League Leaders Who Led?

NFL Single-Season Rushing First Downs Record Progression

Every season that raised the bar, and the leader in every season between.

All-time career leaders →

The NFL single-season rushing first downs record is 107, set by Shaun Alexander in 2005. It has stood for 20 years. The mark has been raised 3 times since 1999.

YDSTDY/AATTY/G1DFL

Record Holders

4 marks since 1999
Year Player 1D Stood for
2005 Shaun Alexander Shaun Alexander 107 still standing
2002 Priest Holmes Priest Holmes 100 3 years
2000 Edgerrin James Edgerrin James 99 2 years
1999 Emmitt Smith Emmitt Smith 85 1 year

The earliest marks here are records only in the sense that nobody had done better yet. Season length, schedule and the rules themselves have all changed, so a figure from the 1870s is not comparable with a modern one and is not offered as though it were.

Every Season

28 seasons
Year Leader 1D
2025 Jonathan Taylor 84
2024 Derrick Henry 94
2023 Christian McCaffrey 83
2022 Josh Jacobs 93
2021 Jonathan Taylor 107
2020 Derrick Henry 98
2019 Ezekiel Elliott 78
2018 Ezekiel Elliott 74
2017 Le'Veon Bell 74
2016 Ezekiel Elliott 91
2015 Adrian Peterson 71
2014 DeMarco Murray 85
2013 LeSean McCoy 79
2012 Adrian Peterson 85
2011 LeSean McCoy 84
2010 Arian Foster 89
2009 Chris Johnson 79
2008 Michael Turner 84
2007 LaDainian Tomlinson 75
2006 Larry Johnson 91
2005 Shaun Alexander 107 new record
2004 Curtis Martin 90
2003 Ahman Green 96
2002 Priest Holmes 100 new record
2001 Priest Holmes 80
2000 Edgerrin James 99 new record
1999 Stephen Davis 85
1999 Emmitt Smith 85 new record