List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders
This is a list of National Football League running backs by total career rushing yards. This list includes all running backs who have rushed for at least 10,000 yards. Emmitt Smith has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002.
Players with at least 10,000 rushing yards
Through end of season| Rank | Player | Team by season | |||
| 1 | Emmitt Smith^ | Dallas Cowboys Arizona Cardinals | 4,409 | 18,355 | 4.2 |
| 2 | Walter Payton^ | Chicago Bears | 3,838 | 16,726 | 4.4 |
| 3 | * | San Francisco 49ers Indianapolis Colts Miami Dolphins Buffalo Bills New York Jets | 3,548 | 15,347 | 4.3 |
| 4 | Barry Sanders^ | Detroit Lions | 3,062 | 15,269 | 5.0 |
| 5 | * | Minnesota Vikings New Orleans Saints Arizona Cardinals Washington Redskins | 3,036 | 14,216 | 4.7 |
| 6 | Curtis Martin^ | New England Patriots New York Jets | 3,518 | 14,101 | 4.0 |
| 7 | LaDainian Tomlinson^ | San Diego Chargers New York Jets | 3,174 | 13,684 | 4.3 |
| 8 | Jerome Bettis^ | St. Louis/L.A. Rams Pittsburgh Steelers | 3,479 | 13,662 | 3.9 |
| 9 | Eric Dickerson^ | Los Angeles Rams Indianapolis Colts Los Angeles Raiders Atlanta Falcons | 2,996 | 13,259 | 4.4 |
| 10 | Tony Dorsett^ | Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos | 2,936 | 12,739 | 4.3 |
| 11 | Jim Brown^ | Cleveland Browns | 2,359 | 12,312 | 5.2 |
| 12 | Marshall Faulk^ | Indianapolis Colts St. Louis Rams | 2,836 | 12,279 | 4.3 |
| 13 | Edgerrin James^ | Indianapolis Colts Arizona Cardinals Seattle Seahawks | 3,028 | 12,246 | 4.0 |
| 14 | Marcus Allen^ | Los Angeles Raiders Kansas City Chiefs | 3,022 | 12,243 | 4.1 |
| 15 | Franco Harris^ | Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks | 2,949 | 12,120 | 4.1 |
| 16 | Thurman Thomas^ | Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins | 2,877 | 12,074 | 4.2 |
| 17 | Fred Taylor | Jacksonville Jaguars New England Patriots | 2,534 | 11,695 | 4.6 |
| 18 | Steven Jackson | St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons New England Patriots | 2,764 | 11,438 | 4.1 |
| 19 | John Riggins^ | New York Jets Washington Redskins | 2,916 | 11,352 | 3.9 |
| 20 | Corey Dillon | Cincinnati Bengals New England Patriots | 2,618 | 11,241 | 4.3 |
| 21 | O. J. Simpson^ | Buffalo Bills San Francisco 49ers | 2,806 | 11,236 | 4.0 |
| 22 | * | Philadelphia Eagles Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2,447 | 11,071 | 4.5 |
| 23 | Warrick Dunn | Tampa Bay Buccaneers Atlanta Falcons | 2,669 | 10,967 | 4.1 |
| 24 | Ricky Watters | San Francisco 49ers Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Seahawks | 2,622 | 10,643 | 4.1 |
| 25 | Jamal Lewis | Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns | 2,542 | 10,607 | 4.2 |
| 26 | Thomas Jones | Arizona Cardinals Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chicago Bears New York Jets Kansas City Chiefs | 2,678 | 10,591 | 4.0 |
| 27 | Tiki Barber | New York Giants | 2,217 | 10,449 | 4.7 |
| 28 | Eddie George | Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans Dallas Cowboys | 2,865 | 10,441 | 3.6 |
| 29 | Buffalo Bills Seattle Seahawks Oakland Raiders | 2,453 | 10,413 | 4.2 | |
| 30 | St. Louis Cardinals New York Giants | 2,562 | 10,273 | 4.0 | |
| 31 | Ricky Williams | New Orleans Saints Miami Dolphins Baltimore Ravens | 2,431 | 10,009 | 4.1 |
Players with at least 1,000 postseason rushing yards
Through end of playoffs| Rank | Player | Team by season | |||
| 1 | Emmitt Smith^ | Dallas Cowboys Arizona Cardinals | 349 | 1,586 | 4.5 |
| 2 | Franco Harris^ | Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks | 400 | 1,556 | 3.9 |
| 3 | Thurman Thomas^ | Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins | 339 | 1,442 | 4.3 |
| 4 | Tony Dorsett^ | Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos | 302 | 1,383 | 4.6 |
| 5 | Marcus Allen^ | Los Angeles Raiders Kansas City Chiefs | 267 | 1,347 | 5.0 |
| 6 | Terrell Davis^ | Denver Broncos | 204 | 1,140 | 5.6 |
Historical rushing yards leaders
Eight players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL. Since reliable yardage statistics were not recorded prior to 1932, the first NFL player recognized as the career leader in rushing yards was Cliff Battles, who played from 1932 to 1937 for the Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins. He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002.| Player | Team by season | ||||
| – | Cliff Battles^ | Washington Redskins | 839 | 3,511 | 4.2 |
| – | Clarke Hinkle^ | Green Bay Packers | 1,171 | 3,860 | 3.3 |
| – | Steve Van Buren^ | Philadelphia Eagles | 1,320 | 5,860 | 4.4 |
| – | Joe Perry^ | San Francisco 49ers Baltimore Colts | 1,737 | 8,378 | 4.8 |
| – | Jim Brown^ | Cleveland Browns | 2,359 | 12,312 | 5.2 |
| – | Walter Payton^ | Chicago Bears | 3,838 | 16,726 | 4.4 |
| Since | ^ | Dallas Cowboys Arizona Cardinals | 4,409 | 18,355 | 4.2 |