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List of NFL annual rushing yards leaders

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List of NFL annual rushing yards leaders
Summary

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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

In American football, rushing and passing are the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. A rush, also known as a running play, generally occurs when the quarterback hands or tosses the ball backwards to the running back, but other players, such as the quarterback, can run with the ball. 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. 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. The NFL also recognizes the statistics of the All-America Football Conference, which operated from 1946 to 1949 before three of its teams were merged into the NFL, since 2025.

The NFL did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season. Since the adoption of the 14-game season in 1961, all but one rushing champion have recorded over 1,000 yards rushing. Nine rushing champions have recorded over 2,000 rushing yards, a feat first accomplished by O. J. Simpson in 1973 and most recently achieved by Saquon Barkley in the 2024 season.

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 James Cook of the Buffalo Bills, who led the league with 1,621 rushing yards during the 2025 season. Derrick Henry is the most recent player to win back-to-back titles.

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". Josh Jacobs was the inaugural recipient.

List of NFL rushing title winners

Byron White, in his Supreme Court attire, poses for a headshot.
US Supreme Court]], won the league rushing title in 1938 and 1940
Gale Sayers poses for a picture while holding a trophy.
[[Gale Sayers]] led the NFL in rushing in 1966 and 1969
Eric Dickerson running with the ball in a football game.
[[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 is sitting down and talking.
1993
In team warmups and in full Chargers uniform, LaDainian Tomlinson runs with the ball.
2007
Adrian Peterson wearing his Vikings football uniform, but no helmet.
[[Adrian Peterson]] led the league in rushing three times in the 2008, 2012, and 2015 seasons
Derrick Henry wearing his Titans football uniform, but no helmet, on the sidelines.
2020]], and is the most recent player to do so
^*
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
SeasonWinnerTeamYardsGames1932193319341935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
^Boston Braves57610
Boston Redskins80912
Chicago Bears1,00413
Chicago Cardinals49912
New York Giants83012
^ (2)Washington Redskins87411
Pittsburgh Pirates56711
Chicago Bears69911
(2)Detroit Lions51411
Brooklyn Dodgers48611
^Pittsburgh Steelers69611
New York Giants57210
(2)New York Giants73710
^Philadelphia Eagles83210
^ (2)Pittsburgh Steelers60411
^ (2)Philadelphia Eagles1,00812
^ (3)Philadelphia Eagles94512
^ (4)Philadelphia Eagles1,14612
^Cleveland Browns81012
New York Giants97112
Los Angeles Rams89412
^San Francisco 49ers1,01812
^ (2)San Francisco 49ers1,04912
Baltimore Colts96112
Chicago Bears1,12612
^Cleveland Browns94212
^ (2)Cleveland Browns1,52712
^ (3)Cleveland Browns1,32912
^ (4)Cleveland Browns1,25712
^ (5)Cleveland Browns1,40814
^Green Bay Packers1,47414
^ (6)Cleveland Browns1,86314
^ (7)Cleveland Browns1,44614
^ (8)Cleveland Browns1,54414
^Chicago Bears1,23114
^Cleveland Browns1,20514
^ (2)Cleveland Browns1,23914
^ (2)Chicago Bears1,03214
Washington Redskins1,12514
^Denver Broncos1,13314
^Buffalo Bills1,25114
^ (2)Buffalo Bills2,00314
Denver Broncos1,40714
^ (3)Buffalo Bills1,81714
^ (4)Buffalo Bills1,50314
^Chicago Bears1,85214
^Houston Oilers1,45015
^ (2)Houston Oilers1,69716
^ (3)Houston Oilers1,93415
New Orleans Saints1,67416
New York Jets7869
^Los Angeles Rams1,80816
^ (2)Los Angeles Rams2,10516
^Los Angeles Raiders1,75916
^ (3)Los Angeles Rams1,82116
Los Angeles Rams1,37415
^ (4)Indianapolis Colts1,65916
Kansas City Chiefs1,48016
^Detroit Lions1,30416
^Dallas Cowboys1,56316
^ (2)Dallas Cowboys1,71316
^ (3)Dallas Cowboys1,48614
^ (2)Detroit Lions1,88316
^ (4)Dallas Cowboys1,77316
^ (3)Detroit Lions1,55316
^ (4)Detroit Lions2,05316
^Denver Broncos2,00816
^Indianapolis Colts1,55316
^ (2)Indianapolis Colts1,70916
Kansas City Chiefs1,55516
Miami Dolphins1,85316
Baltimore Ravens2,06616
^New York Jets1,69716
Seattle Seahawks1,88016
^San Diego Chargers1,81516
^ (2)San Diego Chargers1,47416
Minnesota Vikings1,76016
Tennessee Titans2,00616
Houston Texans1,61616
Jacksonville Jaguars1,60616
(2)Minnesota Vikings2,09716
Philadelphia Eagles1,60716
Dallas Cowboys1,84516
(3)Minnesota Vikings1,48516
Dallas Cowboys1,63115
*Kansas City Chiefs1,32716
(2)Dallas Cowboys1,43415
*Tennessee Titans1,54015
* (2)Tennessee Titans2,02716
*Indianapolis Colts1,81117
*Las Vegas Raiders1,65317
*San Francisco 49ers1,45916
*Philadelphia Eagles2,00516
*Buffalo Bills1,62117

