most nfl carries by running backs since 1981

Since 1981, Emmitt Smith has the most rush attempts by a running back, with 4,409 carries.

	NAME	ATT	GP	RUSH YDS	YPC	RUSH YDS/G	RUSH TD	REC YDS	REC	TRG	AVG	REC YDS/G	REC TD
1	Emmitt Smith E. Smith	4,409	226	18,355	4.2	81.2	164	3,224	515	130	6.3	14.3	11
2	Frank Gore F. Gore	3,735	241	16,000	4.3	66.4	81	3,985	484	696	8.2	16.5	18
3	Curtis Martin C. Martin	3,518	168	14,101	4.0	83.9	90	3,329	484	409	6.9	19.8	10
4	Jerome Bettis J. Bettis	3,479	192	13,662	3.9	71.2	91	1,449	200	100	7.2	7.5	3
5	Adrian Peterson A. Peterson	3,230	184	14,918	4.6	81.1	120	2,474	305	423	8.1	13.4	6
6	LaDainian Tomlinson L. Tomlinson	3,174	170	13,684	4.3	80.5	145	4,772	624	868	7.6	28.1	17
7	Barry Sanders B. Sanders	3,062	153	15,269	5.0	99.8	99	2,921	352		8.3	19.1	10
8	Edgerrin James E. James	3,028	148	12,246	4.0	82.7	80	3,364	433	584	7.8	22.7	11
9	Marcus Allen M. Allen	3,022	222	12,243	4.1	55.1	123	5,411	587		9.2	24.4	21
10	Eric Dickerson E. Dickerson	2,996	146	13,259	4.4	90.8	90	2,137	281		7.6	14.6	6
11	Thurman Thomas T. Thomas	2,877	182	12,074	4.2	66.3	65	4,458	472	29	9.4	24.5	23
12	Eddie George E. George	2,865	141	10,441	3.6	74.0	68	2,227	268	269	8.3	15.8	10
13	Marshall Faulk M. Faulk	2,836	176	12,279	4.3	69.8	100	6,875	767	606	9.0	39.1	36
14	Steven Jackson S. Jackson	2,764	160	11,438	4.1	71.5	69	3,683	461	627	8.0	23.0	9
15	Thomas Jones T. Jones	2,678	180	10,591	4.0	58.8	68	2,023	308	410	6.6	11.2	3
16	Warrick Dunn W. Dunn	2,669	181	10,967	4.1	60.6	49	4,339	510	594	8.5	24.0	15
17	Derrick Henry D. Henry	2,662	153	13,018	4.9	85.1	122	1,801	189	245	9.5	11.8	5
18	Ricky Watters R. Watters	2,622	144	10,643	4.1	73.9	78	4,248	467	176	9.1	29.5	13
19	Corey Dillon C. Dillon	2,618	150	11,241	4.3	74.9	82	1,913	244	278	7.8	12.8	7
20	Jamal Lewis J. Lewis	2,542	131	10,607	4.2	81.0	58	1,879	221	298	8.5	14.3	4
21	Fred Taylor F. Taylor	2,534	153	11,695	4.6	76.4	66	2,384	290	348	8.2	15.6	8
22	LeSean McCoy L. McCoy	2,457	170	11,102	4.5	65.3	73	3,898	518	665	7.5	22.9	16
23	Marshawn Lynch M. Lynch	2,453	149	10,413	4.2	69.9	85	2,214	287	391	7.7	14.9	9
24	Ricky Williams R. Williams	2,431	147	10,009	4.1	68.1	66	2,606	342	466	7.6	17.7	8
25	Matt Forte M. Forte	2,356	146	9,796	4.2	67.1	54	4,672	554	724	8.4	32.0	21

Unlock 2x data

StatMuse has season-level data for rush attempts going back to the 1932 season.

