Weekly Top 20

History Published on : 1/1/2005

Career leaders in the NFL's four main statistical categories - through Week 15 of the NFL season.

 

PASSER RATING   RUSHING YARDS
1
Steve Young
96.81
 
1
Emmitt Smith
18,355
2
Peyton Manning
94.44
 
2
Walter Payton
16,726
3
Kurt Warner
93.00
 
3
Barry Sanders
15,269
4
Tom Brady
92.77
 
4
Curtis Martin
14,101
5
Joe Montana
92.26
 
5
Jerome Bettis
13,662
6
Carson Palmer
90.10
 
6
Eric Dickerson
13,259
7
Daunte Culpepper
89.95
 
7
Tony Dorsett
12,739
8
Chad Pennington
88.90
 
8
Jim Brown
12,312
9
Marc Bulger
88.62
 
9
Marshall Faulk
12,279
10
Drew Brees
88.40
 
10
Marcus Allen
12,243
11
Jeff Garcia
87.10
 
11
Franco Harris
12,120
12
Trent Green
86.90
 
12
Thurman Thomas
12,074
13
Dan Marino
86.38
 
13
Edgerrin James
11,437
14
Matt Hasselbeck
86.24
 
14
John Riggins
11,352
15
Brett Favre
85.76
 
15
Corey Dillon
11,241
16
Donovan McNabb
85.37
 
16
O.J. Simpson
11,236
17
Jake Delhomme
85.23
 
17
Ricky Watters
10,643
18
Rich Gannon
84.71
 
18
Fred Taylor
10,604
19
Jim Kelly
84.39
 
19
LaDainian Tomlinson
10,487
20
Mark Brunell
84.21
 
20
Tiki Barber
10,449
             
RECEPTIONS   POINTS
1
Jerry Rice
1,549
 
1
Morten Andersen
2,521
2
Cris Carter
1,101
 
2
Gary Anderson
2,434
3
Tim Brown
1,094
 
3
George Blanda
2,002
4
Marvin Harrison
1,042
 
4
Matt Stover
1,813
5
Andre Reed
951
 
5
John Carney
1,806
6
Art Monk
940
 
6
Jason Elam
1,775
7
Isaac Bruce
933
 
7
Norm Johnson
1,736
8
Keenan McCardell
883
 
8
Nick Lowery
1,711
9
Terrell Owens
877
 
9
Jan Stenerud
1,699
10
Jimmy Smith
862
 
10
Jason Hanson
1,641
11
Irving Fryar
851
 
11
Eddie Murray
1,594
12
Rod Smith
849
 
12
Al Del Greco
1,584
13
Larry Centers
827
 
13
John Kasay
1,490
14
Steve Largent
819
 
14
Steve Christie
1,476
15
Shannon Sharpe
815
 
15
Pat Leahy
1,470
16T
Henry Ellard
814
 
16
Jim Turner
1,439
16T
Keyshawn Johnson
814
 
17
Matt Bahr
1,422
18
Tony Gonzalez
803
 
18
Jeff Wilkins
1,403
19
Torry Holt
795
 
19
Mark Moseley
1,382
20
Marshall Faulk
767
 
20
Jim Bakken
1,380
             
Italics denotes Hall of Famers
Bold denotes players active during 2007 season
 
Statistics courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau

AAFC Stats: The Pro Football Hall of Fame began tracking the Top 20 career leaders at the conclusion of the 1968 season.  These lists were maintained in a museum display and later on our website.  One difference from the Hall of Fame’s lists from other similar statistical lists was that they included the stats from the defunct All-America Football Conference (AAFC) that operated from 1946-49. 

When the Hall’s Top 20 debuted in 1968, there were nine players on the lists that had connections to the AAFC.  Today, there are only two players who would rank among the Top 20 if their stats from the AAFC were included.  Otto Graham’s passer rating combining AAFC and NFL stats would equal 86.63.  Lou “The Toe” Groza’s career point total would be 1,608 points if the 259 he scored in the AAFC were recognized by the NFL.  That would place him among the Top 20 scorers of all-time.


Related Links:
Top 20 at start of 2007 season - leaders in 15 statistical categories