List of NFL annual rushing yards leaders

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Jim Brown led the league in rushing for eight seasons, including five consecutive seasons from 1957 to 1961 and three consecutive seasons from 1963 to 1965 Jim Brown 1959 Topps.jpg
Jim Brown led the league in rushing for eight seasons, including five consecutive seasons from 1957 to 1961 and three consecutive seasons from 1963 to 1965

In American football, rushing and passing are the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. [1] A rush, also known as a running play, generally occurs when the quarterback hands or tosses the ball backwards to the running back, [2] but other players, such as the quarterback, can run with the ball. [1] In the National Football League (NFL), the player who has recorded the most rushing yards for a season is considered the winner of the rushing title for that season. [3] In addition to the NFL rushing champion, league record books recognize the rushing champions of the American Football League (AFL), which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the National Football League in 1970. [4]

Contents

The NFL did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season. [5] Since the adoption of the 14-game season in 1961, all but one rushing champion have recorded over 1,000 yards rushing. Eight rushing champions have recorded over 2,000 rushing yards, a feat first accomplished by O. J. Simpson in 1973 and most recently achieved by Derrick Henry in 2020. [6]

The player with the most rushing titles is Jim Brown, who was the rushing champion eight times over his career. Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, O. J. Simpson, Steve Van Buren, and Barry Sanders are tied for the second-most rushing titles, each having won four times. Jim Brown also holds the record for the most consecutive rushing titles with five, having led the league in rushing each year from 1957 to 1961. Steve Van Buren, Emmitt Smith, and Earl Campbell each recorded three consecutive rushing titles. The Cleveland Browns have recorded the most rushing titles with eleven; the Dallas Cowboys rank second, with seven rushing titles. The most recent rushing champion is Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers, who led the league with 1,459 rushing yards during the 2023 season. Derrick Henry is the most recent player to win back-to-back titles. [7]

In 2022 the NFL announced, "To permanently honor the impact of Jim Brown in the NFL, the player with the most rushing yards each season will be presented with the "Jim Brown Award". [8] Josh Jacobs was the inaugural recipient.

