The Historic Season of Jamaal Charles

Jamaal Charles had a remarkable run over the last half of the 2009 season. His race to 1,120 yards is all the more remarkable given the fact that nobody with fewer than his 190 carries has ever topped 1,100 yards.

Simply put, nobody in football history gained more yards on less carries than Charles. 

The fewest carries for a 1,000-yard season was done in 1934, as Beattie Feathers of the Chicago Bears ran for 1,004 yards on just 119 carries in 11 games. That was a remarkable performance from the early days of the league, an average of 8.4 yards per carry and 91.3 yards per game.

Seven other runners reached the 1,000-yard mark with fewer than the 190 carries that Charles had during the ‘09 season. But none ran for more than 1,071 yards.

That’s what makes Charles performance all the more noteworthy. Before Charles season, the fewest carries any running back had in reaching 1,100 yards or more was the 1966 performance of Leroy Kelly with the Cleveland Browns. In 14 games, Kelly ran 209 times for 1,141, at 5.5 yards per carry.

Back  Team  Year     Games    Carries Yards   Avg.
Beattie Feathers Chicago Bears 1934

11

119

1,004

8.4

Michael Vick Atlanta 2006

16

123

1,039

8.5

Joe Perry San Francisco 1954

12

173

1,049

6.1

Paul Lowe San Diego 1963

14

177

1,010

5.7

Derrick Ward N.Y. Giants 2008

16

182

1,025

5.6

John David Crow St. Louis 1960

12

183

1,071

5.9

Stump Mitchell St. Louis 1985

16

183

1,006

5.5

Franco Harris Pittsburgh 1972

14

188

1,055

5.6

Mercury Morris Miami 1972

14

190

1,000

5.3

JAMAAL CHARLES CHIEFS 2009

15

190

1,120

5.9

 

Here are the fewest carries that pushed running backs over the 100-yard markers from 1,000 to 2,000 yards:

Over   Carries  Yards  Running Back Year Team
1,000

119

1,004 Beattie Feathers 1934 Chicago Bears
1,100

190

1,120 JAMAAL CHARLES 2009 CHIEFS
1,200

215

1,257 Jim Brown 1960 Cleveland
1,300

238

1,341 Adrian Peterson 2007 Minnesota
1,400

272

1,474 Jim Taylor 1962 Green Bay
1,500

252

1,527 Jim Brown 1958 Cleveland
1,600

312

1,695 Frank Gore 2006 San Francisco
1,700

336

1,750 LARRY JOHNSON 2005 CHIEFS
1,800

291

1,863 Jim Brown 1963 Cleveland
1,900

373

1,934 Earl Campbell 1980 Houston
2,000

332

2,003 O.J. Simpson 1973 Buffalo

5 Responses to “The Historic Season of Jamaal Charles”

  • January 12, 2010  - Adam R says:

    The Boston Herald is reporting that Romeo Crennel has agreed to join the defensive staff of the Kansas City Chiefs in a currently undisclosed position. Well lets see… I bet its not just going to be the linebackers coach. Haha. I love how as soon as he gets back from vacation Mon Jan 11 this report comes out just after midnight Tues the 12th. I guess the Giants never really had a chance anyways.


  • January 12, 2010  - alex k says:

    family atmosphere…this is a winning move…

    charles and cassel will be stars…

    welcome to the new decade of KC Chiefs football, to fail, means two of the best coordinators in the NFL who have something to prove, would have to fail…The Best GM candidate in years would have to fail…

    Playoffs within 2 seasons.


  • January 12, 2010  - gorillafan says:

    1ST HALF OF THE SEASON I WANTED AN ALMOST ENTIRE NEW O-LINE. BUT IN THE 2ND HALF WITH LESS SACKS–BETTER 3RD DOWNS–AND CHARLES RUNNING LIKE A MAD MAN, NOW THE O-LINE DOESNT LOOK SO BAD!!


  • January 12, 2010  - Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 1/12 says:

    [...] The Historic Season of Jamaal Charles from Bob Gretz [...]


  • January 14, 2010  - Tom says:

    I dont know what the O lines of the other guys on this list were like (except for the LJ year) but the O line this year was mostly terrible. That makes Charles that much more special. Plus with Athletes today training all their lives all year round, The league is just bigger faster and stronger than in years past. I think coaching is more developed too. I think charles just like Priest Holmes just makes things happen with speed and moves.


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