List of National Football League rushing champions
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, 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, which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the National Football League in 1970.
The NFL did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season. Since the adoption of the 14-game season in 1961, all but two rushing champions have recorded over 1,000 yards rushing. Seven rushing champions have recorded over 2,000 rushing yards, a feat first accomplished by O. J. Simpson in 1973 and most recently achieved by Adrian Peterson in 2012.
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 Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, who led the league with 1,540 yards rushing over the 2019 season.
List of NFL rushing title winners
^ | 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 | Winner | Team | Yards | Games |
1932 | ^ | Boston Braves | 576 | 10 |
1933 | Boston Redskins | 809 | 12 | |
1934 | Chicago Bears | 1,004 | 13 | |
1935 | Chicago Cardinals | 499 | 12 | |
1936 | New York Giants | 830 | 12 | |
1937 | ^ | Washington Redskins | 874 | 11 |
1938 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 567 | 11 | |
1939 | Chicago Bears | 699 | 11 | |
1940 | Detroit Lions | 514 | 11 | |
1941 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 486 | 11 | |
1942 | ^ | Pittsburgh Steelers | 696 | 11 |
1943 | New York Giants | 572 | 10 | |
1944 | New York Giants | 737 | 10 | |
1945 | ^ | Philadelphia Eagles | 832 | 10 |
1946 | ^ | Pittsburgh Steelers | 604 | 11 |
1947 | ^ | Philadelphia Eagles | 1,008 | 12 |
1948 | ^ | Philadelphia Eagles | 945 | 12 |
1949 | ^ | Philadelphia Eagles | 1,146 | 12 |
1950 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 810 | 12 |
1951 | New York Giants | 971 | 12 | |
1952 | Los Angeles Rams | 894 | 12 | |
1953 | ^ | San Francisco 49ers | 1,018 | 12 |
1954 | ^ | San Francisco 49ers | 1,049 | 12 |
1955 | Baltimore Colts | 961 | 12 | |
1956 | Chicago Bears | 1,126 | 12 | |
1957 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 942 | 12 |
1958 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,527 | 12 |
1959 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,329 | 12 |
1960 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,257 | 12 |
1961 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,408 | 14 |
1962 | ^ | Green Bay Packers | 1,474 | 14 |
1963 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,863 | 14 |
1964 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,446 | 14 |
1965 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,544 | 14 |
1966 | ^ | Chicago Bears | 1,231 | 14 |
1967 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,205 | 14 |
1968 | ^ | Cleveland Browns | 1,239 | 14 |
1969 | ^ | Chicago Bears | 1,032 | 14 |
1970 | Washington Redskins | 1,125 | 14 | |
1971 | ^ | Denver Broncos | 1,133 | 14 |
1972 | ^ | Buffalo Bills | 1,251 | 14 |
1973 | ^ | Buffalo Bills | 2,003 | 14 |
1974 | Denver Broncos | 1,407 | 14 | |
1975 | ^ | Buffalo Bills | 1,817 | 14 |
1976 | ^ | Buffalo Bills | 1,503 | 14 |
1977 | ^ | Chicago Bears | 1,852 | 14 |
1978 | ^ | Houston Oilers | 1,450 | 16 |
1979 | ^ | Houston Oilers | 1,697 | 16 |
1980 | ^ | Houston Oilers | 1,934 | 16 |
1981 | New Orleans Saints | 1,674 | 16 | |
1982 | New York Jets | 786 | 9 | |
1983 | ^ | Los Angeles Rams | 1,808 | 16 |
1984 | ^ | Los Angeles Rams | 2,105 | 16 |
1985 | ^ | Los Angeles Raiders | 1,759 | 16 |
1986 | ^ | Los Angeles Rams | 1,821 | 16 |
1987 | Los Angeles Rams | 1,374 | 15 | |
1988 | ^ | Indianapolis Colts | 1,659 | 16 |
1989 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1,480 | 16 | |
1990 | ^ | Detroit Lions | 1,304 | 16 |
1991 | ^ | Dallas Cowboys | 1,563 | 16 |
1992 | ^ | Dallas Cowboys | 1,713 | 16 |
1993 | ^ | Dallas Cowboys | 1,486 | 14 |
1994 | ^ | Detroit Lions | 1,883 | 16 |
1995 | ^ | Dallas Cowboys | 1,773 | 16 |
1996 | ^ | Detroit Lions | 1,553 | 16 |
1997 | ^ | Detroit Lions | 2,053 | 16 |
1998 | ^ | Denver Broncos | 2,008 | 16 |
1999 | ^ | Indianapolis Colts | 1,553 | 16 |
2000 | ^ | Indianapolis Colts | 1,709 | 16 |
2001 | Kansas City Chiefs | 1,555 | 16 | |
2002 | Miami Dolphins | 1,853 | 16 | |
2003 | Baltimore Ravens | 2,066 | 16 | |
2004 | ^ | New York Jets | 1,697 | 16 |
2005 | Seattle Seahawks | 1,880 | 16 | |
2006 | ^ | San Diego Chargers | 1,815 | 16 |
2007 | ^ | San Diego Chargers | 1,474 | 16 |
2008 | * | Minnesota Vikings | 1,760 | 16 |
2009 | Tennessee Titans | 2,006 | 16 | |
2010 | Houston Texans | 1,616 | 16 | |
2011 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1,606 | 16 | |
2012 | * | Minnesota Vikings | 2,097 | 16 |
2013 | * | Philadelphia Eagles | 1,607 | 16 |
2014 | Dallas Cowboys | 1,845 | 16 | |
2015 | * | Minnesota Vikings | 1,485 | 16 |
2016 | * | Dallas Cowboys | 1,631 | 15 |
2017 | * | Kansas City Chiefs | 1,327 | 16 |
2018 | * | Dallas Cowboys | 1,434 | 15 |
2019 | * | Tennessee Titans | 1,540 | 15 |
List of AFL rushing title winners
Season | Winner | Team | Yards | Games |
1960 | Dallas Texans | 875 | 14 | |
1961 | Houston Oilers | 948 | 14 | |
1962 | Buffalo Bills | 1,096 | 14 | |
1963 | Oakland Raiders | 1,099 | 14 | |
1964 | Buffalo Bills | 981 | 14 | |
1965 | San Diego Chargers | 1,121 | 14 | |
1966 | Boston Patriots | 1,458 | 14 | |
1967 | Boston Patriots | 1,216 | 14 | |
1968 | Cincinnati Bengals | 1,023 | 14 | |
1969 | San Diego Chargers | 873 | 14 |