The greatest RB in history died at 87. His overall legacy will be interesting given some of the conduct issues but his football legacy is set in stone as the greatest to ever do it.
I'm not sure that his legacy is set in stone as the GOAT. He played for 9 years. Barry Sanders played for 10 and many think that was short for an all time great.
Walter Payton is definitely in the argument too.
except they've done countless lists after all 3 of those guys played. Brown was at the top of every single one of them. Heck in the top 100 list in 2010 he was 2nd in all positions to only Rice (he'd probably be 3rd now if they redid with Brady being 1, Rice 2, and Brown 3). At the time of the top 100, Payton was 5th, Sanders was 17th, and Smith was 28th.
It is pretty much inarguable, Brown is the greatest RB ever and probably will be for ever given how the game is played now.
Stuff like this is always going to be debated. Nothing is inarguable. That's silly.
For my money, Brown is #1 but there's always some compelling arguments about others.
Well a crazy person could argue Rice isn't the greatest WR, Brady isn't the greatest QB, and LT isn't the greatest LB, but just as with Brown at RB it is silly and they can be disregarded as a crazy person (at least right now, who knows what some future player will be).
I think Brady and Rice are the only two clear-cut players at their position. There have been more talented players, such as Mahomes and Moss. Brady and Rice's winning/longevity put them over the top for me.
LT is better than Ray Lewis, but I don't think there's a huge divide.
I also think Brown was better than Sanders, Payton, and Emmitt. I think he'd have a stronger case if he had the longevity of Emmitt/Ladanian/Adrian and wasn't as big as linemen (apparently he played at 230 lbs). It would be cool to see a RB dominate today at 300lbs. It's the equivalent of Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points on 6'5 guys.