	16	—	15	44	1	2.9	6.7	—	—	—	—	51	362	2	—	7.1	—	—	—
1996	—	MIA	10	—	0	0	0	0.0	—	—	—	—	—	5	40	0	—	8.0	—	—	—
1996	—	NWE	10	—	2	2	0	1.0	0.0	—	—	—	—	27	249	2	—	9.2	—	—	—
1997	—	NWE	16	—	11	24	0	2.2	0.0	—	—	—	—	20	189	3	—	9.4	—	—	—
1998	—	NYJ	13	—	4	34	0	8.5	0.0	—	—	—	—	26	258	3	—	9.9	—	—	—
Career		—	195	—	1,730	6,218	46	3.6	2.7	—	—	—	0	1,220	11,322	62	—	9.3	—	—	—

Rushing

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Att	Yds	TD	Y/A	TD%	1D	1D%	Fmb	VAL
1986	23	PHI	16	—	177	577	1	3.3	0.6	—	—	—	9.4
1987	24	PHI	10	—	116	426	3	3.7	2.6	—	—	—	9.1
1988	25	PHI	16	—	152	517	6	3.4	3.9	—	—	—	19
1989	26	PHI	16	—	133	452	5	3.4	3.8	—	—	—	17.1
1990	27	PHI	16	—	37	141	0	3.8	0.0	—	—	—	15.1
1991	28	PHI	16	—	94	383	1	4.1	1.1	—	—	—	15.2
1992	29	PHI	15	—	41	176	1	4.3	2.4	—	—	—	12.6
1993	30	MIA	16	—	64	269	3	4.2	4.7	—	—	—	16
1994	31	MIA	9	—	19	64	2	3.4	10.5	—	—	—	9.4
1995	32	MIA	16	—	15	44	1	2.9	6.7	—	—	—	12.4
1996	33	MIA	10	—	0	0	0	0.0	—	—	—	—	7.7
1996	33	NWE	10	—	2	2	0	1.0	0.0	—	—	—	7.7
1997	34	NWE	16	—	11	24	0	2.2	0.0	—	—	—	11.3
1998	35	NYJ	13	—	4	34	0	8.5	0.0	—	—	—	10.2
Career			195		1,730	6,218	46	3.6	—	—	—	—	164.5

Receiving

Season	Age	Team	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Ctch%	Y/R	Y/Tgt	AirYd/T	1D
1986	23	PHI	16	—	—	11	44	0	—	4.0	—	—	—
1987	24	PHI	10	—	—	21	177	1	—	8.4	—	—	—
1988	25	PHI	16	—	—	72	705	4	—	9.8	—	—	—
1989	26	PHI	16	—	—	68	721	0	—	10.6	—	—	—
1990	27	PHI	16	—	—	81	819	3	—	10.1	—	—	—
1991	28	PHI	16	—	—	62	564	3	—	9.1	—	—	—
1992	29	PHI	15	—	—	56	502	2	—	9.0	—	—	—
1993	30	MIA	16	—	—	61	613	3	—	10.0	—	—	—
1994	31	MIA	9	—	—	49	418	5	—	8.5	—	—	—
1995	32	MIA	16	—	—	51	362	2	—	7.1	—	—	—
1996	33	MIA	10	—	—	5	40	0	—	8.0	—	—	—
1996	33	NWE	10	—	—	27	249	2	—	9.2	—	—	—
1997	34	NWE	16	—	—	20	189	3	—	9.4	—	—	—
1998	35	NYJ	13	—	—	26	258	3	—	9.9	—	—	—
Career			195		0	1,220	11,322	62	—	9.3	—	—	—

KV-H Anatomy

KV-H 64 · Strong Starter

A strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 64 of 100, era-normalized against rush yds/g peers across 13 scored seasons.

Sustained

career value

×.6

Peak

best 3 seasons

×.4

×1

Longevity

career length

Blend 62.2 × longevity 1 = KV-H 64· confidence 100%

What builds the career mark of 59

On-field 40.6

Availability 18.4

On-field production Staying available

Season-by-season quality (era-relative rush yds/g)

1986bestavg 581998

All-Time Standing

how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position

Strong

of 100

Reached 79% of the all-time Receptions leader — a strong all-time profile at the position.

79% of the all-time Receptions leader79

5 categories ≥25% of the all-time leader100

A 0–100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data — career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence — so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite ≥ 85 · Strong ≥ 65 · Solid ≥ 45 · Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 87%.

Career Aging Trajectory

vs. position group average · KV-H basis

Amber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average RBs aging curve. Group peak age: 21. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).

