RADIO
Who are the greatest running backs from all 32 NFL franchises? Which running backs made the greatest impact during their team history.
Arizona Cardinals: Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson leads the team in rushing yards (7,999), attempts (1,858), and rushing touchdowns (46). Anderson spent seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was named rookie of the year and first-team All-Pro during his debut season with the Cardinals. During his second season, he was named second-team All-Pro. He tallied at least 1,000 yards in five of these seven seasons.
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Turner
Michael Turner tallied the second-most rushing yards in team history and only fell 550 yards short in 16 fewer games. Turner ran for 6,081 yards and found the back of the end zone 61 times. Turner began his career with the San Diego Chargers but found his footing with the Falcons. His 81.2 rushing yards per game was the most in team history.
Baltimore Ravens: Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis holds the franchise record in rushing yards (7,801) and rushing touchdowns (45). He averaged an impressive 85.7 rushing yards per game. This was significantly higher than Ray Rice, who holds the second-most yards in team history (6,180). Lewis enjoyed the best season of his career in 2003 when he led the NFL in rushing with an impressive 2,066 yards.
Buffalo Bills: Thurman Thomas
Thurman Thomas spent the first 12 seasons of his 13-year NFL career with the Buffalo Bills. Thomas tallied the most yards in team history (11,938) with 65 rushing touchdowns. This total surpassed O.J. Simpson, who ran for 10,183 yards during his Buffalo Bills tenure. Thomas was a true workhorse as he saw at least 270 attempts in seven of his 12 seasons in Buffalo.
Carolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey
Despite only playing 64 games with the Carolina Panthers, Christian McCaffrey was the most talented running back to wear their jersey. Across five and a half seasons with the Panthers, McCaffrey tallied 62.5 rushing yards per game (most among Carolina running backs with at least 700 attempts). He was also elite in the receiving game, averaging 51.4 yards through the air in each contest.
Chicago Bears: Walter Payton
The Hall of Famer spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears. “Sweetness” ran for an incredible 16,726 yards, which is the second-most in league history. He found the back of the end zone 125 times (110 on the ground, 15 through the air). Payton ran for at least 1,000 yards in 10 of his 13 seasons. He averaged over 111.9 total yards per game.
Cincinnati Bengals: Corey Dillon
Corey Dillon holds the franchise record in rushing yards (8,061) and averaged 75.6 rushing yards per game, also the highest mark in the team’s history. However, his 45 rushing scores place him fourth in team history, with Pete Johnson leading the way with 64. Dillon was a four-time Pro Bowler (three with Cincinnati) and ran for 1,000 yards in all but one season as a Bengal.
Cleveland Browns: Jim Brown
Jim Browns ran for the ninth-most rushing yards in NFL history (12,312) across an incredible nine-year span. He spent his entire NFL career with the Cleveland Browns and is viewed as one of the best running backs of all time. Across his nine-year career, Brown led the league in rushing in all but one. His best season was in 1963, where he tallied 1,863 rushing and 268 receiving yards.
Dallas Cowboys: Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith holds the league’s record for the most rushing yards, with an incredible 18,335. The three-time Super Bowl champion was the definition of a workhorse back. He ran the ball at least 300 times in seven of his 15 seasons and only tallied less than 200 attempts once, in the season where he made only 10 starts. His 164 rushing TDs also are the most in league history.
Denver Broncos: Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis spent his entire seven-year NFL career with the Denver Broncos and tallied the most rushing yards (7,607) in team history. He found the back of the end zone 76 times (60 rushing, 16 receiving), which is also the most in team history. Davis was a part of two Super Bowl teams and was named to three All-Pro teams.
Detroit Lions: Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders sits alone in the Detroit record books. Barry Sanders ran for 15,269 yards (fourth-most in league history). Billy Simms, who holds the second-most rushing yards in team history, has more than 10,000 less rushing yards than Sanders. Sanders averaged an incredible 99.8 rushing yards per game and scored 109 total TDs.
Green Bay Packers: Jim Taylor
Despite having the second-most rushing yards in team history (115 less than Ahman Green), Taylor comes in at the top spot for the Green Bay Packers. Taylor made nine fewer starts than Green and found the back of the end zone 23 more times. Taylor played a critical role in Green Bay’s dynasty during the 1950s, winning four NFL Championships and one Super Bowl.
Houston Texans: Arian Foster
Arian Foster spent the first seven years of his NFL career with the Houston Texans. Foster was able to set a franchise record with 6,472 rushing yards and 54 rushing scores. This was more than double that of Domanick Williams, who sits in the No. 2 spot in the franchise history books. Foster led the league in rushing in one season and led the league in touchdowns in two.
Indianapolis Colts: Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with the Indianapolis Colts. During this stretch, he tallied the most rushing yards in franchise history (9,226). He found the back of the end zone 75 times. James led the league in rushing during his first two seasons and even led the league in attempts as a rookie.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Fred Taylor
The Jacksonville Jaguars have had two top running backs in their history: Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Taylor ran for 3,000 more yards in just 26 more contests compared to Jones-Drew. However, Taylor’s 68 rushing scores placed him second in the team’s history, behind Jones-Drew. However, Taylor was much more efficient as a pure runner, averaging more than 10 yards per game than Jones-Drew.
Kansas City Chiefs: Priest Holmes
Even though Jamaal Charles holds the franchise record in rushing yards, Preist Holmes is the representative for the Chiefs on this list. Across 65 games (38 less than Charles), Holmes ran for 6,070 yards, just 1,190 less than Charles. Holmes also found the back of the end zone an impressive 83 times, the most in team history.
