Rushing Leaders
Listed below are the NFL running backs who ended the season with the most rushing yards. Eric Dickerson still holds the single season record with 2105 yds in 1984. The season was expanded to 16 games in 1978. The season was 14 games from 1961-77.
| Year | Rushing Leader | Team | Yards |
| 2007 | LaDainian Tomlinson | San Diego Chargers | 1474 yds |
| 2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | San Diego Chargers | 1815 yds |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander | Seattle Seahawks | 1880 yds |
| 2004 | Curtis Martin | New York Jets | 1697 yds |
| 2003 | Jamal Lewis | Baltimore Ravens | 2066 yds |
| 2002 | Ricky Williams | Miami Dolphins | 1853 yds |
| 2001 | Priest Holmes | Kansas City Chiefs | 1555 yds |
| 2000 | Edgerrin James | Indianapolis Colts | 1709 yds |
| 1999 | Edgerrin James | Indianapolis Colts | 1553 yds |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis | Denver Broncos | 2008 yds |
| 1997 | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | 2053 yds |
| 1996 | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | 1553 yds |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | 1773 yds |
| 1994 | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | 1883 yds |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | 1486 yds |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | 1713 yds |
| 1991 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | 1563 yds |
| 1990 | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | 1304 yds |
| 1989 | Christian Okoye | Kansas City Chiefs | 1480 yds |
| 1988 | Eric Dickerson | Indianapolis Colts | 1659 yds |
| 1987 | Charles White | Los Angeles Rams | 1374 yds |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson | Los Angeles Rams | 1821 yds |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen | Los Angeles Raiders | 1759 yds |
| 1984 | Eric Dickerson | Los Angeles Rams | 2105 yds |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson | Los Angeles Rams | 1808 yds |
| 1982 | Freeman McNeil | New York Jets | 786 yds |
| 1981 | George Rogers | New Orleans Saints | 1674 yds |
| 1980 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | 1934 yds |
| 1979 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | 1697 yds |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | 1450 yds |
| 1977 | Walter Payton | Chicago Bears | 1852 yds |
| 1976 | O J Simpson | Buffalo Bills | 1503 yds |
| 1975 | O J Simpson | Buffalo Bills | 1817 yds |
| 1974 | Otis Armstrong | Denver Broncos | 1407 yds |
| 1973 | O J Simpson | Buffalo Bills | 2003 yds |
| 1972 | O J Simpson | Buffalo Bills | 1251 yds |
| 1971 | Floyd Little | Denver Broncos | 1133 yds |
| 1970 | Larry Brown | Washington Redskins | 1125 yds |
| 1969 | Gale Sayers | Chicago Bears | 1032 yds |
| 1968 | Leroy Kelly | Cleveland Browns | 1239 yds |
| 1967 | Jim Nance | Boston Patriots | 1216 yds |
| 1966 | Jim Nance | Boston Patriots | 1458 yds |
| 1965 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1544 yds |
| 1964 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1446 yds |
| 1963 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1863 yds |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor | Green Bay Packers | 1474 yds |
| 1961 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1408 yds |
| 1960 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1257 yds |
| 1959 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1329 yds |
| 1958 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 1527 yds |
| 1957 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | 942 yds |
| 1956 | Rick Casares | Chicago Bears | 1126 yds |
| 1955 | Alan Ameche | Baltimore Colts | 961 yds |
| 1954 | Joe Perry | San Francisco | 1049 yds |
| 1953 | Joe Perry | San Francisco | 1018 yds |
| 1952 | Dan Towler | Los Angeles | 894 yds |
| 1951 | Eddie Price | New York | 971 yds |
| 1950 | Marion Motley | Cleveland Browns | 810 yds |
| 1949 | Steve Van Buren | Philadelphia | 1146 yds |
| 1948 | Steve Van Buren | Philadelphia | 945 yds |
| 1947 | Steve Van Buren | Philadelphia | 1008 yds |
| 1946 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh | 604 yds |
| 1945 | Steve Van Buren | Philadelphia | 832 yds |
| 1944 | Bill Paschal | New York | 737 yds |
| 1943 | Bill Paschal | New York | 572 yds |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh | 696 yds |
| 1941 | Clarence Manders | Brooklyn Dodgers | 486 yds |
| 1940 | Byron White | Detroit Lions | 514 yds |
| 1939 | Bill Osmanski | Chi | 699 yds |
| 1938 | Byron White | Pittsburgh | 567 yds |
| 1937 | Cliff Battles | Washington | 874 yds |
| 1936 | Alphonse Leemans | New York | 830 yds |
| 1935 | Doug Russell | Chicago Cardinals | 499 yds |
| 1934 | Beattie Feathers | Chi | 1004 yrds |
| 1933 | Jim Musick | Boston Redskins | 809 yds |
| 1932 | Cliff Battles | Boston Braves | 576 yds |
Email Dan@WhoWonWhen.com with suggestions for new lists, or to report spelling or other errors.
Every attempt is made to insure the accuracy of the above information, however accuracy is not guaranteed.
Web hosting services provided by Netlink Communications, Inc.
