2,000-yard club

American football achievement designation June 2024 thumb|Buffalo Bills running back O. J. Simpson, who rushed for 2,003 yards in 1973, the first NFL player to exceed 2,000 yards in a season and the only player to do so in a 14-game season thumb|Eric Dickerson, a Los Angeles Rams running back and the all-time NFL season rushing leader with 2,105 yards in 1984 The 2,000-yard club is a group of nine National Football League (NFL) running backs as of 2025 who have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a regular season since the league's 1920 founding. These nine rushing seasons rank as the highest single-season rushing totals in NFL history,NFL Single-Season Rushing Yards Leaders https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_yds_single_season.htm March 17, 2013 Pro Football Reference January 31, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180131175413/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_yds_single_season.htm live and reaching the 2,000-yard mark is considered a significant achievement for running backs.December 31, 2012 Adrian Peterson just misses record https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8794141/adrian-peterson-minnesota-vikings-just-misses-nfl-single-season-record-becomes-seventh-player-nfl-history-rush-2000-yards March 17, 2013 ESPN.com July 29, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160729154000/http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8794141/adrian-peterson-minnesota-vikings-just-misses-nfl-single-season-record-becomes-seventh-player-nfl-history-rush-2000-yards live No running back has yet achieved this feat twice. History The first 2,000-yard season was recorded in 1973 by Buffalo Bills running back O. J. Simpson, who is the only player ever to have surpassed 2,000 yards in a 14-game season; all others occurred in 16 or 17-game seasons. Simpson finished with 2,003 rushing yards, averaging six yards per carry and an NFL-record 143.1 rushing yards per game.Bender Bill December 23, 2012 Adrian Peterson has one more week to enter elite 2,000 yard club http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-12-23/adrian-peterson-2000-yards-rushing-record-needs-eric-dickerson-stats-list/ March 3, 2013 Sporting News. AOL.com March 16, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130316102259/http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-12-23/adrian-peterson-2000-yards-rushing-record-needs-eric-dickerson-stats-list dead In 1983, Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson broke the single-season rookie rushing record,NFL Single-Season Rushing Leaders http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/photos/1212/nfl-single-season-rushing-leaders/1/ March 3, 2013 Sports Illustrated February 22, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140222064017/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/photos/1212/nfl-single-season-rushing-leaders/1/ dead recording the second 2,000-yard season in 1984. Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards, the current NFL rushing record, averaging 131.6 rushing yards per game. Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders recorded the third 2,000-yard season in 1997, rushing for 2,053 yards. At the age of 29, Sanders was the oldest back to surpass 2,000 yards. Sanders had opened the season with only 53 yards through two games, but ran for 100 yards or more in each of the last 14 games of the season and averaged 6.1 yards per carry during the season. In 1998, Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis became the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards, running for 2,008 yards. Davis also recorded 21 rushing touchdowns in his 2,000-yard season, the only 2,000 yard rusher to do so. Davis had reached the 1,000-yard mark only seven games into the season. Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis surpassed 2,000 yards in the 2003 season, recording 2,066 yards over the course of the season. 500 of these yards were recorded in two games against the Cleveland Browns, with Lewis rushing for a then-NFL record 295 yards in the first and recording 205 rushing yards in the second. Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson ran for 2,006 yards in 2009, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and also recorded an NFL-record 2,509 yards from scrimmage. Minnesota Vikings back Adrian Peterson is the third most recent player to have surpassed 2,000 yards rushing, having finished the 2012 season with 2,097 yards rushing, just 8 yards short of Dickerson's record. Peterson had torn two ligaments in his left knee the previous year, making him the only player to have surpassed 2,000 yards after having reconstructive knee surgery the prior season.December 30, 2012 Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson joins the 2,000-yard club https://www.nfl.com/news/minnesota-vikings-adrian-peterson-joins-the-2-000-yard-club-0ap1000000119412 March 3, 2013 NFL.com February 9, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130209060445/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119412/article/minnesota-vikings-adrian-peterson-joins-the-2000yard-club live Titans running back Derrick Henry reached the mark on January 3, 2021, making the Titans the first franchise to have multiple 2,000-yard rushers. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley reached 2,000 yards on December 29, 2024 in the 16th game of the Eagles’ NFL season. To date, Davis and Barkley are the only members of the 2,000 yard club to win a Super Bowl in the year that they rushed for 2,000 yards, with Barkley breaking Davis' 2,476 record regular and post-season rushing yards, setting a record of 2,504 total rushing yards in regular and post-season.Philadelphia Eagles on X: "🚨 SAQUON 2K 🚨 https://x.com/Eagles/status/1873468719986561511 2026-08-01 x.com Lewis is the only other 2,000-yard rusher to win a Super Bowl at any point in their career, and remains the only one to be both a Super Bowl Champion and College Football National Champion.1998 Tennessee Volunteers Roster https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/tennessee/1998-roster.html 2026-07-12 College Football at Sports-Reference.com en Out of the nine players to have recorded a 2,000-yard rushing season, all but Dickerson won the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award the year that they rushed for 2,000 yards, although Dickerson would go on to win the award after the 1986 NFL season. Simpson, Sanders, Davis, and Peterson also won the AP Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Simpson, Dickerson, Sanders, and Davis are each members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which "honor[s] individuals who have made outstanding contributions to professional football";Mission Statement http://www.profootballhof.com/hall/missionstatement.aspx March 3, 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame March 11, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130311010250/http://www.profootballhof.com/hall/missionstatement.aspx live Lewis and Johnson have not been voted in, Peterson will be eligible for the class of 2027https://www.si.com/nfl/predicting-next-five-nfl-hall-of-fame-classes Predicting the Next Five NFL Hall of Fame Classes August 1, 2025 SI (barring a returnAdrian Peterson Says He's Open to Playing Football Again https://www.si.com/nfl/2024/02/23/adrian-peterson-open-return-football-nfl-retirement 2026-08-01 www.si.com), and Henry and Barkley remain active as players. 