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More Cowboys Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

4,552

Prescott

RUSH

1,201

Williams

REC

1,429

Pickens

Team Rankings

PPG

27.7

7th

OPP PPG

30.1

32nd

RUSH YDS/G

125.6

9th

PASS YDS/G

278.5

1st

2025 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	T	PCT
Eagles	11	6	0	.647
Cowboys	7	9	1	.441
Commanders	5	12	0	.294
Giants	4	13	0	.235

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Sun 9/13	DAL	@	NYG	8:20 PM
Sun 9/20	WAS	@	DAL	4:25 PM
Sun 9/27	BAL	@	DAL	4:25 PM
Sun 10/4	DAL	@	HOU	1:00 PM
Thu 10/8	TB	@	DAL	8:15 PM

Last Game

Cowboys

7 - 9 - 1

Final

Giants

4 - 13

Sun 4 Jan 2026

NFL 2025 Leaders

Pass Yards Leaders

4,707

Stafford

4,564

Goff

4,552

Prescott

Rush Yards Leaders

1,621

Cook

1,595

Henry

1,585

Taylor

Rec Yards Leaders

1,793

Smith-Njigba

1,715

Nacua

1,429

Pickens

Pass TD Leaders

46

Stafford

34

Goff

31

Maye

Rush TD Leaders

18

Taylor

16

Henry

14

Allen

Rec TD Leaders

14

Adams

11

McBride

11

St. Brown

QB Rating Leaders

113.5

Maye

109.2

Stafford

105.5

Goff

Sack Leaders

23.0

Garrett

16.5

Burns

15.0

Hunter

NFL 2025 Rankings

PPG Rankings

30.5

28.8

28.4

28.3

27.9

Opp PPG Rankings

17.2

17.4

18.3

18.8

19.1

19.3

Total Yards Rankings

394.6

391.9

379.4

376.3

373.2

369.5

Rush Yards Rankings

159.6

156.6

144.5

134.7

129.1

128.9

Pass Yards Rankings

278.5

276.9

268.6

262.3

256.1

254.0

Sack Leaders

68.0

57.0

53.0

49.0

48.0

NFL Fantasy 2025

Fantasy RB Rankings

316.3

Taylor

314.6

McCaffrey

291.8

Robinson

Fantasy WR Rankings

246

Nacua

240.9

Smith-Njigba

207

St. Brown

Fantasy TE Rankings

189.9

McBride

125.1

Goedert

122.8

Pitts

Fantasy K Rankings

202

Myers

194

Fairbairn

187.6

Aubrey

NFL 2025 Betting

Best Record ATS

15-5

12-6

14-7

12-6-1

12-7

11-7

Worst Record ATS

5-12

5-12-1

6-11

7-10

NFL 2025 Standings

AFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Patriots - y	14	3	0	.824
Bills - w	12	5	0	.706
Dolphins - e	7	10	0	.412
Jets - e	3	14	0	.176
AFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Steelers - y	10	7	0	.588
Ravens - e	8	9	0	.471
Bengals - e	6	11	0	.353
Browns - e	5	12	0	.294
AFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Jaguars - y	13	4	0	.765
Texans - w	12	5	0	.706
Colts - e	8	9	0	.471
Titans - e	3	14	0	.176
AFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Broncos - z*	14	3	0	.824
Chargers - w	11	6	0	.647
Chiefs - e	6	11	0	.353
Raiders - e	3	14	0	.176

NFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Eagles - y	11	6	0	.647
Cowboys - e	7	9	1	.441
Commanders - e	5	12	0	.294
Giants - e	4	13	0	.235
NFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Bears - y	11	6	0	.647
Packers - w	9	7	1	.559
Vikings - e	9	8	0	.529
Lions - e	9	8	0	.529
NFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Panthers - y	8	9	0	.471
Buccaneers - e	8	9	0	.471
Falcons - e	8	9	0	.471
Saints - e	6	11	0	.353
NFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Seahawks - z*	14	3	0	.824
Rams - w	12	5	0	.706
49ers - w	12	5	0	.706
Cardinals - e	3	14	0	.176