List of NFL career rushing attempts leaders

This is a list of National Football League running backs by total career rushing attempts. This list includes all running backs with at least 2,500 attempts.

Active players listed in bold type.

Players with at least 2,500 rushing attempts

Rank[1] Player Attempts[2]
1 Emmitt Smith 4,409
2 Walter Payton 3,838
3 Frank Gore 3,735
4 Curtis Martin 3,518
5 Jerome Bettis 3,479
6 Adrian Peterson 3,210
7 LaDainian Tomlinson 3,174
8 Barry Sanders 3,062
9 Edgerrin James 3,028
10 Marcus Allen 3,022
11 Eric Dickerson 2,996
12 Franco Harris 2,949
13 Tony Dorsett 2,936
14 John Riggins 2,916
15 Thurman Thomas 2,877
16 Eddie George 2,865
17 Marshall Faulk 2,836
18 Steven Jackson 2,764
19 Thomas Jones 2,678
20 Warrick Dunn 2,669
21 Ricky Watters 2,622
22 Corey Dillon 2,618
23 Ottis Anderson 2,562
24 Jamal Lewis 2,542
25 Fred Taylor 2,534

Active player with at least 2,000 attempts

Through 2023 season; numbers in attempts.

Ezekiel Elliot (2065) and Derrick Henry (2030) are the only active players with at least 2000 career rushing attempts.[3][4]

Notes

  1. ^ Rank is through 2022 season.
  2. ^ Total is through 2022 season.
  3. ^ "Ezekiel Elliott – New England Patriots Running Back".
  4. ^ "Derrick Henry Career Stats – NFL".

See also