<Ul> <Li> Chris Johnson, 9,651 </Li> </Ul> <Li> Chris Johnson, 9,651 </Li> <P> Seven players have been recognized as having held the career rushing yards record in the NFL . Since reliable yardage statistics were not recorded prior to 1932, the first NFL player recognized as the career leader in rushing yards was Cliff Battles, who played from 1932 to 1937 for the Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins . He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career . Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long - standing total in 2002 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Reign </Th> <Th> Player </Th> <Th> Team (s) by season </Th> <Th> Carries </Th> <Th> Yards </Th> <Th> Average </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1932--1941 (9 years) </Td> <Td> Cliff Battles </Td> <Td> Washington Redskins (1932--1937) </Td> <Td> 839 </Td> <Td> 3,511 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1941--1949 (8 years) </Td> <Td> Clarke Hinkle </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers (1932--1941) </Td> <Td> 1,171 </Td> <Td> 3,860 </Td> <Td> 3.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1949--1958 (9 years) </Td> <Td> Steve Van Buren </Td> <Td> Philadelphia Eagles (1944--1951) </Td> <Td> 1,320 </Td> <Td> 5,860 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958--1963 (5 years) </Td> <Td> Joe Perry </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers (1948--1960, 1963) Baltimore Colts (1961--1962) </Td> <Td> 1,737 </Td> <Td> 8,378 </Td> <Td> 4.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963--1984 (21 years) </Td> <Td> Jim Brown </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns (1957--1965) </Td> <Td> 2,359 </Td> <Td> 12,312 </Td> <Td> 5.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1984--2002 (18 years) </Td> <Td> Walter Payton </Td> <Td> Chicago Bears (1975--1987) </Td> <Td> 3,838 </Td> <Td> 16,726 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002--present (15 years) </Td> <Td> Smith, Emmitt Emmitt Smith </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys (1990--2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003--2004) </Td> <Td> 4,409 </Td> <Td> 18,355 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who has the most rushing yards in football