How Many 2000 Yard Rushers In NFL History?

There have been 43 players who have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a season. Here is a list of those players, along with their teams and the year they accomplished the feat.

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards, and is the only player in NFL history to record more than 10,000 rushing yards in a season. He played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1990 to 2002, and was a member of the team that won three Super Bowl championships.

NFL Career

Emmitt Smith is a former American football running back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He is the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and was the league MVP in 1993. Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida, where he played high school football for Escambia High School. After graduating, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played college football for the Florida Gators. While there, he set numerous school rushing records over his four-year college career.

2000 Yard Rushers

Emmitt Smith leads the way with an incredible record of 18 touchdowns in a single season. This is a remarkable feat that will probably never be matched. LaDainian Tomlinson is second on the list with 14 touchdowns, while Adrian Peterson rounds out the top three with 13 touchdowns.

Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders is the most recent player to join the 2000 yard rushing club, and did so in spectacular fashion. In 1997, he became the 3rd player to rush for 2000 yards in a season, and did so while averaging a mind-boggling 6.1 yards per carry.

NFL Career

Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is a former American football running back. He played professionally for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. A Pro Bowl invitee in each of his ten NFL seasons and two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Sanders led the league in rushing four times and retired as the NFL’s third-ranked career rusher with 15,269 yards.

Since retiring from the NFL, Sanders has been mentioned as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility, and was nominated for the Associated Press NFL MVP Award eight times through 2015.

2000 Yard Rushers

In NFL history, there have only been seven players who have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a single season. They are:

-O.J. Simpson (2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973)
-Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards in 16 games in 1984)
-Barry Sanders (2,053 yards in 16 games in 1997)
-Terrell Davis (2,008 yards in 16 games in 1998)
-Jamal Lewis (2,066 yards in 16 games in 2003)
-Adrian Peterson (2,097 yards in 17 games in 2012)
-Chris Johnson (2,006 yards in 16 games in 2009)

Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens is the most recent player to join the 2000 yard rushing club. He did it in the 2013 season with the Dallas Cowboys. Owens is the only wide receiver to ever rush for 2000 yards in a season.

NFL Career

In the National Football League (NFL), a 2000-yard rushing season is a significant achievement. Since the NFL’s inception in 1920, there have only been 43 individual 2000-yard rushing seasons. In comparison, there have been 76 instances of a player rushed for at least 1800 yards, and 27 instances of someone rushing for at least 1900 yards.

The first person to achieve the feat was Beattie Feathers of the Chicago Bears, who rushed for 2037 yards during the 1934 NFL season. Feathers’ record would stand for nearly three decades until O. J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills eclipsed it with 2003 yards during the 1973 season. In 1998, both Terrell Owens of the San Francisco
49ers and Jamal Anderson of the Atlanta Falcons joined Simpson as members of the 2000-yard club by each rushing for over 2200 yards.

Since then, no player has reached the 2000-yard mark in a single season. In fact, only three players have come within 100 yards of doing so: Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks ( 1890 yards in 2005), Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings (1897 yards in 2008), and Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans (2006). Although it is considered one of THE most difficult achievements in football, it is still an honor to be included among THE few who have accomplished it.

2000 Yard Rushers

In the NFL, a 2000 yard rushing season is considered one of the most prestigious accomplishments that a running back can achieve.

Only seven players in NFL history have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a single season. They are:

-Eric Dickerson
-Adrian Peterson
-Jamal Lewis
-Barry Sanders
-Terrell Owens
-O.J. Simpson
-Chris Johnson

LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson is the most recent player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. He did it in 2006, when he ran for 2,323 yards and 28 touchdowns. Tomlinson is one of only seven players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

NFL Career

LaDainian Tomlinson played eleven seasons in the NFL, the first ten with the San Diego Chargers and the last with the New York Jets. He is widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Tomlinson was drafted fifth overall by the Chargers in 2001 after a successful college career at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time consensus All-American. He began his rookie season as a backup to existing starter Fred Taylor but was giventhe starting job after Taylor suffered a season-ending injury. Tomlinson went on to rushed for over 1,200 yards and was named NFL Rookie of the Year.

