# List of NFL career all-purpose yards leaders

This is a list of National Football League players with a career total of over 15,000 all-purpose yards.
Players listed in bold currently active.

## List

| Rank | Player | Position(s) regularly played | Seasons by team | Total all-purpose yards gained | Total rushing yards gained | Total receiving yards gained | Total interception return yards gained | Total punt return yards gained | Total kickoff return yards gained | Total recovered fumble return yards gained | Year of induction into Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| 1 | Jerry Rice | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers (1985–2000) Oakland Raiders (2001–2004) Seattle Seahawks (2004) | 23,546 | 645 | 22,895 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2010 |
| 2 | Brian Mitchell | Running back Punt returner Kick returner | Washington Redskins (1990–1999) Philadelphia Eagles (2000–2002) New York Giants (2003) | 23,330 | 1,967 | 2,336 | 0 | 4,999 | 14,014 | 14 | None |
| 3 | Walter Payton | Running back | Chicago Bears (1975–1987) | 21,803 | 16,726 | 4,538 | 0 | 0 | 539 | 0 | 1993 |
| 4 | Emmitt Smith | Running back | Dallas Cowboys (1990–2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003–2004) | 21,564 | 18,355 | 3,224 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (15) | 2010 |
| 5 | Frank Gore | Running back | San Francisco 49ers (2005–2014) Indianapolis Colts (2015–2017) Miami Dolphins (2018) Buffalo Bills (2019) New York Jets (2020) | 19,992 | 16,000 | 3,985 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Eligible in 2026 |
| 6 | Darren Sproles | Running back Punt returner Kick returner | San Diego Chargers (2005–2010) New Orleans Saints (2011–2013) Philadelphia Eagles (2014–2019) | 19,696 | 3,552 | 4,840 | 0 | 2,961 | 8,352 | (9) | Eligible in 2025 |
| 7 | Tim Brown | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | L.A./Oakland Raiders (1988–2003) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004) | 19,682 | 190 | 14,934 | 0 | 3,320 | 1,235 | 3 | 2015 |
| 8 | Marshall Faulk | Running back | Indianapolis Colts (1994–1998) St. Louis Rams (1999–2005) | 19,190 | 12,279 | 6,875 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 2011 |
| 9 | Steve Smith Sr. | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Carolina Panthers (2001–2013) Baltimore Ravens (2014–2016) | 19,180 | 387 | 14,731 | 0 | 1,684 | 2,371 | 7 | None |
| 10 | LaDainian Tomlinson | Running back | San Diego Chargers (2001–2009) New York Jets (2010–2011) | 18,456 | 13,684 | 4,772 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2017 |
| 11 | Barry Sanders | Running back | Detroit Lions (1989–1998) | 18,308 | 15,269 | 2,921 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 0 | 2004 |
| 12 | Herschel Walker | Running back Kick returner | Dallas Cowboys (1986–1989, 1996–1997) Minnesota Vikings (1989–1991) Philadelphia Eagles (1992–1994) New York Giants (1995) | 18,168 | 8,225 | 4,859 | 0 | 0 | 5,084 | 0 | None |
| 13 | Adrian Peterson | Running back | Minnesota Vikings (2007–2016) New Orleans Saints (2017) Arizona Cardinals (2017) Washington Redskins (2018–2019) Detroit Lions (2020) Tennessee Titans (2021) Seattle Seahawks (2021) | 17,808 | 14,918 | 2,474 | 0 | 0 | 428 | (12) | Eligible in 2027 |
| 14 | Marcus Allen | Running back | Los Angeles Raiders (1982–1992) Kansas City Chiefs (1993–1997) | 17,648 | 12,243 | 5,411 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (6) | 2003 |
| 15 | Larry Fitzgerald | Wide receiver | Arizona Cardinals (2004–2020) | 17,560 | 68 | 17,492 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Eligible in 2026 |
| 16 | Curtis Martin | Running back | New England Patriots (1995–1997) New York Jets (1998–2005) | 17,421 | 14,101 | 3,329 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (9) | 2012 |
| 17 | Tiki Barber | Running back | New York Giants (1997–2006) | 17,359 | 10,449 | 5,183 | 0 | 1,181 | 544 | 2 | None |
| 18 | Eric Metcalf | Running back Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Cleveland Browns (1989–1994) Atlanta Falcons (1995–1996) San Diego Chargers (1997) Arizona Cardinals (1998) Carolina Panthers (1999) Washington Redskins (2001) Green Bay Packers (2002) | 17,230 | 2,392 | 5,572 | 0 | 3,453 | 5,813 | 0 | None |
| 19 | Derrick Mason | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1997–2004) Baltimore Ravens (2005–2010) New York Jets (2011) Houston Texans (2011) | 17,150 | 3 | 12,061 | 0 | 1,590 | 3,496 | 0 | None |
