List of NFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In American football, rushing and passing are the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field.[2] A rush, also known as a running play, generally occurs when the quarterback hands or tosses the ball backwards to the running back,[3] but other players, such as the quarterback, can run with the ball.[2] A rushing touchdown is a play where the runner carries the ball into the end zone without a forward pass being involved.[4][5]

LaDainian Tomlinson carrying a football in a San Diego Chargers uniform and helmet.
LaDainian Tomlinson holds the single-season rushing touchdowns record, running for 28 touchdowns in 2006.[1]

The National Football League (NFL) did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season.[6][7] In addition to the NFL rushing touchdowns leaders, league record books recognize the rushing touchdowns leaders of the American Football League (AFL), which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the NFL in 1970.[8] The NFL also recognizes the statistics of the All-America Football Conference, which operated from 1946 to 1949 before three of its teams were merged into the NFL, since 2025.[9]

The record for rushing touchdowns in a season is held by LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers who rushed for 28 touchdowns in 2006.[1] Prior to Tomlinson's 2006 season, the record was jointly held by Priest Holmes and Shaun Alexander, each rushing for 27 touchdowns in 2003 and 2005, respectively.[1][10] There have been eleven instances where a player has rushed for 20 or more touchdowns in a season and only two players, Emmitt Smith and Priest Holmes, have done so twice.[1] Jim Brown led the league in rushing touchdowns five times, the most of any player in league history.[11]

NFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders

Photo of Jim Brown in regular clothing.
In 1965, Jim Brown led the league in rushing touchdowns for a fifth time, an NFL record.[11]
Emmitt Smith in a suit.
Emmitt Smith led the league three times and set the single-season record in 1995.[12] He is also the all-time leader in career rushing touchdowns.[13]
John Riggins head shot without helmet.
John Riggins led the league in 1983 with the first 20+ rushing touchdown season.[14]
Derrick Henry in a Titans uniform with no helmet.
Derrick Henry led the league in back-to-back seasons in 2019 and 2020.[15] He then did so again in 2024.[7]
More information Symbol, Meaning ...
Key
Symbol Meaning
Leader The player who recorded the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL
TDs The total number of rushing touchdowns the player had
GP The number of games played by a player during the season[A]
† Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
^ Active player
* Set the single-season rushing touchdowns record
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
Close
More information Season, Leader ...
NFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders by season
Season Leader TDs GP Team Refs
1932 Bronko Nagurski† 4* 14 Chicago Bears [7][17]
1933 Glenn Presnell 6* 11 Portsmouth Spartans [7][18]
1934 Dutch Clark† 8* 12 Detroit Lions [7][19]
Beattie Feathers 11 Chicago Bears [7][20]
1935 Ernie Caddel 6 12 Detroit Lions [7][21]
1936 Dutch Clark† (2) 7 12 Detroit Lions [7][19]
1937 Cliff Battles† 5 10 Washington Redskins [7][22]
Dutch Clark† (3) 11 Detroit Lions [7][19]
Clarke Hinkle† 11 Green Bay Packers [7][23]
1938 Andy Farkas 6 9 Washington Redskins [7][24]
1939 Johnny Drake 9* 11 Cleveland Rams [7][25]
1940 Johnny Drake (2) 9 11 Cleveland Rams [7][25]
1941 Hugh Gallarneau 8 11 Chicago Bears [7][26]
1942 Gary Famiglietti 8 10 Chicago Bears [7][27]
1943 Bill Paschal 10* 9 New York Giants [7][28]
1944 Bill Paschal (2) 9 10 New York Giants [7][28]
1945 Steve Van Buren† 15* 10 Philadelphia Eagles [7][29]
1946 Ted Fritsch 9 11 Green Bay Packers [7][30]
1947 Steve Van Buren† (2) 13 12 Philadelphia Eagles [7][29]
1948 Steve Van Buren† (3) 10 11 Philadelphia Eagles [7][29]
1949 Steve Van Buren† (4) 11 12 Philadelphia Eagles [7][29]
1950 Johnny Lujack 11 12 Chicago Bears [7][31]
1951 Rob Goode 9 12 Washington Redskins [7][32]
1952 Dan Towler 10 12 Los Angeles Rams [7][33]
1953 Joe Perry† 10 12 San Francisco 49ers [7][34]
1954 Dan Towler (2) 11 12 Los Angeles Rams [7][33]
1955 Alan Ameche 9 12 Baltimore Colts [7][35]
1956 Rick Casares 12 12 Chicago Bears [7][36]
1957 Jim Brown† 9 12 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
1958 Jim Brown† (2) 17* 12 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
1959 Jim Brown† (3) 14 12 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
1960 Paul Hornung† 13 12 Green Bay Packers [7][38]
1961 Jim Taylor† 15 14 Green Bay Packers [7][39]
1962 Jim Taylor† (2) 19* 14 Green Bay Packers [7][39]
1963 Jim Brown† (4) 12 14 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
1964 Lenny Moore† 16 14 Baltimore Colts [7][40]
1965 Jim Brown† (5) 17 14 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
1966 Leroy Kelly† 15 14 Cleveland Browns [7][41]
1967 Leroy Kelly† (2) 11 14 Cleveland Browns [7][41]
1968 Leroy Kelly† (3) 16 14 Cleveland Browns [7][41]
1969 Tom Matte 11 14 Baltimore Colts [7][42]
1970 MacArthur Lane 11 14 St. Louis Cardinals [7][43]
1971 Duane Thomas 11 11 Dallas Cowboys [7][44]
1972 Mercury Morris 12 14 Miami Dolphins [7][45]