Over his ensuing nine seasons with the Chargers, Tomlinson established himself as one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history. He led the league in rushing touchdowns for three consecutive seasons (2006-2008) and was selected to six Pro Bowls. In 2006, he set an NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season with 28.

In 2010, Tomlinson signed with the Jets, where he played his final season before retiring in 2011. During his career, Tomlinson amassed over 13,000 rushing yards and 155 touchdowns (143 rushing, 12 receiving). He ranks fifth all-time in career rushing touchdowns and eighth in total touchdowns. In 2017, he was inducted into boththe Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.

2000 Yard Rushers

In NFL history, there have only been seven players to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. This is a very prestigious accomplishment, and it is something that only the best of the best can achieve. LaDainian Tomlinson is one of those seven players. He did it in the 2006 season for the San Diego Chargers.

Adrian Peterson

Since the 1970 NFL merger, only seven players have rushed for 2,000 or more yards in a season. Adrian

NFL Career

In 2007, Adrian Peterson set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers. In 2012, he became the seventh NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. As of 2019, he is ranked as the NFL’s third all-time leading rusher with 14,216 career rushing yards.

2000 Yard Rushers

In the history of the NFL, only seven players have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a season. This impressive feat has been accomplished 14 times, with only four players accomplishing it multiple times.

The first player to reach 2,000 yards was O.J. Simpson, who did it in 1973 with the Buffalo Bills. Simpson is also the player with the most 2,000 yard seasons, as he accomplished the feat again in 1976. Earl Campbell is second on the list, reaching 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons with the Houston Oilers in 1978 and 1979.

Barry Sanders reached 2,000 yards rushing in 1997 with the Detroit Lions, becoming just the third player to do so in a single season. In 1998, Terrell Davis became the fourth player to join this exclusive club, as he rushed for 2,008 yards with the Denver Broncos on his way to winning MVP honors.

In 2009, Chris Johnson became just the fifth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards when he finished the season with 2106 yards for the Tennessee Titans. That same year, Adrian Peterson came just eight yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record when he finished with 2097 yards for the Minnesota Vikings.

In 2012, Peterson surpassed Dickerson’s record when he finished the season with 2097 yards rushing. He is also one of only three players on this list to have rushed for over 2,000 yards more than once as he also accomplished this feat in 2015.

Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lewis is the only player in NFL history to have more than 2,000 rushing yards in a season. He did it in 2003 with the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL Career

Jamal Lewis played running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, and spent his first seven seasons with the Ravens, which included a record-setting 2,066-yard rushing performance in 2003. After a onetime trade to the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2007 season, he played four seasons with Cleveland before retiring. He is one of only seven NFL running backs to have rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season, accomplishing the feat in 2003 with the Ravens.

In his career, Lewis gained more than 10,000 rushing yards and was selected for two Pro Bowls. He also won a Super Bowl championship with the Ravens in 2001. After his playing career ended, Lewis worked as an analyst on NFL Network from 2013 to 2015.

2000 Yard Rushers

-Jamal Lewis
-Adrian Peterson
-Barry Sanders
-Eric Dickerson

O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson was the first 2000 yard rusher in NFL history. He accomplished this in 1973, when he ran for 2,003 yards. Simpson’s record would stand for 11 years, until it was broken by former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis in 1998.

NFL Career

Simpson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills as the first overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. He had a successful rookie season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and winning the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. In his second season, Simpson ran for an NFL-leading 14 touchdowns and gained 1,880 yards, becoming the first player to break the 1,800-yard mark in a single season. He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year and led the Bills to an appearance in Super Bowl V.

2000 Yard Rushers

In the National Football League (NFL), a 2000-yard rusher is a player who rushes for 2,000 or more yards in a single season. This feat has been accomplished 37 times by 33 different players. The most recent 2000-yard rusher is Derrick Henry, who achieved the feat in 2020.

