NFL Career Rushing Attempts Leaders Through 1980
These are the NFL career record holders through the 1980 season. See current rushing attempts leaders or select another stat or year:
Leaders through 1980
| Rank | Current | Player (age) | Att | Tm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | O.J. Simpson | 2404 | 2TM |
| 2 | 31 | Jim Brown | 2359 | cle |
| 3 | 12 | Franco Harris | 2220 | pit |
| 4 | 47 | Jim Taylor | 1941 | 2TM |
| 5 | 48 | Joe Perry | 1929 | 2TM |
| 6 | 49 | Larry Csonka | 1891 | 2TM |
| 7 | 2 | Walter Payton | 1865 | chi |
| 8 | 63 | Leroy Kelly | 1727 | cle |
| 9 | 68 | Lydell Mitchell | 1675 | 3TM |
| 10 | 14 | John Riggins | 1666 | 2TM |
| 11 | 73 | Bill Brown | 1649 | 2TM |
| 12 | 74 | Floyd Little | 1641 | den |
| 13 | 76 | Ken Willard | 1622 | 2TM |
| 14 | 82 | John Henry Johnson | 1571 | 4TM |
| 15 | 86 | Chuck Foreman | 1556 | 2TM |
| 16 | 90 | Larry Brown | 1530 | was |
| 17 | 94 | Don Perkins | 1500 | dal |
| 18 | 91 | Lawrence McCutcheon | 1487 | 3TM |
| 19 | 104 | Calvin Hill | 1448 | 3TM |
| 20 | 72 | Mark van Eeghen | 1436 | rai |
| 21 | 105 | Rick Casares | 1431 | 3TM |
| 22 | 124 | John Brockington | 1347 | 2TM |
| 23 | 127 | Jim Nance | 1341 | 2TM |
| 24 | 131 | Steve Van Buren | 1320 | phi |
| 25 | 133 | Delvin Williams | 1312 | 2TM |
| 26 | 135 | Mike Garrett | 1308 | 2TM |
| 27 | 138 | Emerson Boozer | 1291 | nyj |
| 28 | 118 | Sam Cunningham | 1290 | nwe |
| 29 | 151 | Dick Bass | 1218 | ram |
| 30 | 152 | MacArthur Lane | 1206 | 3TM |
| 31 | 153 | Ron Johnson | 1204 | 2TM |
| 32 | 156 | Tom Matte | 1200 | clt |
| 33 | 157 | Donny Anderson | 1197 | 2TM |
| 34 | 158 | Alex Webster | 1196 | nyg |
| 35 | 163 | Dave Osborn | 1179 | 2TM |
| 36 | 166 | Clarke Hinkle | 1171 | gnb |
| 37 | 167 | Altie Taylor | 1170 | 2TM |
| 167 | Ollie Matson | 1170 | 4TM | |
| 38 | 170 | Jim Otis | 1160 | 3TM |
| 39 | 174 | Ed Podolak | 1157 | kan |
| 174 | John David Crow | 1157 | 2TM | |
| 40 | 178 | Dave Hampton | 1148 | 3TM |
| 41 | 179 | Clem Daniels | 1146 | 3TM |
| 42 | 183 | Dick Hoak | 1132 | pit |
| 43 | 158 | Greg Pruitt | 1127 | cle |
| 44 | 186 | Hugh McElhenny | 1124 | 4TM |
| 45 | 170 | Robert Newhouse | 1123 | dal |
| 46 | 192 | J.D. Smith | 1100 | 3TM |
| 47 | 194 | Mike Thomas | 1087 | 2TM |
| 48 | 199 | Lenny Moore | 1069 | clt |
| 49 | 204 | Bob Hoernschemeyer | 1059 | 3TM |
| 50 | 206 | Matt Snell | 1057 | nyj |
| 51 | 210 | Bill Mathis | 1044 | nyj |
| 52 | 35 | Earl Campbell | 1043 | oti |
| 53 | 213 | Tommy Mason | 1040 | 3TM |
| 54 | 214 | Abner Haynes | 1036 | 4TM |
| 55 | 216 | Carl Garrett | 1031 | 4TM |
| 56 | 219 | Jim Kiick | 1029 | 3TM |
| 57 | 220 | Paul Lowe | 1026 | 2TM |
| 13 | Tony Dorsett | 1026 | dal | |
| 58 | 221 | Tony Canadeo | 1025 | gnb |
| 59 | 222 | Otis Armstrong | 1023 | den |
| 60 | 227 | Johnny Roland | 1015 | 2TM |
| 61 | 229 | Cookie Gilchrist | 1010 | 3TM |
| 62 | 235 | Billy Ray Barnes | 994 | 3TM |
| 63 | 237 | Gale Sayers | 991 | chi |
| 64 | 239 | Wendell Hayes | 988 | 3TM |
| 65 | 245 | Jon Arnett | 964 | 2TM |
| 245 | Alan Ameche | 964 | clt | |
| 245 | Pete Banaszak | 964 | rai | |
| 66 | 155 | Dexter Bussey | 961 | det |
| 67 | 249 | Nick Pietrosante | 955 | 2TM |
| 68 | Clarence Peaks | 951 | 2TM | |
| Marv Hubbard | 951 | 2TM | ||
| 69 | Preston Pearson | 941 | 3TM | |
| 70 | Rocky Bleier | 928 | pit | |
| 71 | 84 | Chuck Muncie | 923 | 2TM |
| 72 | Ace Gutowsky | 922 | 2TM | |
| 73 | 244 | Wilbur Jackson | 921 | 2TM |
| 74 | Tuffy Leemans | 919 | nyg |

We're Social...for Statheads
Site Last Updated: Thursday, June 4, 6:10AM
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.