| 20 | Wes Welker | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | San Diego Chargers (2004) Miami Dolphins (2004–2006) New England Patriots (2007–2012) Denver Broncos (2013–2014) St. Louis Rams (2015) | 16,797 | 151 | 9,924 | 0 | 2,584 | 4,138 | 0 | None |
| 21 | Thurman Thomas | Running back | Buffalo Bills (1988–1999) Miami Dolphins (2000) | 16,532 | 12,074 | 4,458 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2007 |
| 22 | Tony Dorsett | Running back | Dallas Cowboys (1977–1987) Denver Broncos (1988) | 16,326 | 12,739 | 3,554 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1994 |
| 23 | Terrell Owens | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers (1996–2003) Philadelphia Eagles (2004–2005) Dallas Cowboys (2006–2008) Buffalo Bills (2009) Cincinnati Bengals (2010) | 16,276 | 251 | 15,934 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 13 | 2018 |
| 24 | Ted Ginn Jr. | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Miami Dolphins (2007–2009) San Francisco 49ers (2010–2012) Carolina Panthers (2013, 2015–2016) Arizona Cardinals (2014) New Orleans Saints (2017–2019) Chicago Bears (2020) | 15,749 | 486 | 5,742 | 0 | 2,624 | 6,899 | (2) | Eligible in 2026 |
| 25 | Henry Ellard | Wide receiver | Los Angeles Rams (1983–1993) Washington Redskins (1994–1998) New England Patriots (1998) | 15,718 | 50 | 13,777 | 0 | 1,527 | 364 | 0 | None |
| 26 | Warrick Dunn | Running back | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997–2001, 2008) Atlanta Falcons (2002–2007) | 15,665 | 10,967 | 4,339 | 0 | 48 | 310 | 1 | None |
| 27 | Randy Moss | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings (1998–2004, 2010) Oakland Raiders (2005–2006) New England Patriots (2007–2010) Tennessee Titans (2010) San Francisco 49ers (2012) | 15,644 | 159 | 15,292 | 0 | 162 | 33 | (2) | 2018 |
| 28 | Edgerrin James | Running back | Indianapolis Colts (1999–2005) Arizona Cardinals (2006–2008) Seattle Seahawks (2009) | 15,610 | 12,246 | 3,364 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2020 |
| 29 | Irving Fryar | Wide receiver Punt returner | New England Patriots (1984–1992) Miami Dolphins (1993–1995) Philadelphia Eagles (1996–1998) Washington Redskins (1999–2000) | 15,594 | 242 | 12,785 | 0 | 2,055 | 505 | 7 | None |
| 30 | Jim Brown | Running back | Cleveland Browns (1957–1965) | 15,459 | 12,312 | 2,499 | 0 | 0 | 648 | 0 | 1971 |
| 31 | Josh Cribbs | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Cleveland Browns (2005–2012) Oakland Raiders (2013) New York Jets (2013) Indianapolis Colts (2014) | 15,453 | 808 | 1,175 | 0 | 2,375 | 11,113 | (18) | None |
| 32 | Eric Dickerson | Running back | Los Angeles Rams (1983–1987) Indianapolis Colts (1987–1991) Los Angeles Raiders (1992) Atlanta Falcons (1993) | 15,411 | 13,259 | 2,137 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1999 |
| 33 | Isaac Bruce | Wide receiver | L.A./St. Louis Rams (1994–2007) San Francisco 49ers (2008–2009) | 15,399 | 139 | 15,208 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 2020 |
| 34 | Antonio Brown | Wide receiver Punt returner Kick returner | Pittsburgh Steelers (2010–2018) New England Patriots (2019) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020–2021) | 15,353 | 128 | 12,291 | 0 | 1,761 | 1,173 | 0 | Eligible in 2027 |
| 35 | Steven Jackson | Running back | St. Louis Rams (2004–2012) Atlanta Falcons (2013–2014) New England Patriots (2015) | 15,191 | 11,438 | 3,683 | 0 | 0 | 79 | (9) | None |
| 36 | Tony Gonzalez | Tight end | Kansas City Chiefs (1997–2008) Atlanta Falcons (2009–2013) | 15,141 | 14 | 15,127 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2019 |
| 37 | Jerome Bettis | Running back | L.A./St. Louis Rams (1993–1995) Pittsburgh Steelers (1996–2005) | 15,113 | 13,662 | 1,449 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2015 |
| 38 | Allen Rossum | Cornerback Punt returner Kick returner | Philadelphia Eagles (1998–1999) Green Bay Packers (2000–2001) Atlanta Falcons (2002–2006) Pittsburgh Steelers (2007) San Francisco 49ers (2008–2009) Dallas Cowboys (2009) | 15,046 | 17 | 4 | 22 | 3,056 | 11,947 | 0 | None |
| 39 | LeSean McCoy | Running back | Philadelphia Eagles (2009–2014) Buffalo Bills (2015–2018) Kansas City Chiefs (2019) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020) | 15,001 | 11,102 | 3,898 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Eligible in 2026 |