Many great NFL running backs are also great receivers, and pad their statistics with receiving yards and TDs as well as rushing yards and rushing TDs. In addition, some receivers carry the ball on reverse plays and accumulate rushing yards. The latter isn't as common, but here we take a look at combined rushing and receiving yards to list the top 10 players in yards from scrimmage in NFL history.
Jerry Rice
When you consider that Jerry Rice is the only wide receiver on this list, and that he is at the top of it, that's saying something. It's saying, pretty much, that Rice was not only the best receiver of all-time, he's one of the greatest NFL players of all-time, period. Rice leads all NFL players with 23,540 yards from scrimmage, but most of that is his 22,895 yards receiving over a career that spanned from 1985 to 2004 with the 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks. In 1995, Rice caught 122 passes for an NFL record 1848 yards with 15 TDs. Rice also scored 207 total touchdown s.
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith, who played for Dallas and Arizona from 1990 to 2004, is the NFL's all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards on the ground, and also had 515 catches for 3224 yards out of the backfield. In all, Smith ranks number two all-time with 21,579 yards from scrimmage, and is the leading running back of all-time in this category. In 1995, Smith had 1773 yards rushing with 25 touchdowns, and added 62 catches for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmN2PTUB7w 375 yards that s ame season to give him a career high of 2148 yards from scrimmage.
Walter Payton
Walter Payton, nicknamed "Sweetness," played his entire career with the Bears, from 1975-1987. Payton was the NFL's all-time leading rusher until he was recently overtaken by Smith. But Payton's 21,264 yards from scrimmage rank him third in NFL history, with 16,726 yards rushing and another 4538 receiving. Payton also has 125 total TDs, and his best season overall was 1977 with 1852 rushing yards and another 269 receiving yards to give him 2121 yards from scrimmage.
Marshall Faulk
It's hard to believe RB Marshall Faulk only played for twelve seasons (with the Rams and Colts), but he did. In the process, Faulk became one of the greatest two-way backs ever, racking up 19,154 yards from scrimmage. He had 12,279 yards rushing with 100 TDs, and added 767 catches for 6875 yards and another 36 TDs as a receiver. In 2000, Faulk had 26 total touchdowns, but his biggest feat may ha ve been in 1999, when he rushed for over 1000 yards (1381) and had over 1000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmN2PTUB7w yards as a receiver (1048), giving him an NFL record for all-purpose yards in a season with 2429. Not coincidentally, that was the same year Faulk's Rams went to the Super Bowl.
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders was a great running back for the Detroit Lions from 1989 to 1998, and though many believe he retired prematurely, Sanders had quite a career. In all, he had 18,190 yards from scrimmage, including 15,269 rushing yards and 99 TDs. Sanders added 352 catches for 2921 yards and another 10 TDs out of the backfield. His best season was 1997, when Sanders rushed for 2053 yards and added another 305 yards as a receiver.
Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen, like Faulk, was another great multi-purpose back, tallying 17,654 yards from scrimmage in a career that spanned from 1982 to 1997 with the Raiders and Chiefs. Allen rushed for 12,243 yards and added 587 catches for 5411 yards. He also scored 144 combined TDs. In 1985, Allen caught a career-high of 67 passes for 555 yards, and added 1759 rushing yards for a career high of 2314 yards from scrimmage.
Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin played for the Patriots and Jets from 1995 to 2005, and totaled 17,430 yards from scrimmage, which ranks him seventh in NFL history. Martin rushed for 14,101 yards and added another 3329 yards as a receiver, and also had a combined 100 touchdowns. In 2004, Martin had a career high in rushing yards with 1697, adding 245 yards out of the backfield to give him a total of 1942 yards from scrimmage, also a career high.
Thurman Thomas
Thurman Thomas was a key cog in those great Bills teams of the nineties that reached the Super Bowl four straight times, playin g for them from 1988-1999 and then finishing his career with one season (2000) in Miami. Thomas had 16,532 yards from scrimmage in his career, with 12,074 yards rushing and another 4458 out of the backfield. His best season was 1992, when he rushed for 1487 yards and added another 626 yards as a receiver, giving Thomas a career high of 2113 all-purpose yards.
Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett played almost his entire career with Dallas (1977-1987) and played one final season with the Denver Broncos in 1988. Along the way, Dorsett piled up 16,293 yards from scrimmage, including 12,739 yards rushing and another 3554 as a receiver. His best season overall was 1981, with 1646 rushing yards and 325 more out of the backfield, giving Dorsett a career high of 1971 yards from scrimmage.
Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber played his entire career with the New York Giants, from 1997 to 2006, and like Sanders, retired somewhat in his prime. But Barber was another amazing all-purpose back, tallying 15,631 yards from scrimmage in his career. In 2005, he had a career high of 1860 rushing yards and added 530 yards out of the backfield for a total of 2390 yards from scrimmage, second in NFL history only to Faulk's 2429 in 1999.
https://hubpages.com/sports/All-Time-NFL-Yards-From-Scrimmage-Leaders
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