List of NFL annual rushing yards leaders explained

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. 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]

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

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
Season!scope="col"
WinnerTeamYardsGames
1932^Boston Braves57610
1933Boston Redskins80912
1934Chicago Bears1,00413
1935Chicago Cardinals49912
1936New York Giants83012
1937^ (2)Washington Redskins87411
1938Pittsburgh Pirates56711
1939Chicago Bears69911
1940 (2)Detroit Lions51411
1941Brooklyn Dodgers48611
1942^Pittsburgh Steelers69611
1943New York Giants57210
1944 (2)New York Giants73710
1945^ Philadelphia Eagles83210
1946^ (2)Pittsburgh Steelers60411
1947^ (2)Philadelphia Eagles1,00812
1948^ (3)Philadelphia Eagles94512
1949^ (4)Philadelphia Eagles1,14612
1950^Cleveland Browns81012
1951New York Giants97112
1952Los Angeles Rams89412
1953^San Francisco 49ers1,01812
1954^ (2)San Francisco 49ers1,04912
1955Baltimore Colts96112
1956Chicago Bears1,12612
1957^ Cleveland Browns94212
1958^ (2)Cleveland Browns1,52712
1959^ (3)Cleveland Browns1,32912
1960^ (4)Cleveland Browns1,25712
1961^ (5)Cleveland Browns1,40814
1962^Green Bay Packers1,47414
1963^ (6)Cleveland Browns1,86314
1964^ (7)Cleveland Browns1,44614
1965^ (8)Cleveland Browns1,54414
1966^Chicago Bears1,23114
1967^Cleveland Browns1,20514
1968^ (2)Cleveland Browns1,23914
1969^ (2)Chicago Bears1,03214
1970Washington Redskins1,12514
1971^Denver Broncos1,13314
1972^Buffalo Bills1,25114
1973^ (2)Buffalo Bills2,00314
1974Denver Broncos1,40714
1975^ (3)Buffalo Bills1,81714
1976^ (4)Buffalo Bills1,50314
1977^ Chicago Bears1,85214
1978^ Houston Oilers1,45015
1979^ (2)Houston Oilers1,69716
1980^ (3)Houston Oilers1,93415
1981New Orleans Saints1,67416
1982New York Jets7869
1983^Los Angeles Rams1,80816
1984^ (2)Los Angeles Rams2,10516
1985^ Los Angeles Raiders1,75916
1986^ (3)Los Angeles Rams1,82116
1987Los Angeles Rams1,37415
1988^ (4)Indianapolis Colts1,65916
1989Kansas City Chiefs1,48016
1990^Detroit Lions1,30416
1991^Dallas Cowboys1,56316
1992^ (2)Dallas Cowboys1,71316
1993^ (3)Dallas Cowboys1,48614
1994^ (2)Detroit Lions1,88316
1995^ (4)Dallas Cowboys1,77316
1996^ (3)Detroit Lions1,55316
1997^ (4)Detroit Lions2,05316
1998^ Denver Broncos2,00816
1999^Indianapolis Colts1,55316
2000^ (2)Indianapolis Colts1,70916
2001Kansas City Chiefs1,55516
2002Miami Dolphins1,85316
2003Baltimore Ravens2,06616
2004^New York Jets1,69716
2005 Seattle Seahawks1,88016
2006^ San Diego Chargers1,81516
2007^ (2)San Diego Chargers1,47416
2008Minnesota Vikings1,76016
2009Tennessee Titans2,00616
2010Houston Texans1,61616
2011Jacksonville Jaguars1,60616
2012 (2)Minnesota Vikings2,09716
2013Philadelphia Eagles1,60716
2014Dallas Cowboys1,84516
2015 (3)Minnesota Vikings1,48516
2016Dallas Cowboys1,63115
2017Kansas City Chiefs1,32716
2018
  • (2)
Dallas Cowboys1,43415
2019Tennessee Titans1,54015
2020
  • (2)
Tennessee Titans2,02716
2021Indianapolis Colts1,81117
2022Las Vegas Raiders1,65317
2023San Francisco 49ers1,45916

List of AFL rushing title winners

Season!scope="col"
WinnerTeamYardsGames
1960Dallas Texans87514
1961Houston Oilers94814
1962Buffalo Bills1,09614
1963Oakland Raiders1,09914
1964 (2)Buffalo Bills98114
1965San Diego Chargers1,12114
1966Boston Patriots1,45814
1967 (2)Boston Patriots1,21614
1968Cincinnati Bengals1,02314
1969San Diego Chargers87314

Most rushing titles

Count! scope=col
Playerscope=col Seasonsscope=col Team(s)
scope=row 81957–1961, 1963–1965Cleveland Browns
scope=rowgroup rowspan=5 41983, 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
scope=rowgroup rowspan=3 31978–1980Houston Oilers
2008, 2012, 2015Minnesota Vikings

See also

References

General
Footnotes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Beginner's Guide to Football . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110216225503/http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball . February 16, 2011 . September 30, 2012 . .
  2. Web site: The Run . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121229055754/http://www.nfl-360.com/learn/overview/the-run . December 29, 2012 . June 19, 2013 . .
  3. Web site: August 16, 2012 . Miami's Bush Eyeing NFL Rushing Title . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121123035106/http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/miami-dolphins-reggie-bush-wants-to-lead-nfl-rushing-yards-081612 . November 23, 2012 . June 19, 2013 . .
  4. Web site: 2012 NFL Record and Fact Book . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120913213850/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/Records/Yrly_Stat_Ld_2011.pdf . September 13, 2012 . June 19, 2013 . . 625–626 .
  5. Web site: NFL's Passer Rating . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151003213325/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1303 . October 3, 2015 . June 19, 2013 . .
  6. Web site: Wyatt, Jim . January 3, 2021 . DH2K: Titans RB Derrick Henry Eclipses 2,000-Yard Mark in Win Over Texans . January 4, 2021 . TennesseeTitans.com . January 4, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210104010025/https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/dh2k-titans-rb-derrick-henry-eclipses-2-000-yard-mark-in-win-over-texans . live .
  7. Web site: Gordon, Grant . January 3, 2021 . Titans RB Derrick Henry rushes for 2,000 yards in division-clinching win . January 4, 2021 . NFL.com . January 5, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105205511/https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-rb-derrick-henry-rushes-for-2-000-yards . live .
  8. Web site: NFL . February 9, 2023 . Josh Jacobs wins FedEx Ground Player of the Year and inaugural Jim Brown Award . live . February 9, 2023 . nflcommunications.com . NFL . February 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230210041020/https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/NFL-CREATES-%E2%80%9CJIM-BROWN-AWARD%E2%80%9D.aspx .

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