2,000-yard rushers Key + Symbol Meaning GP Number of games the player played in the season in which they reached the milestone. Att Total rushing attempts Yds Total rushing yards TD Total rushing touchdowns Y/A Rushing yards per attempt Y/G Rushing yards per game Top Game Most single game rushing yards (in season) Fum Total fumbles MVPAP Most Valuable Player OPOYAP Offensive Player of the Year HOFPro Football Hall of Fame member *Active NFL player N/ENot yet eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Famea To be eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the candidate must have been retired for at least five years.Hall of Famers: Selection Process FAQ http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/SelectionProcessFAQ.aspx March 3, 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame February 1, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120201230225/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/SelectionProcessFAQ.aspx live +List of players with 2,000 or more rushing yards in a regular seasonSeasonPlayerTeamGPAtt Rush attemptsYds Rushing yardsTDs Rushing touchdownsY/A Rushing yards per attemptY/G Rushing yards per gameTop GameFum Total fumblesMVPOPOYHOFActiveRef1973O. J. SimpsonBuffalo Bills143322,003126.0143.12507YesYes1985NoO. J. Simpson AFL & NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SimpO.00.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference October 22, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181022172708/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SimpO.00.htm live 1984Eric DickersonLos Angeles Rams163792,105145.6131.621514NoNo1999NoEric Dickerson NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DickEr00.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference March 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210321110954/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DickEr00.htm live 1997Barry SandersDetroit Lions163352,053116.1128.32163YesSanders was named co-MVP of the 1997 season with Brett Favre.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/awards_1997.htm 1997 Awards Voting Pro Football Reference May 18, 2025Yes2004NoBarry Sanders NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SandBa00.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference March 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210321111009/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SandBa00.htm live 1998Terrell DavisDenver Broncos163922,008215.1125.52082YesYes2017NoTerrell Davis NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DaviTe00.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference May 16, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230516221828/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DaviTe00.htm live 2003Jamal LewisBaltimore Ravens163872,066145.3129.12958NoYesNoNoJamal Lewis NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiJa00.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference March 13, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130313185329/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LewiJa00.htm live 2009Chris JohnsonTennessee Titans163582,006145.6125.42283NoYesNoNoChris Johnson NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnCh04.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference March 4, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180304012859/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnCh04.htm live 2012Adrian PetersonMinnesota Vikings163482,097126.0131.12124YesYesN/ENoAdrian Peterson NFL Football Statistics https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PeteAd01.htm March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference January 31, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190131181842/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PeteAd01.htm live 2020Derrick HenryTennessee Titans163782,027175.4126.72503NoYesN/EYesJanuary 4, 2021 RB Henry eclipses 2,000 rushing yards for Titans https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30646616/derrick-henry-surpasses-2000-rushing-yards-tennessee-titans-battle-houston-texans January 4, 2021 ESPN.com en January 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210104002654/https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30646616/derrick-henry-surpasses-2000-rushing-yards-tennessee-titans-battle-houston-texans live 2024Saquon BarkleyPhiladelphia Eagles16Barkley surpassed 2,000 rushing yards in a 17-game season, but did not play in the 17th game, accomplishing this feat in only 16 games.Saquon Barkley Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarkSa00.htm Pro Football Reference 12 February 2025 en3452,005135.8125.32552NoYesN/EYes https://www.nfl.com/news/saquon-barkley-becomes-ninth-player-to-rush-for-2000-yards-in-a-season Eagles RB Saquon Barkley becomes ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season Gordon Grant NFL.com December 29, 2024 December 29, 2024 Notes Notes Footnotes 2 General references AP MVP winners https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/award_apmvp.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130305002308/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/award_apmvp.htm March 5, 2013 March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference AP Offensive Player of the Year winners https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/award_apopoy.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130305063646/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/award_apopoy.htm March 5, 2013 March 3, 2013 Pro Football Reference External links 250 best rushing seasons at Pro Football Reference Rushing yards Rushing yards Category:NFL lists