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Year-by-Year Yards per Rushing Attempt Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Y/A | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Jerious Norwood (25) | 5.6 | ATL |
| 2007 | Jerious Norwood (24) | 6.0 | ATL |
| 2006 | Michael Vick (26) | 8.4 | ATL |
| 2005 | Michael Vick (25) | 5.9 | ATL |
| 2004 | Michael Vick (24) | 7.5 | ATL |
| 2003 | Clinton Portis (22) | 5.5 | DEN |
| 2002 | Michael Vick (22) | 6.9 | ATL |
| 2001 | Marshall Faulk (28) | 5.3 | STL |
| 2000 | Marshall Faulk (27) | 5.4 | STL |
| 1999 | Marshall Faulk (26) | 5.5 | STL |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis (26) | 5.1 | DEN |
| Garrison Hearst (27) | 5.1 | SFO | |
| 1997 | Steve McNair (24) | 6.7 | TEN |
| 1996 | Napoleon Kaufman (23) | 5.8 | OAK |
| 1995 | Charlie Garner (23) | 5.4 | PHI |
| 1994 | Barry Sanders+ (26) | 5.7 | DET |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith (24) | 5.3 | DAL |
| 1992 | Heath Sherman (25) | 5.2 | PHI |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas+ (25) | 4.9 | BUF |
| 1990 | Randall Cunningham (27) | 8.0 | PHI |
| 1989 | Randall Cunningham (26) | 6.0 | PHI |
| 1988 | Ickey Woods (22) | 5.3 | CIN |
| 1987 | Darrin Nelson (28) | 4.9 | MIN |
| 1986 | James Brooks (28) | 5.3 | CIN |
| 1985 | Stump Mitchell (26) | 5.5 | STL |
| Gerry Ellis (28) | 5.5 | GNB | |
| 1984 | Hokie Gajan (25) | 6.0 | NOR |
| 1983 | Mosi Tatupu (28) | 5.5 | NWE |
| 1982 | Freeman McNeil (23) | 5.2 | NYJ |
| 1981 | Tony Nathan (25) | 5.3 | MIA |
| 1980 | Earl Campbell+ (25) | 5.2 | HOU |
| 1979 | Wendell Tyler (24) | 5.1 | RAM |
| 1978 | Ted McKnight (24) | 6.0 | KAN |
| 1977 | Walter Payton+ (23) | 5.5 | CHI |
| 1976 | Don Calhoun (24) | 5.6 | NWE |
| 1975 | O.J. Simpson+ (28) | 5.5 | BUF |
| 1974 | Otis Armstrong (24) | 5.3 | DEN |
| 1973 | Mercury Morris (26) | 6.4 | MIA |
| 1972 | Bobby Douglass (25) | 6.9 | CHI |
| 1971 | Larry Csonka+ (25) | 5.4 | MIA |
| 1970 | Duane Thomas (23) | 5.3 | DAL |
| 1969 | Carl Garrett (22) | 5.0 | BOS |
| Floyd Little (27) | 5.0 | DEN | |
| Tony Baker (24) | 4.8 | NOR | |
| 1968 | Gale Sayers+ (25) | 6.2 | CHI |
| Charlie H. Smith (22) | 5.3 | OAK | |
| 1967 | Brad Hubbert (26) | 5.5 | SDG |
| Leroy Kelly+ (25) | 5.1 | CLE | |
| 1966 | Leroy Kelly+ (24) | 5.5 | CLE |
| Mike Garrett (22) | 5.4 | KAN | |
| Bert Coan (26) | 5.4 | KAN | |
| 1965 | Timmy Brown (28) | 5.4 | PHI |
| Paul Lowe (29) | 5.0 | SDG | |
| Mack Lee Hill (25) | 5.0 | KAN | |
| 1964 | Mack Lee Hill (24) | 5.5 | KAN |
| Jim Brown+ (28) | 5.2 | CLE | |
| 1963 | Keith Lincoln (24) | 6.5 | SDG |
| Jim Brown+ (27) | 6.4 | CLE | |
| 1962 | Wray Carlton (25) | 5.6 | BUF |
| Amos Marsh (23) | 5.6 | DAL | |
| 1961 | Lenny Moore+ (28) | 7.0 | BAL |
| Billy Cannon (24) | 4.7 | HOU | |
| Abner Haynes (24) | 4.7 | DTX | |
| 1960 | Paul Lowe (24) | 6.3 | LAC |
| John David Crow (25) | 5.9 | STL | |
| 1959 | Nick Pietrosante (22) | 5.9 | DET |
| 1958 | Lenny Moore+ (25) | 7.3 | BAL |
| 1957 | Lenny Moore+ (24) | 5.0 | BAL |
| 1956 | Lenny Moore+ (23) | 7.5 | BAL |
| 1955 | Rick Casares (24) | 5.4 | CHI |
| 1954 | Tank Younger (26) | 6.7 | RAM |
| 1953 | Skeets Quinlan (25) | 7.3 | RAM |
| 1952 | Hugh McElhenny+ (24) | 7.0 | SFO |
| 1951 | Tobin Rote (23) | 6.9 | GNB |
| 1950 | Marion Motley+ (30) | 5.8 | CLE |
| 1949 | Joe Perry+ (22) | 6.8 | SFO |
| Bosh Pritchard (30) | 6.0 | PHI | |
| 1948 | Johnny Strzykalski (27) | 6.5 | SFO |
| Charlie Trippi+ (26) | 5.4 | CRD | |
| 1947 | Johnny Strzykalski (26) | 6.3 | SFO |
| Johnny Clement (28) | 5.2 | PIT | |
| 1946 | Vic Kulbitski (25) | 6.2 | BUF |
| Fred Gehrke (28) | 5.2 | RAM | |
| 1945 | Fred Gehrke (27) | 6.3 | RAM |
| 1944 | Ward Cuff (31) | 5.6 | NYG |
| Steve Van Buren+ (24) | 5.6 | PHI | |
| 1943 | Ward Cuff (30) | 6.5 | NYG |
| 1942 | Merl Condit (25) | 5.0 | BKN |
| 1941 | Bill Osmanski (26) | 5.3 | CHI |
| 1940 | Dick Todd (26) | 5.4 | WAS |
| 1939 | Joe Maniaci (25) | 7.1 | CHI |
| 1938 | Cecil Isbell (23) | 5.2 | GNB |
| 1937 | Ernie Caddel (26) | 5.6 | DET |
| 1936 | Ernie Caddel (25) | 6.4 | DET |
| 1935 | Ernie Caddel (24) | 5.2 | DET |
| 1934 | Beattie Feathers (26) | 8.4 | CHI |
| 1933 | Cliff Battles+ (23) | 5.4 | BOS |
| 1932 | Bob Campiglio (62) | 4.8 | SIS |