List of NFL rushing title winners

Byron "Whizzer" White, a future associate justice of the US Supreme Court, won the league rushing title in 1938 and 1940 Justice White Official.jpg
Byron "Whizzer" White, a future associate justice of the US Supreme Court, won the league rushing title in 1938 and 1940
Gale Sayers led the NFL in rushing in 1966 and 1969 Gale-Sayers-Jan052008-ArmyFBAwards.jpg
Gale Sayers led the NFL in rushing in 1966 and 1969
Eric Dickerson led the league in rushing in 1983 and 1984, his first two seasons in the league, and won two more titles in 1986 and 1988 1985 Police Raiders-Rams - 20 Eric Dickerson (crop).jpg
Eric Dickerson led the league in rushing in 1983 and 1984, his first two seasons in the league, and won two more titles in 1986 and 1988
Emmitt Smith was the league's rushing champion four times, including three consecutive years from 1991 to 1993 EmmittSmith2007 (crop).jpg
Emmitt Smith was the league's rushing champion four times, including three consecutive years from 1991 to 1993
LaDainian Tomlinson won back-to-back rushing titles in 2006 and 2007 Tomlinson warming up.jpg
LaDainian Tomlinson won back-to-back rushing titles in 2006 and 2007
Adrian Peterson led the league in rushing three times in the 2008, 2012, and 2015 seasons Adrian Peterson (cropped).jpg
Adrian Peterson led the league in rushing three times in the 2008, 2012, and 2015 seasons
Derrick Henry won back-to-back rushing titles in 2019 and 2020, and is the most recent player to do so Derrick Henry 2019 12-08.jpg
Derrick Henry won back-to-back rushing titles in 2019 and 2020, and is the most recent player to do so
Key
^ Pro Football Hall of Fame member
*Player is active
†Player won the AP Most Valuable Player award in the same year
‡Player won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award in the same year
National Football League (NFL) rushing title winners by season [9]
SeasonWinnerTeamYardsGames [A]
1932 Cliff Battles ^ Boston Braves 57610 [B]
1933 Jim Musick Boston Redskins 80912 [C]
1934 Beattie Feathers Chicago Bears 1,00413 [D]
1935 Doug Russell Chicago Cardinals 49912
1936 Tuffy Leemans New York Giants 83012
1937 Cliff Battles ^ (2) Washington Redskins 87411
1938 Byron White Pittsburgh Pirates 56711
1939 Bill Osmanski Chicago Bears 69911
1940 Byron White (2) Detroit Lions 51411
1941 Pug Manders Brooklyn Dodgers 48611
1942 Bill Dudley ^ Pittsburgh Steelers 69611
1943 Bill Paschal New York Giants 57210
1944 Bill Paschal (2) New York Giants 73710
1945 Steve Van Buren ^ Philadelphia Eagles 83210
1946 Bill Dudley ^ (2) Pittsburgh Steelers 60411
1947 Steve Van Buren ^ (2) Philadelphia Eagles 1,00812
1948 Steve Van Buren ^ (3) Philadelphia Eagles 94512
1949 Steve Van Buren ^ (4) Philadelphia Eagles 1,14612
1950 Marion Motley ^ Cleveland Browns 81012
1951 Eddie Price New York Giants 97112
1952 Dan Towler Los Angeles Rams 89412
1953 Joe Perry ^ San Francisco 49ers 1,01812
1954 Joe Perry ^ (2) San Francisco 49ers 1,04912
1955 Alan Ameche Baltimore Colts 96112
1956 Rick Casares Chicago Bears 1,12612
1957 Jim Brown ^ † Cleveland Browns 94212
1958 Jim Brown ^ † (2) Cleveland Browns 1,52712
1959 Jim Brown ^ (3) Cleveland Browns 1,32912
1960 Jim Brown ^ (4) Cleveland Browns 1,25712
1961 Jim Brown ^ (5) Cleveland Browns 1,40814
1962 Jim Taylor ^ Green Bay Packers 1,47414
1963 Jim Brown ^ (6) Cleveland Browns 1,86314
1964 Jim Brown ^ (7) Cleveland Browns 1,44614
1965 Jim Brown ^ †(8) Cleveland Browns 1,54414
1966 Gale Sayers ^ Chicago Bears 1,23114
1967 Leroy Kelly ^ Cleveland Browns 1,20514
1968 Leroy Kelly ^ (2) Cleveland Browns 1,23914
1969 Gale Sayers ^ (2) Chicago Bears 1,03214
1970 Larry Brown Washington Redskins 1,12514
1971 Floyd Little ^ Denver Broncos 1,13314
1972 O. J. Simpson ^ Buffalo Bills 1,25114
1973 O. J. Simpson ^ †‡ (2) Buffalo Bills 2,00314
1974 Otis Armstrong Denver Broncos 1,40714
1975 O. J. Simpson ^ (3) Buffalo Bills 1,81714
1976 O. J. Simpson ^ (4) Buffalo Bills 1,50314
1977 Walter Payton ^ †‡ Chicago Bears 1,85214
1978 Earl Campbell ^ ‡ Houston Oilers 1,45015
1979 Earl Campbell ^ †‡ (2) Houston Oilers 1,69716
1980 Earl Campbell ^ ‡ (3) Houston Oilers 1,93415
1981 George Rogers New Orleans Saints 1,67416
1982 Freeman McNeil New York Jets 7869 [E]
1983 Eric Dickerson ^ Los Angeles Rams 1,80816
1984 Eric Dickerson ^ (2) Los Angeles Rams 2,10516
1985 Marcus Allen ^ †‡ Los Angeles Raiders 1,75916
1986 Eric Dickerson ^ (3) Los Angeles Rams 1,82116
1987 Charles White Los Angeles Rams 1,37415 [F]
1988 Eric Dickerson ^ (4) Indianapolis Colts 1,65916
1989 Christian Okoye Kansas City Chiefs 1,48016
1990 Barry Sanders ^ Detroit Lions 1,30416
1991 Emmitt Smith ^ Dallas Cowboys 1,56316
1992 Emmitt Smith ^ (2) Dallas Cowboys 1,71316
1993 Emmitt Smith ^ † (3) Dallas Cowboys 1,48614
1994 Barry Sanders ^ ‡ (2) Detroit Lions 1,88316
1995 Emmitt Smith ^ (4) Dallas Cowboys 1,77316
1996 Barry Sanders ^ (3) Detroit Lions 1,55316
1997 Barry Sanders ^ †‡ (4) Detroit Lions 2,05316
1998 Terrell Davis ^ †‡ Denver Broncos 2,00816
1999 Edgerrin James ^ Indianapolis Colts 1,55316
2000 Edgerrin James ^ (2) Indianapolis Colts 1,70916
2001 Priest Holmes Kansas City Chiefs 1,55516
2002 Ricky Williams Miami Dolphins 1,85316
2003 Jamal Lewis ‡ Baltimore Ravens 2,06616
2004 Curtis Martin ^ New York Jets 1,69716
2005 Shaun Alexander †‡ Seattle Seahawks 1,88016
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson ^ †‡ San Diego Chargers 1,81516
2007 LaDainian Tomlinson ^ (2) San Diego Chargers 1,47416
2008 Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings 1,76016
2009 Chris Johnson ‡ Tennessee Titans 2,00616
2010 Arian Foster Houston Texans 1,61616
2011 Maurice Jones-Drew Jacksonville Jaguars 1,60616
2012 Adrian Peterson †‡ (2) Minnesota Vikings 2,09716
2013 LeSean McCoy Philadelphia Eagles 1,60716
2014 DeMarco Murray ‡ Dallas Cowboys 1,84516
2015 Adrian Peterson (3) Minnesota Vikings 1,48516
2016 Ezekiel Elliott * Dallas Cowboys 1,63115
2017 Kareem Hunt * Kansas City Chiefs 1,32716
2018 Ezekiel Elliott * (2) Dallas Cowboys 1,43415
2019 Derrick Henry * Tennessee Titans 1,54015
2020 Derrick Henry *‡ (2) Tennessee Titans 2,02716
2021 Jonathan Taylor * Indianapolis Colts 1,81117
2022 Josh Jacobs * Las Vegas Raiders 1,65317
2023 Christian McCaffrey * San Francisco 49ers 1,45916
2024 Saquon Barkley * Philadelphia Eagles 2,00516