Playoff vs Regular Season

🏆 Playoff Performer

Yards / Carry: 3.6 regular season → 4.6 playoffs (8 playoff seasons)

+29%

vs reg season

From Scrimmage · Career

Scrimmage Yds

17,540

6,218 rush · 11,322 recv

Total TDs

108

46 rush · 62 recv

Total Touches

2,950

1,730 carries · 1,220 rec

Yds / Touch

5.9

rushing + receiving

Postseason Career

Rushing

Att28Yds130Y/A4.6

Receiving

Rec104Yds886TD4Y/R8.5

College Stats

Ohio StateImported college table

College Rushing

Season	School	Att	Yds	TD	Y/A	TD%	1D	1D%	Fmb
1982	—	6	24	0	4.0	0.0	—	—	—
1983	—	222	1,199	20	5.4	9.0	—	—	—
1984	—	336	1,764	22	5.3	6.5	—	—	—
1985	—	55	213	4	3.9	7.3	—	—	—
Career		619	3,200	46	5.2	7.4	—	—	—

College Receiving

Season	School	Tgt	Rec	Yds	TD	Ctch%	Y/R	Y/Tgt	AirYd/T	1D
1982	—	—	—	20	0	—	20.0	—	—	—
1983	—	—	—	359	1	—	15.6	—	—	—
1984	—	—	—	479	2	—	11.4	—	—	—
1985	—	—	—	44	0	—	6.3	—	—	—
Career		0	0	902	3	—	—	—	—	—

Reference Graph

Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters — every name is linked.

1986 Draft Class· this player went #10

#3Jim EverettQB #8Leslie O'NealDE #12Chuck LongQB #16Ronnie HarmonRB #18Mike SherrardWR #21Tim McGeeWR #26Reggie DupardRB #27Neal AndersonRB #29Garry JamesRB #31Dalton HilliardRB #33Darryl ClackRB #34Ernest GivinsWR #37Anthony ToneyRB #41Kenneth DavisRB #43Webster SlaughterWR #45Walter MurrayWR

Franchise Succession

the room, before and after

Keith inherited the Philadelphia Eagles RB room from Anthony Toney (1986–1990), and handed it to Robert Drummond (1989–1991).

Perry Harrington 1980–1983Hubie Oliver 1981–1985Michael Haddix 1983–1988Junior Tautalatasi 1986–1988Anthony Toney 1986–1990Keith Byars

Similar Players

Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0–100%).

Movementderived from season history

1998team change
Joined NYJ (from NWE)
1998final season
Last recorded season with NYJ
1997team change
Joined NWE (from MIA)
1993team change
Joined MIA (from PHI)
1986draft
Drafted by PHI — Round 1, Pick 10

Athletic & Unique Profile

verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts

6'1" / 257 lb

Frame

Knox

StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works →

Historical Knox · KV-H

Era-normalized career quality — z-scored against 13-season peers. See all →

peak 67

Season Report Cards· KV-H era-normalized per season

B1986

B1987

B1988

B1989

C+1990

B1991

C+1992

B1993

C1994

C+1995

C1996

C+1997

C+1998

Era Translator

Rush Yds translated to the 2025NFL — each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.

Season	Actual Rush Yds	Rush Yds/G	→ 2025 Rush Yds	→ 2025 /G
1986	577	36.1	844+267	49.6
1987	426	42.6	1,056+630	62.1
1988	517	32.3	859+342	50.5
1989	452	28.3	761+309	44.8
1990	141	8.8	352+211	20.7
1991	383	23.9	701+318	41.2
1992	176	11.7	437+261	25.7
1993	269	16.8	566+297	33.3
1994	64	7.1	389+325	22.9
1995	44	2.8	321+277	18.9
1996	0	0	308+308	18.1
1997	24	1.5	303+279	17.8
1998	34	2.6	307+273	18.1

Data: nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:players, wikipedia:season-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), wikipedia:college-stats (CC-BY-SA, facts-only), espn.com:stats-api (games-played, facts-only reference) · multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle · updated 6/18/2026

Career Value · VORP

114 career value over replacement — #934 all-time of 4,642. 8.8/season above a replacement-level RB.

Draft OutcomeValue ↑

Pick #10 (Rd 1) · PHI · 1986 · +3.6 vs expected KV-H

64actual

60.4 expected · Δ+3.6

Fan Rating

Rate Keith Byars — All-Time

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Compare Keith Byars vs Player Report data error

Keith Byars

All-Time Rank & Honors

Archetype Intelligence

Career Value · VORP

Combined Season Grid

Rushing

Receiving

KV-H Anatomy

All-Time Standing

Career Aging Trajectory

From Scrimmage · Career

Postseason Career

Rushing

Receiving

College Stats

College Rushing

College Receiving

Reference Graph

Top Teammates

1986 Draft Class· this player went #10

Franchise Succession

Similar Players

Movementderived from season history

Athletic & Unique Profile

Knox

Era Translator

Career Geography