Bama in the NFL, Week 16 Tracker: Top 5 Crimson Tide Career Rushing Leaders
We're going to continue with our theme of all-time Alabama Crimson Tide leaders in the NFL (and giving you material to stump your family and friends over the holidays), this time focussing on the running backs. We're going to warn you up front that this one is a little tricky because of the final selection(s).
Give it a shot without looking. Name the top five career rushers among former Alabama players in the NFL. If you're like most Alabama fans you'll rattle off three or four names and then stall out while trying to come up with the end of the list. Our advice on this one is try not to overthink it.
Note that to be be considered for the NFL career rushing leaders list, a player must have at least 750 rushing attempts during his career.
1. Derrick Henry
He's 23rd on the all-time list and climbing, with 10,976 career rushing yards. Derrick Henry needs roughly 250 yards to be in the top 20. With 1,474 rushing yards so this season, he's on pace to finish exactly there, No. 20, surpassing Corey Dillion, O.J. Simpson and LeSean McCoy. He would be 1,447 yards out of the top 10.
2. Sean Alexander
Shaun Alexander finished his career with 9,453 rushing yards, which is 37th on the all-time list. The 2005 NFL MVP is also ninth for rushing touchdowns (100), and Henry just passed him (103). However, Alexander has not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, or even been a semifinalist in the voting, much to the disappointment of Crimson Tide and Seattle Seahawk fans alike.
3. Mark Ingram II
Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner in 2009, wrapped up his NFL career in 2022 with 8,111 rushing yards, which is currently 50th all-time. Mark Ingram II had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and had a career-best 1,124 yards for the New Orleans Saints 2017. It was the only time he topped 1,500 scrimmage yards (thanks in part to 58 receptions for 416 yards). His career high for touchdowns, rushing and receiving, was 15 in 2019 for the Baltimore Ravens.
4. Josh Jacobs
If your initial thought was Josh Jacobs hasn't been in the league long enough to be in the top five, surprise! He's No. 79 all-time with 6,692 rushing yards, and on pace to be in the top 70 by the end of the regular season. At age 26, the top 25 seems more than possible if the 2022 rushing king can stay healthy.
5. Najee Harris
Yep, he qualifies with 1,000-plus carries since being a first-round draft pick in 2021. Najee Harris is on pace to notch his fourth straight 1,000-season in rushing yards, but still has a career total of 4,160 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That has him at No. 220 among the all-time leaders, and he could be in the top 200 by the end of this season.
Bonus: Who is the only other former Alabama player in the top 250 for NFL career rushing yards?
Kenyan Drake, but he probably won't be there for long. With 3,866 career rushing yards he's hanging on near the end of the list at No. 248.
Incidentally, Alvin Kamara, who had a cup of coffee with the Crimson Tide but never played in a game for Alabama, is No. 77 (6,779 rushing yards). John David Crow, who won the only Heisman Trophy under Paul W. "Bear" Bryant and was an assistant coach at Alabama, is No. 161 (4,963). Wilbur Jackson (971 attempts, 3,852 yards), and Eddie Lacy (857, 3,614) have enough attempts, but not enough yards to make the top 250.
Notable running backs who don't qualify include Tony Nathan (732 attempts, 3,543 yards), Bobby Humphrey (695, 2,857), and Trent Richardson (614, 2,032). For those wondering about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, he has 671 attempts for 3,092 yards.
See Also
NFL Week 16 Tracker
For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our Bama in the NFL Week 16 Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded.
In case you want to see last week's statistics: Bama in the NFL Week 15 Tracker.
Game of the Week
Why would we pick two teams with losing records with the Cleveland Browns (3-11) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) when there's the obvious matchup of Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) at Baltimore Ravens (9-5)? Granted, both are great rivalry games with no love between the teams, but the Bengals still have a shot at the AFC playoffs, while Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts have the same record. Consequently, they're all essentially playing elimination games in hopes of catching the 8-6 Chargers (who are playing the 9-5 Broncos in another top matchup this weekend) for the final wild-card spot. In other words, it's desperation time, which can often make for interesting December games. Jordan Battle and Jermaine Burton are on the Bengals, with Jerry Jeudy and Dalvin Tomlinson active for the Browns.
Best Matchup
Jacobs vs. Alvin Kamara. Yes, it's been another pretty lousy year for the Saints, while the Packers are playoff-bound. Interestingly, Kamara needs just seven scrimmage yards (rushing and receiving) for his fourth career 1,500-yard season. Jacobs need 51 yards to hit the milestone for the second time.
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Contracts, Status of Former Crimson Tide Players
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Bama in the NFL: Week 16 Notes
- The knee injury suffered by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs didn't just end his season, but could keep him sidelined for part of the 2025 season as well. Although the cornerback had been playing with the injury, the cartilage damage could take roughly eight months of rehab, which means he'll miss training camp and probably more.
- When the Houston Texans defeated the Miami Dolphins last week, 20-12, and the Indianapolis Colts lost, the Texans clinched the AFC South for the second straight season. DeMeco Ryans became just the sixth head coach since 2000 to win a division in each of his first two seasons (Jim Caldwell, Jim Harbaugh, Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay and Mike Tomlin).
- Hurts is aiming for the third 11-game winning streak of his career, the others being in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He's already just the fifth quarterback since 1950 with at least three double-digit streaks (John Elway, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes). That's pretty elite company.
- Here's one for you history fans: When Davante Adams had nine receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns at Jacksonville last week, he tied Don Hutson with 18 games with at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns, for the fourth most in NFL history (Jerry Rice 27,Randy Moss 26 and Marvin Harrison 22 the top three). However, Hutson did it during a non-passing era and with fewer games on the schedule. He was also the NFL's MVP during both the 1941 and 1942 seasons.
- Two former Crimson Tide players are in the top five heading into the final week of fan voting for the 2024 Pro Bowl. Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley leads with 108,016 votes, ahead of Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo quarterbackJosh Allen, followed by Baltimore running back Derrick Henry (99,346), and Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs (94,940). Leading their positions are Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey in the AFC and Detroit safety Brian Branch in the NFC. Voting ends Monday at ProBowl.com/Vote
How to Watch: NFL Schedule Week 16
Thursday's Games
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:15 p.m. CT (Prime Video)
Saturday's Games
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs, noon (NBC)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 3:30 p.m. (Fox)
Sunday's Games
New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons, noon (Fox)
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers, noon (Fox)
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears, noon (Fox)
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts, noon (CBS)
Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets, noon (CBS)
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, noon (Fox)
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals, noon (CBS)
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday's Games
New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)