As the Jaguars head into the playoffs behind one of the NFL’s best defenses, their quarterback is treated sometimes as an afterthought and other times as a laughingstock. But there’s one area where Blake Bortles deserves more credit: His abilities as a runner.
In fact, although Bortles has struggled with inaccuracy and interceptions throughout his career, he is one of the most effective running quarterbacks in NFL history.
Bortles has 222 carries for 1,401 yards in his four-year career, an average of 6.31 yards per carry. That’s the best career average in the league among active players with at least 200 carries, and it’s the fourth-best career average in NFL history, behind only Michael Vick, 1970s Bears quarterback Bobby Douglass, and Randall Cunningham.
Bortles has gained more than 300 yards while averaging more than five yards per carry in all four of his NFL seasons. He’s the only player in the NFL who has topped 300 yards and five yards per carry every year from 2014 through 2017.
As a passer, Bortles is, at best, only a little above average. (His passer rating this season is 88.2 while the league average is 85.6.) But as a runner, Bortles is one of the best in the business.