1973 Floyd Little† 12 14 Denver Broncos [7][46]
O. J. Simpson† 14 Buffalo Bills [7][47]
1974 Tom Sullivan 11 14 Philadelphia Eagles [7][48]
1975 Pete Banaszak 16 14 Oakland Raiders [7][49]
O. J. Simpson† (2) 14 Buffalo Bills [7][47]
1976 Franco Harris† 14 14 Pittsburgh Steelers [7][50]
1977 Walter Payton† 14 14 Chicago Bears [7][51]
1978 David Sims 14 12 Seattle Seahawks [7][52]
1979 Earl Campbell† 19 16 Houston Oilers [7][53]
1980 Earl Campbell† (2) 13 15 Houston Oilers [7][53]
Billy Sims 16 Detroit Lions [7][54]
1981 Chuck Muncie 19 15 San Diego Chargers [7][55]
1982 Marcus Allen† 11 9 Los Angeles Raiders [7][56][B]
1983 John Riggins† 24* 15 Washington Redskins [7][58]
1984 Eric Dickerson† 14 16 Los Angeles Rams [7][59]
John Riggins† (2) 14 Washington Redskins [7][58]
1985 Joe Morris 21 16 New York Giants [7][60]
1986 George Rogers 18 15 Washington Redskins [7][61]
1987 Johnny Hector 11 11 New York Jets [7][62]
Charles White 15 Los Angeles Rams [7][63]
1988 Greg Bell 16 16 Los Angeles Rams [7][64]
1989 Greg Bell (2) 15 16 Los Angeles Rams [7][64]
1990 Derrick Fenner 14 16 Seattle Seahawks [7][65]
Cleveland Gary 15 Los Angeles Rams [7][66]
1991 Barry Sanders† 16 15 Detroit Lions [7][67]
1992 Emmitt Smith† 18 16 Dallas Cowboys [7][68]
1993 Marcus Allen† (2) 12 16 Kansas City Chiefs [7][56]
1994 Emmitt Smith† (2) 21 15 Dallas Cowboys [7][68]
1995 Emmitt Smith† (3) 25* 16 Dallas Cowboys [7][68]
1996 Terry Allen 21 16 Washington Redskins [7][69]
1997 Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar 15 16 Miami Dolphins [7][70]
Terrell Davis† 15 Denver Broncos [7][71]
1998 Terrell Davis† (2) 21 16 Denver Broncos [7][71]
1999 Stephen Davis 17 14 Washington Redskins [7][72]
2000 Marshall Faulk† 18 14 St. Louis Rams [7][73]
2001 Shaun Alexander 14 16 Seattle Seahawks [7][74]
2002 Priest Holmes 21 14 Kansas City Chiefs [7][75]
2003 Priest Holmes (2) 27* 16 Kansas City Chiefs [7][75]
2004 LaDainian Tomlinson† 17 15 San Diego Chargers [7][76]
2005 Shaun Alexander (2) 27 16 Seattle Seahawks [7][74]
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson† (2) 28* 16 San Diego Chargers [7][76]
2007 LaDainian Tomlinson† (3) 15 16 San Diego Chargers [7][76]
2008 DeAngelo Williams 18 16 Carolina Panthers [7][77]
2009 Adrian Peterson 18 16 Minnesota Vikings [7][78]
2010 Arian Foster 16 16 Houston Texans [7][79]
2011 LeSean McCoy 17 15 Philadelphia Eagles [7][80]
2012 Arian Foster (2) 15 16 Houston Texans [7][79]
2013 Jamaal Charles 12 15 Kansas City Chiefs [7][81]
Marshawn Lynch 16 Seattle Seahawks [7][82]
2014 Marshawn Lynch (2) 13 16 Seattle Seahawks [7][82]
DeMarco Murray 16 Dallas Cowboys [7][83]
2015 Devonta Freeman 11 15 Atlanta Falcons [7][84]
Jeremy Hill 16 Cincinnati Bengals [7][85]
Adrian Peterson (2) 16 Minnesota Vikings [7][78]
DeAngelo Williams (2) 16 Pittsburgh Steelers [7][77]
2016 LeGarrette Blount 18 16 New England Patriots [7][86]
2017 Todd Gurley 13 15 Los Angeles Rams [7][87]
2018 Todd Gurley (2) 17 14 Los Angeles Rams [7][87]
2019 Derrick Henry^ 16 15 Tennessee Titans [7][88]
Aaron Jones^ 16 Green Bay Packers [7][89]
2020 Derrick Henry^ (2) 17 16 Tennessee Titans [7][88]
2021 Jonathan Taylor^ 18 17 Indianapolis Colts [7][39]
2022 Jamaal Williams^ 17 17 Detroit Lions [7][90]
2023 Raheem Mostert^ 18 15 Miami Dolphins [7][91]
2024 James Cook^ 16 16 Buffalo Bills [7][92]
Jahmyr Gibbs^ 17 Detroit Lions [7][93]
Derrick Henry^ (3) 17 Baltimore Ravens [7][88]
2025 Jonathan Taylor^ (2) 18 17 Indianapolis Colts [7][39]
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AAFC annual rushing touchdowns leaders

