Arizona Cardinals Rushing First Downs Leaders

Career totals with the Cardinals and the best single seasons in club history. Includes the 2026 season through October 19: these records are rebuilt every night, so a mark set yesterday is here this morning. Seasons before 1922 are not in the source. Figures before 1932 are reconstructions; the NFL kept no official statistics. Chicago Cardinals 1922-1959, St. Louis Cardinals 1960-1987, Phoenix Cardinals 1988-1993. 1944: merged with Pittsburgh as Card-Pitt. Merged-season player lines count for both franchises, as Pro-Football-Reference's franchise histories do. No schedule length in the source for 1944, so no season line that year qualifies for a rate board.

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James Conner holds the Cardinals career record with 232 rushing first downs. The single-season record is 72, by David Johnson in 2016.

YDS TD Y/A ATT Y/G 1D FL

All-time Cardinals leaders

Career totals with the club

#	Player	With the club	1D	G
1	James Conner	2021–2025	232	60
2	Kyler Murray	2019–2025	179	87
3	David Johnson	2015–2019	177	61
4	Edgerrin James	2006–2008	136	45
5	Marcel Shipp	2001–2007	116	81
5	Chris Wells	2009–2012	116	51
7	Kenyan Drake	2019–2020	101	23
8	Tim Hightower	2008–2010	97	48
9	Chase Edmonds	2018–2021	80	56
10	Andre Ellington	2013–2017	72	59
11	Thomas Jones	2000–2002	66	39
12	Emmitt Smith	2003–2004	56	25
13	Kerwynn Williams	2014–2017	45	31
14	Rashard Mendenhall	2013	43	15
15	Chris Johnson	2015–2017	39	19
16	Michael Carter	2023–2025	35	22
17	Emari Demercado	2023–2025	29	36
18	J.J. Arrington	2005–2008	28	57
19	Jacoby Brissett	2025–2026	27	20
20	Bam Knight	2025–2026	25	15
20	Josh McCown	2002–2005	25	32
20	LaRod Stephens-Howling	2009–2012	25	57
20	Stepfan Taylor	2013–2016	25	36
24	Trey Benson	2024–2025	20	16
25	Joshua Dobbs	2023	19	8

Single-season Cardinals records

Best seasons in club history

#	Player	Season	1D	G
1	David Johnson	2016	72	16
2	James Conner	2024	67	16
3	Kenyan Drake	2020	59	15
3	Edgerrin James	2006	59	16
5	James Conner	2023	57	13
6	James Conner	2021	53	15
6	Edgerrin James	2007	53	16
8	Kyler Murray	2020	52	16
9	David Johnson	2018	51	16
10	James Conner	2022	48	13
10	Chris Wells	2011	48	14
12	Rashard Mendenhall	2013	43	15
12	Marcel Shipp	2002	43	15
14	Kenyan Drake	2019	42	8
14	Michael Pittman	2001	42	15
16	Emmitt Smith	2004	41	15
17	Chris Wells	2009	39	16
18	Marcel Shipp	2003	37	16
19	Michael Pittman	2000	35	16
20	Tim Hightower	2008	34	16
20	David Johnson	2015	34	16
22	Tim Hightower	2009	33	16
23	Chase Edmonds	2021	32	12
24	Chris Johnson	2015	31	11
25	Tim Hightower	2010	30	16