Las Vegas Raiders: Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen spent the first 11 years of his NFL career with the Oakland Raiders and set the franchise record in rushing yards (8,545) and rushing touchdowns (79). During this stretch, Allen made five Pro Bowls. In 1985, Allen was named Offensive Player of the Year and AP MVP as he ran for 1,779 yards, caught 555 yards through the air, and found the back of the end zone 14 times.
Los Angeles Chargers: LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson sits alone in the Charger record books as he ran for an incredible 12,490 yards and 138 touchdowns during his nine-year tenure in San Diego. His total of 13,684 yards places him seventh among running backs, and his 145 rushing scores place him second on the all-time list. He led the league in rushing twice (both times as a Charger) and was named the 2006 AP MVP.
Los Angeles Rams: Eric Dickerson
Despite only playing four and a half seasons as a Los Angeles Ram, Eric Dickerson made his mark and is the representative on this list. His incredible 111.5 rushing yards per game were the most in team history and 40 yards higher than Steven Jackson, who ran for the most yards in team history. In 1984, Dickerson set the single-season rushing record (2,105) which still stands today.
Miami Dolphins: Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka and Ricky Williams hold nearly identical stats during their time as a Miami Dolphin, but Csonka will represent the team on this list, given his role in their Super Bowl teams. Csonka holds the most rushing yards in team history (6,737), but Ricky Williams was a more efficient runner, averaging six more rushing yards per game. However, Csonka made his mark when it mattered most, winning two Super Bowls and winning Super Bowl VIII MVP.
Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson sits alone on the Minnesota Viking record books as he ran for an impressive 11,747 yards, more than 6,000 more yards than Robert Smith, who sits No. 2 in team history. Peterson found the back of the end zone 103 times in Minnesota. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times as a Viking and was given AP MVP honors in 2012 when he ran for 2,097 yards.
New England Patriots: Sam Cunningham
The New England Patriots do not have an elaborate history in their running back room. Sam Cunningham holds the franchise record in rushing yards (5,453) and the second-most rushing touchdowns (43). He added 1,905 yards and six scores through the air. Cunningham was named to one Pro Bowl. He tallied at least 800 yards in three of his nine seasons.
New Orleans Saints: Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara holds the franchise record in rushing yards and will look to continue adding to his total during the 2025 season. Across his first 115 games as a New Orleans Saint, Kamara has run for 1,543 yards and added an impressive 4,756 yards through the air. He has scored 85 total TDs. Kamara was named 2017 AP Rookie of the Year and qualified for five Pro Bowls.
New York Giants: Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber set a franchise record of 10,449 rushing yards across 154 games. Barber found the back of the end zone 67 times (55 on the ground, 12 through the air). After having modest outputs during the first three seasons of his career, Barber ran for an average of 1,359 yards over his final seven seasons. During these seven years, he made three Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro.
New York Jets: Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin ran for at least 1,100 yards in all but one of his 11-year NFL career. Martin ran for an overall 10,302 yards (the most in team history) and punched in 58 scores on the ground, also the most in team history. Martin was named to five Pro Bowls, one first-team All-Pro, and eventually was nominated for the Hall of Fame.
Philadelphia Eagles: Steve Van Buren
Steve Van Buren’s franchise record of 69 rushing touchdowns still stands even 73 years after his retirement. During his eight-year tenure with the Eagles, Van Buren averaged an impressive 70.6 rushing yards per game and led the league in rushing in four of his year seasons. He tallied the most average yards per game in five of his eight seasons and scored double-digit touchdowns in four of his seasons.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Franco Harris
Franco Harris spent 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his tenure, he set a franchise record of 11,950 rushing yards with 100 touchdowns. Harris made nine straight Pro Bowls during the first nine seasons of his career. He tallied at least 1,000 rushing yards during this stretch in all but two. Harris also won four Super Bowls and made the legendary “Immaculate Reception” during the 1972 AFC Playoffs.
San Francisco 49ers: Frank Gore
Frank Gore sits with the third-most rushing yards (16,000) in league history. However, Gore only tallied 11,073 of those with the San Francisco 49ers. That yardage total is 4,000 yards more than Joe Perry, who holds the No. 2 spot. Gore’s 64 rushing TDs are also the most in team history. Gore ran for at least 1,000 yards in all but two of his 10 seasons in San Francisco.
Seattle Seahawks: Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander ran for 9,429 yards during his eight-year tenure with the Seattle Seahawks, which is the most in team history. Alexander enjoyed a career season in 2005 as he found the back of the end zone 28 times (27 rushing) and tallied 1,880 yards on the ground. Both of these totals led the league. He was named AP MVP this season. Alexander was named to their Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott holds the second-most rushing yards in Tampa Bay history (5,088) but shinned in the red zone as he punched in an impressive 58 rushing scores, the most in team history. Alstott was never an efficient runner (32.2 rushing yards per game) but was a force near the goal line. Throughout his 11-year tenure with Tampa Bay, Alstott averaged six touchdowns per game and scored at least seven in four.
Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry
Despite being second on the team’s rushing yard total, Derrick Henry will represent the Titans on this list. Henry’s 79.8 rushing yards per game is slightly higher than Eddie George, who leads the team in overall rushing yards. However, “The King” made his impact in the red zone. He tallied 90 rushing yards, the most in team history by 27. Henry led the league in attempts four times and rushing yards twice.
Washington Commanders: John Riggins
John Riggins ran for the most rushing yards in team history (7,472) and the most rushing TDs in team history (79). During his nine-year tenure in Washington, Riggins averaged 65.5 rushing yards per game. However, during two of these seasons, he led the league in rushing scores. Riggins’ claim to fame came in Super Bowl XVII as he was named MVP, leading Washington to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. In this game, Riggins scored a game-clinching 43-yard TD score on the “70 Chip” play call.
