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This is a list of National Football League running backs by total career rushing yards. This list includes 31 running backs who have rushed for at least 10,000 yards. 16 of the 31 have been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame .
Emmitt Smith leads with 18,355 yards. He has held the all-time rushing yards record since 2002.
Through 2022 season
Rank
Player
Team(s) by season
1
Emmitt Smith ^
Dallas Cowboys (1990 –2002 )Arizona Cardinals (2003 –2004 )
4,409
18,355
4.2
2
Walter Payton ^
Chicago Bears (1975 –1987 )
3,838
16,726
4.4
3
Frank Gore San Francisco 49ers (2005 –2014 )Indianapolis Colts (2015 –2017 )Miami Dolphins (2018 )Buffalo Bills (2019 )New York Jets (2020 )
3,735
16,000
4.3
4
Barry Sanders ^
Detroit Lions (1989 –1998 )
3,063
15,269
5.0
5
Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings (2007 –2016 )New Orleans Saints (2017 )Arizona Cardinals (2017 )Washington Redskins (2018 –2019 )Detroit Lions (2020 )Tennessee Titans (2021 )Seattle Seahawks (2021 )
3,230
14,918
4.6
6
Curtis Martin ^
New England Patriots (1995 –1997 )New York Jets (1998 –2005 )
3,518
14,101
4.0
7
LaDainian Tomlinson ^
San Diego Chargers (2001 –2009 )New York Jets (2010 –2011 )
3,174
13,684
4.3
8
Jerome Bettis ^
St. Louis/L.A. Rams (1993 –1995 [ a] Pittsburgh Steelers (1996 –2005 )
3,479
13,662
3.9
9
Eric Dickerson ^
Los Angeles Rams (1983 –1987 [ b] Indianapolis Colts (1987 –1991 )Los Angeles Raiders (1992 )Atlanta Falcons (1993 )
2,996
13,259
4.4
10
Tony Dorsett ^
Dallas Cowboys (1977 –1987 )Denver Broncos (1988 )
2,936
12,739
4.3
11
Jim Brown ^
Cleveland Browns (1957 –1965 )
2,359
12,312
5.2
12
Marshall Faulk ^
Indianapolis Colts (1994 –1998 )St. Louis Rams (1999 –2005 )
2,836
12,279
4.3
13
Edgerrin James ^
Indianapolis Colts (1999 –2005 )Arizona Cardinals (2006 –2008 )Seattle Seahawks (2009 )
3,028
12,246
4.0
14
Marcus Allen ^
Los Angeles Raiders (1982 –1992 )Kansas City Chiefs (1993 –1997 )
3,022
12,243
4.1
15
Franco Harris ^
Pittsburgh Steelers (1972 –1983 )Seattle Seahawks (1984 )
2,949
12,120
4.1
16
Thurman Thomas ^
Buffalo Bills (1988 –1999 )Miami Dolphins (2000 )
2,877
12,074
4.2
17
Fred Taylor
Jacksonville Jaguars (1998 –2008 )New England Patriots (2009 –2010 )
2,534
11,695
4.6
18
Steven Jackson
St. Louis Rams (2004 –2012 )Atlanta Falcons (2013 –2014 )New England Patriots (2015 )
2,764
11,438
4.1
19
John Riggins ^
New York Jets (1971 –1975 )Washington Redskins (1976 –1985 )
2,916
11,352
3.9
20
Corey Dillon
Cincinnati Bengals (1997 –2003 )New England Patriots (2004 –2006 )
2,618
11,241
4.3
21
O. J. Simpson ^
Buffalo Bills (1969 –1977 )San Francisco 49ers (1978 –1979 )
2,404
11,236
4.7
22
LeSean McCoy
Philadelphia Eagles (2009 –2014 )Buffalo Bills (2015 –2018 )Kansas City Chiefs (2019 )Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020 )
2,457
11,102
4.5
23
Warrick Dunn
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997 –2001 , 2008 )Atlanta Falcons (2002 –2007 )
2,669
10,967
4.1
24
Ricky Watters
San Francisco 49ers (1992 –1994 )Philadelphia Eagles (1995 –1997 )Seattle Seahawks (1998 –2001 )
2,622
10,643
4.1
25
Jamal Lewis
Baltimore Ravens (2000 –2006 )Cleveland Browns (2007 –2009 )
2,542
10,607
4.2
26
Thomas Jones
Arizona Cardinals (2000 –2002 )Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003 )Chicago Bears (2004 –2006 )New York Jets (2007 –2009 )Kansas City Chiefs (2010 –2011 )
2,678
10,591
4.0
27
Tiki Barber
New York Giants (1997 –2006 )
2,217
10,449
4.7
28
Eddie George
Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1996 [ c] 2003 )Dallas Cowboys (2004 )
2,865
10,441
3.6
29
Marshawn Lynch Buffalo Bills (2007 –2010 )Seattle Seahawks (2010 –2015 , 2019 )Oakland Raiders (2017 –2018 )
2,453
10,413
4.2
30
Ottis Anderson St. Louis Cardinals (1979 –1986 [ d] New York Giants (1986 –1992 )
2,562
10,273
4.0
31
Ricky Williams
New Orleans Saints (1999 –2001 )Miami Dolphins (2002 –2003 , 2005 –2010 )Baltimore Ravens (2011 )
2,431
10,009
4.1
↑ In 1995, the Los Angeles Rams became known as the St. Louis Rams after the franchise moved; they returned in 2016.
↑ Dickerson was traded mid-season in 1987; he played three games for the Rams and nine for the Colts.
↑ In the 1996 season, George's first, the Tennessee Titans were known as the Houston Oilers ; the franchise moved before the beginning of the 1997 season, and were renamed the Titans in 1999.
↑ Anderson was traded mid-season in 1986; he played four games for the Cardinals and eight for the Giants.