Joe Perry tied for the league lead in touchdowns in 1948 and 1949 before leading the NFL in the 1953 season to become the 3rd player in history to lead the league in touchdowns three times.
More information Symbol, Meaning ...
Key
Symbol Meaning
Leader The player who recorded the most rushing touchdowns in the AAFC
TDs The total number of rushing touchdowns the player had
GP The number of games played by a player during the season
* Player set the single-season rushing touchdowns record
† Pro Football Hall of Fame member
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
Close
More information Season, Leader ...
AAFC annual rushing touchdowns leaders by season
Season Leader TDs GP Team Refs
1946 Len Eshmont 6 10 San Francisco 49ers [7]
Don Greenwood 13 Cleveland Browns [7]
John Kimbrough 14 Los Angeles Dons [7]
Spec Sanders 13 New York Yankees [7]
1947 Spec Sanders (2) 18 14 New York Yankees [7]
1948 Chet Mutryn 10 14 Buffalo Bills [7]
Joe Perry† 14 San Francisco 49ers [7]
1949 Marion Motley † 8 11 Cleveland Browns [7]
Joe Perry† (2) 11 San Francisco 49ers [7]
Close

AFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders

Abner Haynes led the AFL in rushing touchdowns three times and was the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns by an AFL player with 46 in his career of eight seasons.
Cookie Gilchrist led the AFL in rushing touchdowns for four consecutive seasons, the first and so far only player to do so in pro football history. No player has led a league in rushing touchdowns four times since Gilchrist.
More information Symbol, Meaning ...
Key
Symbol Meaning
Leader The player who recorded the most rushing touchdowns in the AFL
TDs The total number of rushing touchdowns the player had
GP The number of games played by a player during the season
* Player set the single-season rushing touchdowns record
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
Close
More information Season, Leader ...
AFL annual rushing touchdowns leaders by season
Season Leader TDs GP Team Refs
1960 Abner Haynes 9* 14 Dallas Texans [7][94]
1961 Abner Haynes (2) 9 14 Dallas Texans [7][94]
Paul Lowe 14 San Diego Chargers [7][95]
1962 Cookie Gilchrist 13* 14 Buffalo Bills [7][96]
Abner Haynes (3) 14 Dallas Texans [7][94]
1963 Cookie Gilchrist (2) 12 14 Buffalo Bills [7][96]
1964 Sid Blanks 6 14 Houston Oilers [7][97]
Cookie Gilchrist (3) 14 Buffalo Bills [7][96]
Daryle Lamonica 14 Buffalo Bills [7][98]
1965 Wray Carlton 6 14 Buffalo Bills [7][99]
Cookie Gilchrist (4) 14 Denver Broncos [7][96]
Paul Lowe (2) 14 San Diego Chargers [7][95]
Curtis McClinton 14 Kansas City Chiefs [7][100]
1966 Jim Nance 11 14 Boston Patriots [7][101]
1967 Emerson Boozer 10 8 New York Jets [7][102]
1968 Paul Robinson 8 14 Cincinnati Bengals [7][103]
1969 Jim Kiick 9 14 Miami Dolphins [7][104]
Close

Most seasons leading the league

More information Count, Player ...
Count Player Seasons Team(s) Refs
5 Jim Brown 1957–1959, 1963, 1965 Cleveland Browns [7][37]
4 Cookie Gilchrist 1962–1965 Buffalo Bills (3) / Denver Broncos (1) [7][96]
Steve Van Buren 1945, 1947–1949 Philadelphia Eagles [7][29]
3 Dutch Clark 1934, 1936, 1937 Detroit Lions [7][19]
Abner Haynes 1960–1962 Dallas Texans [7][94]
Derrick Henry 2019, 2020, 2024 Tennessee Titans (2) / Baltimore Ravens (1) [7][88]
Leroy Kelly 1966–1968 Cleveland Browns [7][41]
Joe Perry 1948, 1949, 1953[a] San Francisco 49ers [7][34]
Emmitt Smith 1992, 1994, 1995 Dallas Cowboys [7][68]
LaDainian Tomlinson 2004, 2006, 2007 San Diego Chargers [7][76]
2 Shaun Alexander 2001, 2005 Seattle Seahawks [7][74]
Marcus Allen 1982, 1993 Los Angeles Raiders (1) / Kansas City Chiefs [7][56]
Greg Bell 1988, 1989 Los Angeles Rams [7][64]
Earl Campbell 1979, 1980 Houston Oilers [7][53]
Terrell Davis 1997, 1998 Denver Broncos [7][71]
Johnny Drake 1939, 1940 Cleveland Rams [7][25]
Arian Foster 2010, 2012 Houston Texans [7][79]
Todd Gurley 2017, 2018 Los Angeles Rams [7][87]
Priest Holmes 2002, 2003 Kansas City Chiefs [7][75]
Paul Lowe 1961, 1965 San Diego Chargers [7][95]
Marshawn Lynch 2013, 2014 Seattle Seahawks [7][82]
Bill Paschal 1943, 1944 New York Giants [7][28]
Adrian Peterson 2009, 2015 Minnesota Vikings [7][78]
John Riggins 1983, 1984 Washington Redskins [7][58]
Spec Sanders 1946, 1947 New York Yankees [7]
O. J. Simpson 1973, 1975 Buffalo Bills [7][47]
Jim Taylor 1961, 1962 Green Bay Packers [7][39]
Jonathan Taylor 2021, 2025 Indianapolis Colts [7][39]
Dan Towler 1952, 1954 Los Angeles Rams [7][33]
DeAngelo Williams 2008, 2015 Carolina Panthers (1) / Pittsburgh Steelers [7][77]
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See also

Notes

  1. [A]
    The NFL did not have a set number of games for teams to play until the 1935 season, instead setting a minimum.[16]
  2. [B]
    The 1982 season was reduced from 16 to 9 games due to a 57-day players' strike.[57]
  1. [a]
    AAFC statistics for Perry's 1948-1949 seasons were not recognized by the NFL until 2025.

References

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