If you follow the NFL, you probably hear a lot about the need to establish the run game and have a solid defense. It all sounds well and good, but let’s be realistic… today’s game depends more on quarterbacks and receivers than running backs.
NFL runners who reach 1,000 yards for the season are still a well-sought-after milestone in today’s game. In 2022, there were 16 running backs that surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark. If we look back over the past 53 years of the NFL (since 1970), there have been 645 times in those 53 years that a running back had a 1,000-yard season.
(Note: pro-football-reference.com lists a player’s age for the season as the age of that player on December 31 of that season.)
Most 1,000-yard rushers in the NFL are in the 24-26 age range
But in looking at the age of these 1,000-yard rushers since 1970, there is a very distinct pattern: Most of these players have been in the 24-26 age range. In fact, 283 of the 645 1,000-yard rushers (44%) since that ’70 season (the first year of the AFL-NFL merger) was either 24, 25 or 26 years of age in that milestone season.
Running backs reaching 1,000 yards in a season in their 30’s is rare. The last 30-something running back to reach this milestone was in 2019 when Baltimore’s Mark Ingram had 1,018 rushing yards in his age 30 season. Of the 645 1,000-yard rushers since 1970, only 49 were in their 30’s, only 7.6% of the list.
Looking at the 16 players who reached 1,000 yards rushing last season, 10 of the 16 were under the age of 26. The breakdown from last year: 29 years old (1), 28 (1), 27 (3), 26 (1), 25 (3), 24 (3), 23 (2), and 22 (2).
Age breakdown of 1,000-yard rushers since 1970
Here’s a look at the age of the 645 players who reached 1,000 yards rushing since 1970.
Age # of runners
35 1
34 1
33 3
32 7
31 13
30 24
29 42
28 61
27 79
26 98
25 94
24 91
23 74
22 44
21 13
Green Bay’s Aaron Jones collected his third 1,000-yard rushing season in 2022 in his age 28 season. Of the Packers’ 26 1,000-yard rushers in their history, only one was in his age 30 season: Tony Canadeo in 1949 had 1,052 rushing yards in his age 30 season. Exactly half (13 of the 26) were in their age 25, 26 or 27 season.
Age breakdown of 1,000-yard rushers in Packers history
Here is an age breakdown of Packers 1,000-yard rushers:
Age # of runners
30 1
29 3
28 2
27 4
26 5
25 4
24 3
23 4
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