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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jon Heath

Saquon Barkley chasing Terrell Davis for best rushing season in NFL history

The two best rushing seasons in NFL history belong to Denver Broncos legend Terrell Davis.

Including the postseason, Davis rushed for 2,331 yards in 1997, setting a single-season NFL record on his way to a Super Bowl win. The following year, Davis broke his own record with 2,476 yards and another Super Bowl victory in 1998.

Davis was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1998 and he won Super Bowl MVP honors following the 1997 season. He had the best two-year run by a running back in the league’s history.

In terms of single-season success, though, Davis now has a challenger.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has rushed for 324 yards through two rounds of the playoffs, bringing his season-long total to 2,329 yards. He is now just two yards away from the second-best rushing season in NFL history and 147 yards away from the all-time record.

Most rushing yards in a season (playoffs included)

  1. 1998 Terrell Davis: 2,476 yards
  2. 1997 Terrell Davis: 2,331 yards
  3. 2024 Saquon Barkley: 2,329 yards
  4. 1984 Eric Dickerson: 2,212 yards
  5. 2012 Adrian Peterson: 2,196 yards

Hat tip to Scott Kacsmar for the stats.

If the Eagles defeat the Washington Commanders on Sunday and advance to the Super Bowl, Barkley could easily break TD’s record this season. Davis, a Hall of Famer, already welcomed Barkley to the 2,000-Yard Club earlier this season. He might soon welcome him to another prestigious club.

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