List of AAFC rushing title winners

SymbolMeaningPlayerYdsGP*(#)
The player who recorded the most rushing yards in the AAFC
The total number of rushing yards the player had
The number of games played by the player during the season
Player set the single-season rushing yards record
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
SeasonPlayerYdsGPTeamRef.1946194719481949
709*13New York Yankeesurl=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1946_AAFC/rushing.htmtitle=1946 AAFC Rushingwebsite=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}
(2)1,432*14New York Yankeesurl=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1947_AAFC/rushing.htmtitle=1947 AAFC Rushingwebsite=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}
96414Cleveland Brownsurl=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1948_AAFC/rushing.htmtitle=1948 AAFC Rushingwebsite=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}
78311San Francisco 49ersurl=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1949_AAFC/rushing.htmtitle=1949 AAFC Rushingwebsite=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}

List of AFL rushing title winners

SymbolMeaningPlayerYdsGP*(#)
The player who recorded the most rushing yards in the AFL
The total number of rushing yards the player had
The number of games played by the player during the season
Player set the single-season rushing yards record
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
SeasonWinnerTeamYardsGames1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
Dallas Texans87514
Houston Oilers94814
Buffalo Bills1,09614
Oakland Raiders1,09914
(2)Buffalo Bills98114
San Diego Chargers1,12114
Boston Patriots1,45814
(2)Boston Patriots1,21614
Cincinnati Bengals1,02314
San Diego Chargers87314

Most rushing titles

CountPlayerSeasonsTeam(s)8432
1957–1961, 1963–1965Cleveland Browns
1983, 1984, 1986, 1988Los Angeles Rams / Indianapolis Colts
1990, 1994, 1996, 1997Detroit Lions
1972, 1973, 1975, 1976Buffalo Bills
1991–1993, 1995Dallas Cowboys
1945, 1947–1949Philadelphia Eagles
1978–1980Houston Oilers
1949, ,San Francisco 49ers
2008, 2012, 2015Minnesota Vikings
1932, 1937Boston Braves / Washington Redskins
1942, 1946Pittsburgh Steelers
2016, 2018Dallas Cowboys
1962, 1964Buffalo Bills
2019, 2020Tennessee Titans
1999, 2000Indianapolis Colts
1967, 1968Cleveland Browns
1948,Cleveland Browns
1966, 1967Boston Patriots
1943, 1944New York Giants
1946, 1947New York Yankees
1966, 1969Chicago Bears
2006, 2007San Diego Chargers
1938, 1940Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Lions

Notes

References

;General

;Footnotes

References

  1. "Beginner's Guide to Football". [[National Football League]].
  2. "The Run". [[National Football League.
  3. (August 16, 2012). "Miami's Bush Eyeing NFL Rushing Title".
  4. "2012 NFL Record and Fact Book".
  5. (April 1, 2025). "NFL incorporates old AAFC stats, shifting career leaderboards". ESPN.
  6. "NFL's Passer Rating". [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].
  7. Gordon, Grant. (January 3, 2021). "Titans RB Derrick Henry rushes for 2,000 yards in division-clinching win".
  8. NFL. (February 9, 2023). "Josh Jacobs wins FedEx Ground Player of the Year and inaugural Jim Brown Award". NFL.
  9. "NFL Year-by-Year Rushing Yards Leaders". [[Pro Football Reference]].
  10. "NFL Regular Season Games Played per Season". [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].
  11. "1932 Boston Braves". [[Pro Football Reference]].
  12. "1933 Boston Redskins". [[Pro Football Reference]].
  13. "1934 Chicago Bears". [[Pro Football Reference]].
  14. "NFL History by Decade: 1981–1990".
  15. "1946 AAFC Rushing".
  16. "1947 AAFC Rushing".
  17. "1948 AAFC Rushing".
  18. "1949 AAFC Rushing".
Wikipedia Source

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