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Football Leaders & Football Records : Single-Season  · Career  · Active  · Year-by-Year  · Single Game
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.

NFL Year-by-Year Rushing Yards Leaders

 Year  Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active Yds Teams
2012  Adrian Peterson (27) 2,097 MIN
2011  Maurice Jones-Drew (26) 1,606 JAX
2010  Arian Foster (24) 1,616 HOU
2009  Chris Johnson (24) 2,006 TEN
2008  Adrian Peterson (23) 1,760 MIN
2007  LaDainian Tomlinson (28) 1,474 SDG
2006  LaDainian Tomlinson (27) 1,815 SDG
2005  Shaun Alexander (28) 1,880 SEA
2004  Curtis Martin+ (31) 1,697 NYJ
2003  Jamal Lewis (24) 2,066 BAL
2002  Ricky Williams (25) 1,853 MIA
2001  Priest Holmes (28) 1,555 KAN
2000  Edgerrin James (22) 1,709 IND
1999  Edgerrin James (21) 1,553 IND
1998  Terrell Davis (26) 2,008 DEN
1997  Barry Sanders+ (29) 2,053 DET
1996  Barry Sanders+ (28) 1,553 DET
1995  Emmitt Smith+ (26) 1,773 DAL
1994  Barry Sanders+ (26) 1,883 DET
1993  Emmitt Smith+ (24) 1,486 DAL
1992  Emmitt Smith+ (23) 1,713 DAL
1991  Emmitt Smith+ (22) 1,563 DAL
1990  Barry Sanders+ (22) 1,304 DET
1989  Christian Okoye (28) 1,480 KAN
1988  Eric Dickerson+ (28) 1,659 IND
1987  Charles White (29) 1,374 RAM
1986  Eric Dickerson+ (26) 1,821 RAM
1985  Marcus Allen+ (25) 1,759 RAI
1984  Eric Dickerson+ (24) 2,105 RAM
1983  Eric Dickerson+ (23) 1,808 RAM
1982  Freeman McNeil (23) 786 NYJ
1981  George Rogers (23) 1,674 NOR
1980  Earl Campbell+ (25) 1,934 HOU
1979  Earl Campbell+ (24) 1,697 HOU
1978  Earl Campbell+ (23) 1,450 HOU
1977  Walter Payton+ (23) 1,852 CHI
1976  O.J. Simpson+ (29) 1,503 BUF
1975  O.J. Simpson+ (28) 1,817 BUF
1974  Otis Armstrong (24) 1,407 DEN
1973  O.J. Simpson+ (26) 2,003 BUF
1972  O.J. Simpson+ (25) 1,251 BUF
1971  Floyd Little+ (29) 1,133 DEN
1970  Larry Brown (23) 1,125 WAS
1969  Gale Sayers+ (26) 1,032 CHI
Dickie Post (24) 873 SDG
1968  Leroy Kelly+ (26) 1,239 CLE
Paul Robinson (24) 1,023 CIN
1967  Jim Nance (25) 1,216 BOS
Leroy Kelly+ (25) 1,205 CLE
1966  Jim Nance (24) 1,458 BOS
Gale Sayers+ (23) 1,231 CHI
1965  Jim Brown+ (29) 1,544 CLE
Paul Lowe (29) 1,121 SDG
1964  Jim Brown+ (28) 1,446 CLE
Cookie Gilchrist (29) 981 BUF
1963  Jim Brown+ (27) 1,863 CLE
Clem Daniels (26) 1,099 OAK
1962  Jim Taylor+ (27) 1,474 GNB
Cookie Gilchrist (27) 1,096 BUF
1961  Jim Brown+ (25) 1,408 CLE
Billy Cannon (24) 948 HOU
1960  Jim Brown+ (24) 1,257 CLE
Abner Haynes (23) 875 DTX
1959  Jim Brown+ (23) 1,329 CLE
1958  Jim Brown+ (22) 1,527 CLE
1957  Jim Brown+ (21) 942 CLE
1956  Rick Casares (25) 1,126 CHI
1955  Alan Ameche (22) 961 BAL
1954  Joe Perry+ (27) 1,049 SFO
1953  Joe Perry+ (26) 1,018 SFO
1952  Dan Towler (24) 894 RAM
1951  Eddie Price (26) 971 NYG
1950  Marion Motley+ (30) 810 CLE
1949  Steve Van Buren+ (29) 1,146 PHI
Joe Perry+ (22) 783 SFO
1948  Marion Motley+ (28) 964 CLE
Steve Van Buren+ (28) 945 PHI
1947  Spec Sanders (29) 1,432 NYY
Steve Van Buren+ (27) 1,008 PHI
1946  Spec Sanders (28) 709 NYY
Bill Dudley+ (27) 604 PIT
1945  Steve Van Buren+ (25) 832 PHI
1944  Bill Paschal (23) 737 NYG
1943  Bill Paschal (22) 572 NYG
1942  Bill Dudley+ (23) 696 PIT
1941  Pug Manders (28) 486 BKN
1940  Whizzer White (23) 514 DET
1939  Bill Osmanski (24) 699 CHI
1938  Whizzer White (21) 567 PIT
1937  Cliff Battles+ (27) 874 WAS
1936  Tuffy Leemans+ (24) 830 NYG
1935  Doug Russell (24) 499 CRD
1934  Beattie Feathers (26) 1,004 CHI
1933  Jim Musick (23) 809 BOS
1932  Cliff Battles+ (22) 576 BOS