Barry Sanders vs Emmitt Smith

Barry Sanders Emmitt Smith

Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith compared on their NFL careers: Barry Sanders played 10 seasons, 1989 to 1998, Emmitt Smith 15 seasons, 1990 to 2004. Barry Sanders has 15,269 rushing yards to Emmitt Smith's 18,355. Emmitt Smith won 3 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith career totals

153	GP	226
15,269	YDS	18,355
99	TD	164
5	AVG	4.2

How do they compare in the playoffs?

Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith postseason

6	GP	17
386	YDS	1,586
1	TD	19
4.2	AVG	4.5

Where each stands all time

Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith all-time places

3rd (15,269)	Rushing yards	1st (18,355)
8th (99)	Rushing touchdowns	1st (164)

Among the NFL players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

Barry Sanders: 0 championships; Offensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year ×2, MVP
Emmitt Smith: 3 championships; Offensive Rookie of the Year, MVP, Super Bowl MVP

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith season by season

1st	1989	1,470	14	5.3	1990	937	11	3.9
2nd	1990	1,304	13	5.1	1991	1,563	12	4.3
3rd	1991	1,548	16	4.5	1992	1,713	18	4.6
4th	1992	1,352	9	4.3	1993	1,486	9	5.3
5th	1993	1,115	3	4.6	1994	1,484	21	4.0
6th	1994	1,883	7	5.7	1995	1,773	25	4.7
7th	1995	1,500	11	4.8	1996	1,204	12	3.7
8th	1996	1,553	11	5.1	1997	1,074	4	4.1
9th	1997	2,053	11	6.1	1998	1,332	13	4.2
10th	1998	1,491	4	4.3	1999	1,397	11	4.2
11th	—	—	—	—	2000	1,203	9	4.1
12th	—	—	—	—	2001	1,021	3	3.9
13th	—	—	—	—	2002	975	5	3.8
14th	—	—	—	—	2003	256	2	2.8
15th	—	—	—	—	2004	937	9	3.5