Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame running back Jim Taylor carries the ball in the famed “Green Bay sweep” against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Packers’ 35-10 win in Super Bowl I played on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by James Flores/Getty Images)
15. Jim Taylor (1958-1967): 8,597 rushing yards, 83 TDs. 5x Pro Bowl. 4x NFL Champion and TD machine for the Packers
14. Curtis Martin (1995-2005)
CLEVELAND, OHIO–NOVEMBER 21: Running Back Curtis Martin #28 is shown in action during the New York Jets vs Cleveland Browns game at Cleveland Browns Stadium on in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
14,101 rushing yards, 90 TDs
5x Pro Bowl
Had 10 straight 1000-yard seasons
13. O.J. Simpson (1969-1979)
Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 1985, in 1974. (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images)
11,236 rushing yards, 61 TDs
5x NFL rushing leader
“Juice” was the first RB to have a 2000-yard rushing season
12. Thurman Thomas (1988-2000)
2 Jan 1999: Thurman Thomas #34 of the Buffalo Bills carries the ball during the AFC Wild Card Game against the Miami Dolphins at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Dolphins defeated the Bills 24-17.
12,074 rushing yards, 65 TDs
5x Pro Bowl
Led the Bills to four Super Bowl appearances
11. Gale Sayers (1965-1971)
CHICAGO – NOVEMBER 26: The Chicago Bears “C” logo at the North end of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears football team in Chicago on November 26, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
4,956 rushing yards, 39 TDs
4x Pro Bowl
Would have been much higher on this list had his career not been cut short by injury.
10. Tony Dorsett (1977-1988)
MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 21: Tony Dorsett #33 of the Dallas Cowboys carries the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl XIII on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Steelers won the Super Bowl 35-31. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
12,739 rushing yards, 77 TDs
4x Pro Bowl
His 99-yard TD run is one of the greatest ever.
9. Adrian Peterson (2007-2016)
DENVER, CO – OCTOBER 4: Running back Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings rushes for a 48 yard touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter of a game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on October 4, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
14,918 rushing yards, 120 TDs
7x Pro Bowl
3x NFL rushing leader
8. Earl Campbell (1978-1985)
PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 2: Running back Earl Campbell #34 of the Houston Oilers looks on from the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on October 2, 1983 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers defeated the Oilers 17-10. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
9.407 rushing yards, 74 TDs
5x Pro Bowl
Tremendous power running back
7. Marshall Faulk (1994-2005)
ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 30: Kurt Warner #13 of St. Louis Rams turns to hand the ball off to Marshall Faulk #28 against the Tennessee Titans during Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome on January 30, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Ram won the game 23-16. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
12,279 rushing yards, 100 TDs
3x Offensive player of the year
Dual-threat RB who retired with 6,875 receiving yards
6. Eric Dickerson (1983-1991)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14 : Los Angeles Rams Eric Dickerson runs against San Francisco 49’ers Ronnie Lott (42) during Los Angeles Rams against San Francisco 49’ers game, September 14, 1986 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)
13,259 rushing yards, 90 TDs
7x Pro Bowl
Holds the single season record for rushing yards with 2,105
5. LaDainian Tomlinson (2001-2011)
LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers during a game against the Oakland Raiders at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on September 11, 2006. San Diego won 27-0. (Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary)
13,684 rushing yards, 145 TDs
5x Pro Bowl
Set the single-season TD record with 31
4. Emmitt Smith (1990-2004)
Emmitt Smith #22, Running Back for the Dallas Cowboys in motion running the football during the National Football Conference East Division game against the Arizona Cardinals on 13th October 1996 at the Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas, United States. The Dallas Cowboys won the game 17 – 3. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Allsport/Getty Images)
18,355 rushing yards, 164 TDs
All-time rushing leader
Helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls
3. Barry Sanders (1989-1998)
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 10: Barry Sanders #20 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball against the Chicago Bears during an NFL football game December 10, 1989 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Sanders played for the Lions from 1989-98.(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
15,269 rushing yards, 99 TDs
10x Pro Bowl
Many believe that Sanders retired too soon. He could have easily surpassed Payton had he continued.
2. Walter Payton (1975-1987)
American football player Walter Payton (1953 – 1999), of the Chicago Bears, pictured in uniform, Chicago, Illinois, November 21st 1977. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
16,726 rushing yards, 110 TDs
9x Pro Bowl
Known as “Sweetness”, Payton was as great a man off the field as he was on the field.
1. Jim Brown (1957-1965)
(Original Caption) Jim Brown (32) has just taken hand off from Quarterback Frank Ryan (13) in game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
12,312 rushing yards, 106 TDs
3x NFL MVP
9x Pro Bowl
Dominated the league with his power and speed. Had he played longer his statistics might have been untouchable.
