Chicago Bears All-Time Rushing Yards Leaders

Chicago Bears all-time rushing yards leaders starts with Walter Payton, who still owns the franchise record with 16,726 regular-season rushing yards. Matt Forte ranks second, Neal Anderson is third, and Rick Casares and Gale Sayers complete a top five that shows why Chicago has always been tied so closely to running backs.

This list uses regular-season Chicago Bears franchise rushing yards only. Playoff and preseason rushing stats are not included.

For the full franchise index, visit our Chicago Bears all-time leaders and player rankings hub.

How This Bears Rushing Yards List Works

This ranking is based on regular-season rushing yards recorded with the Chicago Bears franchise. Players are ranked by Bears-only rushing yards, not total NFL career rushing yards.

Last updated: 2026 offseason. D’Andre Swift is listed through the 2025 season, so his Bears total can change if he adds more rushing yards in future seasons.

1. Walter Payton: 16,726 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 1975-1987 with Chicago, franchise-record 16,726 rushing yards, 110 rushing touchdowns, NFL MVP, Super Bowl XX champion and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Walter Payton is the Chicago Bears all-time rushing yards leader, and the gap is enormous. His 16,726 rushing yards are nearly double Matt Forte’s total at No. 2.

Payton was the complete back. He ran with power, balance, vision and toughness, but he also gave Chicago value as a receiver, blocker and weekly offensive foundation.

The Bears have had several excellent backs, but this record is not close. Payton also leads the Chicago Bears all-time rushing touchdown leaders list, which makes him the clear standard for every Chicago back who came after him.

2. Matt Forte: 8,602 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 2008-2015 with Chicago, 8,602 rushing yards, 45 rushing touchdowns, 4,116 receiving yards and multiple Pro Bowl selections.

Matt Forte ranks second in Bears career rushing yards. He was one of the most complete offensive players Chicago has had in the modern era.

Forte was never just a traditional runner. He could handle volume, catch passes, protect the quarterback and stay productive even when the offense around him was inconsistent.

That all-around value is why Forte belongs near the top of the best Chicago Bears players of all-time conversation. Payton is in his own tier, but Forte is the strongest modern challenger on the Bears rushing leaderboard.

3. Neal Anderson: 6,166 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 1986-1993 with Chicago, 6,166 rushing yards, 51 rushing touchdowns and multiple Pro Bowl selections.

Neal Anderson ranks third on the Bears all-time rushing yards list. Replacing Walter Payton was an impossible assignment, but Anderson still built one of the best running back résumés in franchise history.

Anderson was productive as both a runner and receiver, and his 51 rushing touchdowns remain the second-best total in team history. He gave Chicago stability after Payton retired, which matters when judging his place in the franchise timeline.

His career is not always talked about enough because of who came before him. The numbers say he should be.

4. Rick Casares: 5,657 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 1955-1964 with Chicago, 5,657 rushing yards, 49 rushing touchdowns and multiple Pro Bowl seasons.

Rick Casares ranks fourth in Bears career rushing yards. Before Payton rewrote the record book, Casares was one of the franchise’s main rushing standards.

He played in a more physical, lower-volume era and still produced enough to remain near the top of the Bears rushing list decades later. His 49 rushing touchdowns also show he was not just a yardage compiler.

Casares was a tough, direct runner who carried a major offensive role for Chicago. His place in the top five is secure.

5. Gale Sayers: 4,956 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 1965-1971 with Chicago, 4,956 rushing yards, 39 rushing touchdowns, elite return production and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gale Sayers ranks fifth in rushing yards, but his impact was bigger than the total. At his peak, he was one of the most electric open-field runners the NFL has ever seen.

Sayers could erase angles, score from distance and turn ordinary plays into highlights. Injuries cut into his longevity, which is the only reason his rushing total is not much higher.

For this list, the yardage places him fifth. For pure talent and peak explosiveness, he sits even closer to the top of Bears history.

6. David Montgomery: 3,609 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 2019-2022 with Chicago, 3,609 rushing yards, 26 rushing touchdowns and reliable receiving production.

David Montgomery ranks sixth in Bears career rushing yards. His Chicago years were built on toughness, contact balance and steady production.

Montgomery often had to create yards through contact and did not always run behind ideal blocking. He consistently turned blocked-for-two plays into four or five, which made him one of the most dependable pieces of the Bears offense during his run.

