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List of NFL annual rushing yards leaders

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]

Jim Brown, wearing a jacket, poses for a picture.
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.

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.
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.
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.
Adrian Peterson led the league in rushing 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.
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]
1932Cliff Battles^Boston Braves57610[B]
1933Jim MusickBoston Redskins80912[C]
1934Beattie FeathersChicago Bears1,00413[D]
1935Doug RussellChicago Cardinals49912
1936Tuffy LeemansNew York Giants83012
1937Cliff Battles^ (2)Washington Redskins87411
1938Byron WhitePittsburgh Pirates56711
1939Bill OsmanskiChicago Bears69911
1940Byron White (2)Detroit Lions51411
1941Pug MandersBrooklyn Dodgers48611
1942Bill Dudley^Pittsburgh Steelers69611
1943Bill PaschalNew York Giants57210
1944Bill Paschal (2)New York Giants73710
1945Steve Van Buren^Philadelphia Eagles83210
1946Bill Dudley^ (2)Pittsburgh Steelers60411
1947Steve Van Buren^ (2)Philadelphia Eagles1,00812
1948Steve Van Buren^ (3)Philadelphia Eagles94512
1949Steve Van Buren^ (4)Philadelphia Eagles1,14612
1950Marion Motley^Cleveland Browns81012
1951Eddie PriceNew York Giants97112
1952Dan TowlerLos Angeles Rams89412
1953Joe Perry^San Francisco 49ers1,01812
1954Joe Perry^ (2)San Francisco 49ers1,04912
1955Alan AmecheBaltimore Colts96112
1956Rick CasaresChicago Bears1,12612
1957Jim Brown^ †Cleveland Browns94212
1958Jim Brown^ † (2)Cleveland Browns1,52712
1959Jim Brown^ (3)Cleveland Browns1,32912
1960Jim Brown^ (4)Cleveland Browns1,25712
1961Jim Brown^ (5)Cleveland Browns1,40814
1962Jim Taylor^Green Bay Packers1,47414
1963Jim Brown^ (6)Cleveland Browns1,86314
1964Jim Brown^ (7)Cleveland Browns1,44614
1965Jim Brown^ † (8)Cleveland Browns1,54414
1966Gale Sayers^Chicago Bears1,23114
1967Leroy Kelly^Cleveland Browns1,20514
1968Leroy Kelly^ (2)Cleveland Browns1,23914
1969Gale Sayers^ (2)Chicago Bears1,03214
1970Larry BrownWashington Redskins1,12514
1971Floyd Little^Denver Broncos1,13314
1972O. J. Simpson^Buffalo Bills1,25114
1973O. J. Simpson^ † ‡ (2)Buffalo Bills2,00314
1974Otis ArmstrongDenver Broncos1,40714
1975O. J. Simpson^ (3)Buffalo Bills1,81714
1976O. J. Simpson^ (4)Buffalo Bills1,50314
1977Walter Payton^ † ‡Chicago Bears1,85214
1978Earl Campbell^ ‡Houston Oilers1,45015
1979Earl Campbell^ † ‡ (2)Houston Oilers1,69716
1980Earl Campbell^ ‡ (3)Houston Oilers1,93415
1981George RogersNew Orleans Saints1,67416
1982Freeman McNeilNew York Jets7869[E]
1983Eric Dickerson^Los Angeles Rams1,80816
1984Eric Dickerson^ (2)Los Angeles Rams2,10516
1985Marcus Allen^ † ‡Los Angeles Raiders1,75916
1986Eric Dickerson^ (3)Los Angeles Rams1,82116
1987Charles WhiteLos Angeles Rams1,37415[F]
1988Eric Dickerson^ (4)Indianapolis Colts1,65916
1989Christian OkoyeKansas City Chiefs1,48016
1990Barry Sanders^Detroit Lions1,30416
1991Emmitt Smith^Dallas Cowboys1,56316
1992Emmitt Smith^ (2)Dallas Cowboys1,71316
1993Emmitt Smith^ † (3)Dallas Cowboys1,48614
1994Barry Sanders^ ‡ (2)Detroit Lions1,88316
1995Emmitt Smith^ (4)Dallas Cowboys1,77316
1996Barry Sanders^ (3)Detroit Lions1,55316
1997Barry Sanders^ † ‡ (4)Detroit Lions2,05316
1998Terrell Davis^ † ‡Denver Broncos2,00816
1999Edgerrin James^Indianapolis Colts1,55316
2000Edgerrin James^ (2)Indianapolis Colts1,70916
2001Priest HolmesKansas City Chiefs1,55516
2002Ricky WilliamsMiami Dolphins1,85316
2003Jamal Lewis‡Baltimore Ravens2,06616
2004Curtis Martin^New York Jets1,69716
2005Shaun Alexander† ‡Seattle Seahawks1,88016
2006LaDainian Tomlinson^ † ‡San Diego Chargers1,81516
2007LaDainian Tomlinson^ (2)San Diego Chargers1,47416
2008Adrian PetersonMinnesota Vikings1,76016
2009Chris Johnson‡Tennessee Titans2,00616
2010Arian FosterHouston Texans1,61616
2011Maurice Jones-DrewJacksonville Jaguars1,60616
2012Adrian Peterson† ‡ (2)Minnesota Vikings2,09716
2013LeSean McCoyPhiladelphia Eagles1,60716
2014DeMarco Murray‡Dallas Cowboys1,84516
2015Adrian Peterson (3)Minnesota Vikings1,48516
2016Ezekiel Elliott*Dallas Cowboys1,63115
2017Kareem Hunt*Kansas City Chiefs1,32716
2018Ezekiel Elliott* (2)Dallas Cowboys1,43415
2019Derrick Henry*Tennessee Titans1,54015
2020Derrick Henry* ‡ (2)Tennessee Titans2,02716
2021Jonathan Taylor*Indianapolis Colts1,81117
2022Josh Jacobs*Las Vegas Raiders1,65317
2023Christian McCaffrey*San Francisco 49ers1,45916

List of AFL rushing title winners

American Football League (AFL) rushing title winners by season[4]
SeasonWinnerTeamYardsGames
1960Abner HaynesDallas Texans87514
1961Billy CannonHouston Oilers94814
1962Cookie GilchristBuffalo Bills1,09614
1963Clem DanielsOakland Raiders1,09914
1964Cookie Gilchrist (2)Buffalo Bills98114
1965Paul LoweSan Diego Chargers1,12114
1966Jim NanceBoston Patriots1,45814
1967Jim Nance (2)Boston Patriots1,21614
1968Paul RobinsonCincinnati Bengals1,02314
1969Dickie PostSan Diego Chargers87314

Most rushing titles

CountPlayerSeasonsTeam(s)
8Jim Brown1957–1961, 1963–1965Cleveland Browns
4Eric Dickerson1983, 1984, 1986, 1988Los Angeles Rams / Indianapolis Colts
Barry Sanders1990, 1994, 1996, 1997Detroit Lions
O. J. Simpson1972, 1973, 1975, 1976Buffalo Bills
Emmitt Smith1991–1993, 1995Dallas Cowboys
Steve Van Buren1945, 1947–1949Philadelphia Eagles
3Earl Campbell1978–1980Houston Oilers
Adrian Peterson2008, 2012, 2015Minnesota Vikings

See also

Notes

References

General
  • "AP MVP Winners". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  • "AP Offensive Player of the Year Winners". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  • "Hall of Famers – Alphabetically". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  • "NFL Players". NFL.com. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
Footnotes

External links


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