NFL Rush Leaders All-Time: Most Rushing Yards
This is a list of the all-time rush leaders in the NFL as of 2024. It’s worth noting that 15 of the 20 players listed have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the anticipation of players like Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore in the near future.
The closet active player to breaking the top 20 of rushing leaders is Derrick Henry who is currently sitting at around #35 with 9,502 rushing yards and counting. The devaluation of running backs in recent years and implementation of “running back by committee” may put the trajectory of future backs into question. Traditional “workhorse backs” are just not as popular as they use to be.
List of All-TIme Rushing Yards Leaders ( At least 10,000 yards)
Rank | Player | Yards | Years Active |
1 | Emmet Smith | 18,355 | 1990-2004 |
2 | Walter Payton | 16,726 | 1975-1987 |
3 | Frank Gore | 16,000 | 2005-2020 |
4 | Barry Sanders | 15,269 | 1989-1998 |
5 | Adrian Peterson | 14,918 | 2007-2021 |
6 | Curtis Martin | 14,101 | 1995-2005 |
7 | LaDainian Tomlinson | 13,684 | 2001-2011 |
8 | Jerome Bettis | 13,662 | 1993-2005 |
9 | Eric Dickerson | 13,259 | 1983-1993 |
10 | Tony Dorsett | 12,739 | 1977-1988 |
11 | Jim Brown | 12,312 | 1957-1965 |
12 | Marshall Faulk | 12,279 | 1994-2005 |
13 | Edgerrin James | 12,246 | 1999-2009 |
14 | Marcus Allen | 12,243 | 1982-1997 |
15 | Franco Harris | 12,120 | 1972-1984 |
16 | Thurman Thomas | 12,074 | 1988-2000 |
17 | Fred Taylor | 11,695 | 1998-2010 |
18 | Steven Jackson | 11,438 | 2004-2015 |
19 | John Riggins | 11,352 | 1971-1985 |
20 | Corey Dillion | 11,241 | 1997-2006 |