List of AFL rushing title winners

American Football League (AFL) rushing title winners by season [4]
SeasonWinnerTeamYardsGames
1960 Abner Haynes Dallas Texans 87514
1961 Billy Cannon Houston Oilers 94814
1962 Cookie Gilchrist Buffalo Bills 1,09614
1963 Clem Daniels Oakland Raiders 1,09914
1964 Cookie Gilchrist (2) Buffalo Bills 98114
1965 Paul Lowe San Diego Chargers 1,12114
1966 Jim Nance Boston Patriots 1,45814
1967 Jim Nance (2) Boston Patriots 1,21614
1968 Paul Robinson Cincinnati Bengals 1,02314
1969 Dickie Post San Diego Chargers 87314

Most rushing titles

CountPlayerSeasonsTeam(s)
8 Jim Brown 1957–1961, 1963–1965Cleveland Browns
4 Eric Dickerson 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988Los Angeles Rams / Indianapolis Colts
Barry Sanders 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997Detroit Lions
O. J. Simpson 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976Buffalo Bills
Emmitt Smith 1991–1993, 1995Dallas Cowboys
Steve Van Buren 1945, 1947–1949Philadelphia Eagles
3 Earl Campbell 1978–1980Houston Oilers
Adrian Peterson 2008, 2012, 2015Minnesota Vikings

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The NFL did not have a set number of games for teams to play until the 1935 season, instead setting a minimum. [10]
  2. ↑ The Boston Braves played 10 games in a non-standardized season. [11]
  3. ↑ The Boston Redskins played 12 games in a non-standardized season. [12]
  4. ↑ The Chicago Bears played 13 games in a non-standardized season. [13]
  5. ↑ The 1982 season was reduced from 16 to 9 games due to a 57-day players' strike. [14]
  6. ↑ The 1987 season was reduced from 16 to 15 games due to a 24-day players' strike. [14]

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References

General
Footnotes
  1. 1 2 "Beginner's Guide to Football". National Football League. Archived from the original on February 16, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  2. ↑ "The Run". NFL360.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Miami's Bush Eyeing NFL Rushing Title". Foxsports.com . August 16, 2012. Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "2012 NFL Record and Fact Book" (PDF). NFL.com . pp. 625–626. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  5. ↑ "NFL's Passer Rating". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  6. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (January 3, 2021). "DH2K: Titans RB Derrick Henry Eclipses 2,000-Yard Mark in Win Over Texans". TennesseeTitans.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  7. ↑ Gordon, Grant (January 3, 2021). "Titans RB Derrick Henry rushes for 2,000 yards in division-clinching win". NFL.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ NFL (February 9, 2023). "Josh Jacobs wins FedEx Ground Player of the Year and inaugural Jim Brown Award". nflcommunications.com. NFL. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  9. ↑ "NFL Year-by-Year Rushing Yards Leaders". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  10. ↑ "NFL Regular Season Games Played per Season". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  11. ↑ "1932 Boston Braves". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  12. ↑ "1933 Boston Redskins". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  13. ↑ "1934 Chicago Bears". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
  14. 1 2 "NFL History by Decade: 1981–1990". NFL.com . Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
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