NFL Career Leaders - Rushing Yards

The following is a list of the NFL career rushing leaders ranked by rushing yards. Statistics are current through the 2020 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games.

Active players are listed in bold.

      Rushing
Player Gms Att Yds Avg Lg TD
1. E. Smith 226 4,409 18,355 4.2 75t 164
2. W. Payton 190 3,838 16,726 4.4 76 110
3. F. Gore 241 3,735 16,000 4.3 80t 81
4. B. Sanders 153 3,062 15,269 5.0 85 99
5. A. Peterson 180 3,192 14,820 4.6 90t 118
6. C. Martin 168 3,518 14,101 4.0 70t 90
7. L. Tomlinson 170 3,174 13,684 4.3 85t 145
8. J. Bettis 192 3,479 13,662 3.9 71t 91
9. E. Dickerson 146 2,996 13,259 4.4 85t 90
10. T. Dorsett 173 2,936 12,739 4.3 99t 77
11. J. Brown 118 2,359 12,312 5.2 80t 106
12. M. Faulk 176 2,836 12,279 4.3 71t 100
13. E. James 148 3,028 12,246 4.0 72 80
14. M. Allen 222 3,022 12,243 4.1 61t 123
15. F. Harris 173 2,949 12,120 4.1 75t 91
16. T. Thomas 182 2,877 12,074 4.2 80t 65
17. F. Taylor 153 2,534 11,695 4.6 80t 66
18. S. Jackson 160 2,763 11,435 4.1 59t 69
19. J. Riggins 175 2,916 11,352 3.9 66t 104
20. C. Dillon 150 2,618 11,241 4.3 96t 82
21. O. Simpson 135 2,404 11,236 4.7 94t 61
22. L. McCoy 170 2,457 11,102 4.5 75t 73
23. W. Dunn 181 2,669 10,967 4.1 90t 49
24. R. Watters 144 2,622 10,643 4.1 57 78
25. J. Lewis 131 2,542 10,607 4.2 82t 58
26. T. Jones 180 2,678 10,591 4.0 71t 68
27. T. Barber 154 2,217 10,449 4.7 95t 55
28. E. George 141 2,865 10,441 3.6 76 68
29. M. Lynch 149 2,453 10,413 4.2 79t 85
30. O. Anderson 182 2,562 10,273 4.0 76t 81
31. R. Williams 147 2,431 10,009 4.1 68t 66
32. C. Portis 113 2,230 9,923 4.4 78 75
33. M. Forte 146 2,356 9,796 4.2 68t 54
34. C. Johnson 130 2,163 9,651 4.5 94t 55
35. S. Alexander 123 2,187 9,453 4.3 88t 100
36. E. Campbell 115 2,187 9,407 4.3 81t 74
37. A. Green 148 2,056 9,205 4.5 98t 60
38. T. Allen 130 2,152 8,614 4.0 55t 73
39. J. Taylor 132 1,941 8,597 4.4 84t 83
40. W. McGahee 142 2,095 8,474 4.0 77t 65
41. J. Perry 156 1,737 8,378 4.8 78 53
42. E. Byner 211 2,095 8,261 3.9 54 56
43. H. Walker 187 1,954 8,225 4.2 91t 61
44. R. Craig 165 1,991 8,189 4.1 71 56
45. G. Riggs 129 1,989 8,188 4.1 58 69
46. P. Holmes 113 1,780 8,172 4.6 72 86
47. M. Jones-Drew 126 1,847 8,167 4.4 80t 68
48. D. Williams 142 1,730 8,096 4.7 77 61
49. L. Csonka 146 1,891 8,081 4.3 54t 64
50. F. McNeil 144 1,798 8,074 4.5 69 38