The top 10 Most Rushing Touchdowns in a Single Season in NFL History
The top 10 Most Rushing Touchdowns in a Single Season in ...
By Edcel Panganiban July 22, 2024 08:13
Rushing touchdowns are an important statistic in the NFL because they directly impact attempts, yards, and scores. A rushing Touchdown is when a player brings the ball into his end zone without the benefit of a forward pass. So many of those are based upon some dynamic work from running backs and the effectiveness of getting run plays blocked upfront. In this article, we will look at the top 10 players who have set an NFL single-season rushing touchdown record and how they accomplished it.
The Top 10 Players
1. LaDainian Tomlinson: 28 total rushing touchdowns (2006)
LaDainian Tomlinson is one of the most prolific backs in NFL history. He put together an all-time great season with the San Diego Chargers in 2006, rushing for a then-record and still record 28 touchdowns to go along with an NFL-leading and single-season franchise-high total of 1,815 yards. And that's before we start to mention his incredible blend of power, speed, and vision, which made him near unstoppable in 2006 when he led the San Diego Chargers (14-2) to an AFC Championship game. Flirting with the single-season yardage record in 2008, his performance that year was historic and enough to bring him the NFL MVP.
2. Shaun Alexander: 28 total rushing touchdowns (2005)
In 2005, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander almost single-handedly carried the entire NFL on his shoulders with an incredible season in which he ran for 1,880 yards and scored a record-tying 28 rushing touchdowns. That year, Alexander had an amazing cast in the streets of Seattle and could see his hole open up more than anyone else. He was the NFL MVP and led the Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
3. Priest Holmes: 27 rushing touchdowns (2003)
Priest's performance during the 2003 season spoke to so much of what made him special as a powerful and well-rounded runner. His record-breaking season sparked the Chiefs to make it into the Playoffs. It solidified his place amongst one of the biggest operating backs in the league history.
4. Emmitt Smith: 25 rushing touchdowns (1995)
The NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, had one of his greatest seasons in a Hall of Fame career in 1995 with the Dallas Cowboys. He ran for 1,773 yards and a then-NFL record 25 touchdowns to help the Cowboys win the Super Bowl. With power, vision, and durability never seen in a runner before or since, his record-shattering season paved the way for the Cowboys to have such success.
5. Marshawn Lynch: 17 rushing touchdowns (2014)
In 2014, Marshawn Lynch enjoyed his best season with the Seattle Seahawks when he had career-high marks for yards (1,306) and touchdowns (17). This running style often led him to truck defenders in the open field, making him a nightmare for opponents. That season, Lynch turned the tide for a Seahawks team that went to Super Bowl XLIX but fell short against New England.
6. Adrian Peterson: 18 rushing touchdowns (2009)
A generational talent at the running back position, Adrian Peterson was sensational in 2009 with the Minnesota Vikings. Peterson ran for 1,383 yards with a career-best total of 18 scores to steer the Vikings on an NFC Championship game run. His blend of size, speed, and power made him a near-impossible tackle during that 2012 campaign as he set the league single-season record in careers for yards from scrimmage.
7. Derrick Henry: 17 rushing touchdowns (2020)
In the last few years, Derrick Henry has established himself as arguably one of the most dominant running backs in football and had a great season with the Tennessee Titans this past year. Henry ran for 2,027 yards and scored an NFL-best 17 touchdowns during the season. The way he used his size, strength, and speed made him almost a light beam that year as the Titans reached the playoffs.
8. Ricky Watters: 17 rushing touchdowns (1993)
Watters' blend of power, speed, and versatility was a perfect fit for what the 49ers were doing offensively at that time. During his record year, they helped propel San Francisco to its successful run through the Super Bowl.
9. Arian Foster: 16 rushing touchdowns (2010)
Foster's patience running behind a dominant offensive line and vision bursting through the hole helped him record a set-setting performance that season, which also lifted the Texans to their then-first-ever playoffs.
10. Terrell Davis: 15 rushing touchdowns (1998)
Terrel Davis was a great running back for the Denver Broncos, and he had his second-best career season in 1998. Davis ran 2,008 yards with a career high of 15 touchdowns to boot. His blend of power, speed, and vision allowed him to be a complete force, and his record-setting year showed that he was among the best in any running back crop that played during his era.
Those who have set the mark for touchdowns in a single season while rushing the ball are all big-time players. Their production not only aided in their teams' success but also caught the imaginations of football fans with their firepower and nose for the end zone. These players then went out and proved their point on the field by accomplishing what only a select few have been able to do in any given season, from LaDainian Tomlinson's historic 2006 campaign to Emmitt Smith's record-setting years back in 1995 as one of the greatest of all-time.
Everyone on this list boasts the qualities needed to succeed at football's top level, and their accomplishments will go down in history as a source of inspiration for generations of players, fans, and everyone still involved with the game.
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