1961 NFL Running Back Leaders
Every 1961 board running backs are read on, one page, top ten in each.
Jim Brown led all running backs in rushing yards in 1961, with 1,408. Jim Brown also led in rushing yards per game (100.6), receptions (46) and yards from scrimmage (1,867). Billy Cannon led in receiving yards (586), receiving touchdowns (9) and receiving yards per game (41.9).
Rushing Every NFL rushing board →
The rate boards count qualified players only: 6.25 carries per team game.
Rushing Yards
YDS- 1 Jim Brown 1,408
- 2 Jim Taylor 1,307
- 3 Billy Cannon 948
- 4 Alex Webster 928
- 5 Bill Mathis 846
- 6 Abner Haynes 841
- 6 Nick Pietrosante 841
- 8 Don Perkins 815
- 9 John Johnson 787
- 10 Paul Lowe 767
- 1 Jim Taylor 15
- 2 Abner Haynes 9
- 2 Paul Lowe 9
- 4 Jim Brown 8
- 4 Rick Casares 8
- 4 Paul Hornung 8
- 7 Bill Mathis 7
- 8 Billy Cannon 6
- 8 Bob Gaiters 6
- 8 John Johnson 6
Yards per Carry
Y/A- 1 Dick Bass 6.20
- 2 Bobby Mitchell 5.43
- 3 Jim Taylor 5.38
- 4 Hugh McElhenny 4.75
- 5 Billy Cannon 4.74
- 6 Alex Webster 4.73
- 7 Paul Hornung 4.70
- 8 Abner Haynes 4.70
- 9 Willie Galimore 4.62
- 10 Jim Brown 4.62
Rushing Attempts
ATT- 1 Jim Brown 305
- 2 Jim Taylor 243
- 3 John Johnson 213
- 4 Bill Mathis 202
- 5 Nick Pietrosante 201
- 6 Billy Cannon 200
- 6 Don Perkins 200
- 8 Alex Webster 196
- 9 Abner Haynes 179
- 10 Paul Lowe 175
- 1 Jim Brown 100.6
- 2 Jim Taylor 93.4
- 3 Billy Cannon 67.7
- 4 Alex Webster 66.3
- 5 Bill Mathis 60.4
- 6 Abner Haynes 60.1
- 6 Nick Pietrosante 60.1
- 8 Don Perkins 58.2
- 9 John Johnson 56.2
- 10 Paul Lowe 54.8
Receiving Every NFL receiving board →
The rate boards count qualified players only: 1.875 receptions per team game.
Receiving Yards
YDS- 1 Billy Cannon 586
- 2 Abner Haynes 558
- 3 Dick Christy 521
- 4 Willie Galimore 502
- 5 Clarence Peaks 472
- 6 Jim Brown 459
- 7 Bobby Mitchell 368
- 8 Donnie Stone 344
- 9 Larry Garron 341
- 10 Ted Dean 335
Receptions
REC- 1 Jim Brown 46
- 2 Billy Cannon 43
- 3 Donnie Stone 38
- 4 Hugh McElhenny 37
- 5 Alan Miller 36
- 6 Abner Haynes 34
- 6 Joe Perry 34
- 8 Willie Galimore 33
- 9 Billy Lott 32
- 9 Bobby Mitchell 32
- 1 Billy Cannon 9
- 2 Billy Lott 6
- 3 Alan Miller 4
- 3 Donnie Stone 4
- 5 Willie Galimore 3
- 5 Larry Garron 3
- 5 Prentice Gautt 3
- 5 Abner Haynes 3
- 5 Bobby Mitchell 3
- 5 Alex Webster 3
- 1 Dick Christy 17.97
- 2 Abner Haynes 16.41
- 3 Willie Galimore 15.21
- 4 Clarence Peaks 14.75
- 5 Billy Cannon 13.63
- 6 Bobby Mitchell 11.50
- 7 Billy Lott 10.41
- 8 Jim Brown 9.98
- 9 Joe Perry 9.47
- 10 Don Perkins 9.31
- 1 Billy Cannon 41.9
- 2 Abner Haynes 39.9
- 3 Dick Christy 37.2
- 4 Clarence Peaks 36.3
- 5 Willie Galimore 35.9
- 6 Jim Brown 32.8
- 7 Bobby Mitchell 26.3
- 8 Joe Perry 24.8
- 9 Donnie Stone 24.6
- 10 Billy Lott 23.8
Yards from Scrimmage
YScm- 1 Jim Brown 1,867
- 2 Billy Cannon 1,534
- 3 Jim Taylor 1,482
- 4 Abner Haynes 1,399
- 5 Alex Webster 1,241
- 6 Willie Galimore 1,209
- 7 Nick Pietrosante 1,156
- 8 Don Perkins 1,113
- 9 John Johnson 1,049
- 10 Joe Perry 997