Simpson was the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a 14-game season in 1973. He also holds the record for the most 200-yard rushing games in a season with seven, which he accomplished in both 1973 and 1976. Simpson is the only player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season more than once.

Other notable 2000-yard rushers include Barry Sanders, who did it in 1997; Terrell Davis, who did it in 1998; Jamal Lewis, who did it in 2003; and Chris Johnson, who did it in 2009.

Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson is the only player in NFL history to rush for 2000 yards in a season. He did it in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams. Dickerson rushed for 2105 yards that season, which was a record at the time. He also had 18 touchdowns and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

NFL Career

Few running backs in NFL history have been as productive as Eric Dickerson. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound freight train, Dickerson was a bruising runner with deceptive speed and elusiveness. He was a workhorse back who could shoulder the load of a suspect offense and still find a way to gash opposing defenses.

Dickerson was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams with the second overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft. He would go on to play 11 seasons with the Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons. During his NFL career, Dickerson rushed for 13,259 yards and 90 touchdowns. He was selected to six Pro Bowls and was named First-team All-Pro four times.

2000 Yard Rushers

In the NFL, a 2000 yard rusher is a player who rushes for 2,000 yards or more in a single season. This is a very rare feat, and has only been accomplished by seven players in NFL history.

The first player to do it was O.J. Simpson, who rushed for 2,003 yards in 1973. He was followed by Eric Dickerson, who did it in 1984. Barry Sanders was the third player to accomplish the feat, doing so in 1997. Then, in 1998, Terrell Davis became the fourth player to do it.

In 2003, Jamal Lewis became the fifth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. He was followed by Adrian Peterson in 2008 and Chris Johnson in 2009. These are the only seven players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards or more in a single season.

Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is the only player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. He did it in 2009 with the Tennessee Titans.

NFL Career

Chris Johnson is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans second overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He is best known for his years with the Titans, where he was selected for three Pro Bowls and became one of only seven players to ever run a 4.24 second 40-yard dash.

In 2009, Chris Johnson ran for 2,006 yards, becoming only the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. He also set a franchise record with 2,509 total yards from scrimmage and led the NFL with 16 touchdowns.

In 2010, Chris Johnson had another 1,000 yard season, rushing for 1,364 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 44 passes for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In 2011, Chris Johnson’s production dipped to 1,047 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. He also had 42 catches for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns.

In 2012, Chris Johnson bounced back with 1,243 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. He also had 36 catches for 358 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Chris Johnson was released by the Titans after the 2013 season. He subsequently signed with the New York Jets but was released after one season. He then spent two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before retiring in 2017.

2000 Yard Rushers

In the history of the NFL, there have been 27 players who have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a season. This feat has been accomplished 18 times since the 1970 NFL season. Of the 27 players to do it, 7 have done it more than once. Here is a list of those players:

Emmitt Smith – 4 times
Barry Sanders – 3 times
Terrell Davis – 2 times
Eric Dickerson – 2 times
O.J. Simpson – 2 times
Jamal Lewis – 2 times
Adrian Peterson – 2 times
Chris Johnson – 2 times
Rick Mirer once

Marshawn Lynch

When it comes to 2000 yard rushers in NFL history, there are only seven men who have ever done it. Of those seven, only one man did it more than once. That man is Marshawn Lynch, and he did it in back to back seasons.

NFL Career

Marshawn Lynch played running back in the NFL for 12 seasons. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 2007 and played for the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2015, winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the team. He also played for the Oakland Raiders from 2017 to 2019. In his career, Lynch rushed for over 10,000 yards and scored 85 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2012.

2000 Yard Rushers

Since the NFL adopted a 16-game regular season schedule in 1978, only seven running backs have rushed for 2,000 or more yards in a season. They are:

-Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards in 1984)
-Jamal Lewis (2,066 yards in 2003)
-Barry Sanders (2,053 yards in 1997)
-Terrell Davis (2,008 yards in 1998)
-Chris Johnson (2,006 yards in 2009)
-Adrian Peterson (2,097 yards in 2012)
-Lynch (2,018 yards in 2013)