Last week, I noted that Calvin Johnson was trying to become just the third player since 1970 to lead the NFL in receiving yards in consecutive seasons. The rushing crown is much more likely to go to the same player; in fact, ten rushing champions since 1973 also led the league in rushing yards in the prior season.
Maurice Jones-Drew led the league in rushing in 2011, but isn’t going to repeat in 2012. Who was the last player to win the rushing crown in consecutive years?
LaDainian Tomlinson only won two rushing crowns, but he did so in consecutive seasons, when he gained 1,815 yards in 2006 and 1,474 yards in 2007. Since the AFL-NFL merger, O.J. Simpson (’72/’73; ’75/’76), Earl Campbell (’78/’79’80), Eric Dickerson (’83/’84), Emmitt Smith (’91, ’92, and ’93), Sanders, James, and Tomlinson are the only players to lead the league in rushing yards in consecutive years.