He does not have the same franchise weight as the top five, but his production clearly belongs inside the top 10.

7. Thomas Jones: 3,493 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 2004-2006 with Chicago, 3,493 rushing yards, 22 rushing touchdowns and a key role on the 2006 NFC championship team.

Thomas Jones ranks seventh in Bears career rushing yards. His Chicago stay was short, but it was highly productive.

Jones gave the Bears a tough, dependable feature back and helped power the offense during the team’s run to Super Bowl XLI. He was not just a background piece on that roster. He gave Chicago balance when the defense was carrying the team identity.

Jones ranks behind Montgomery because Montgomery had 116 more Bears rushing yards, not because of a tie. That correction matters for a stat list.

8. Jordan Howard: 3,370 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 2016-2018 with Chicago, 3,370 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns and one Pro Bowl selection.

Jordan Howard ranks eighth after a strong three-year run in Chicago. His rookie season immediately put him on the franchise rushing map.

Howard was a downhill runner with vision, contact balance and enough burst to produce big games. He was not flashy, but he consistently found yards and gave the Bears a reliable rushing identity during an uneven offensive stretch.

Even with a shorter Bears tenure, his rushing total keeps him firmly in the top 10.

9. Anthony Thomas: 3,332 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 2001-2004 with Chicago, 3,332 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns and 2001 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Anthony Thomas ranks ninth on the Bears rushing yards list. Known as “A-Train,” he gave Chicago immediate backfield production and a strong rookie season.

Thomas ran with a physical style and looked like a long-term answer early in his career. His peak did not last as long as the Bears hoped, but the four-year total was enough to keep him inside the franchise top 10.

His spot here is about production, not nostalgia. He put enough yards on the board to stay in this group.

10. Roland Harper: 3,044 Rushing Yards

Chicago Bears Stats: 1975-1978 and 1980-1982 with Chicago, 3,044 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns and strong backfield value during the Walter Payton era.

Roland Harper rounds out the top 10 with 3,044 rushing yards. He was an important backfield partner during Payton’s prime years.

Harper’s value went beyond raw rushing volume. He contributed as a runner, receiver and physical complement in one of the most famous Bears backfields.

Being tied to the Payton era can make him easy to overlook, but Harper’s own production was real enough to hold a top-10 spot.

Biggest Takeaways

The biggest takeaway is Walter Payton’s lead. His 16,726 rushing yards remain one of the strongest franchise records in Bears history, and no other Chicago player has reached 9,000.

Matt Forte’s all-around value also stands out. Forte ranks second in rushing yards and added more than 4,000 receiving yards with the Bears, making him one of the most complete offensive players the franchise has had.

The bottom half of the top 10 is tight. David Montgomery, Thomas Jones, Jordan Howard and Anthony Thomas are separated by fewer than 300 rushing yards, which is why the order needs to be handled carefully.

Full Table: Chicago Bears All-Time Rushing Yards Leaders

Note: This table uses regular-season Chicago Bears franchise rushing stats only.

FAQ: Chicago Bears All-Time Rushing Yards Leaders

Who has the most rushing yards in Chicago Bears history?

Walter Payton has the most rushing yards in Chicago Bears history with 16,726 regular-season rushing yards.

Who is second in Bears career rushing yards?

Matt Forte ranks second in Chicago Bears career rushing yards with 8,602 rushing yards.

Who has the most rushing touchdowns in Bears history?

Walter Payton also has the most rushing touchdowns in Bears history with 110 regular-season rushing touchdowns.

Where does Gale Sayers rank in Bears rushing yards?

Gale Sayers ranks fifth in Chicago Bears career rushing yards with 4,956 rushing yards.

Why is Thomas Jones ranked seventh instead of sixth?

Thomas Jones is ranked seventh because he had 3,493 rushing yards with the Bears, which is behind David Montgomery’s 3,609 rushing yards. They are not tied.

Are playoff rushing yards included in this Bears ranking?

No. This ranking uses regular-season Chicago Bears rushing yards only. Playoff and preseason stats are not included.

Conclusion: Walter Payton Still Owns the Bears Rushing Record

Walter Payton remains the Chicago Bears all-time rushing yards leader with 16,726 regular-season yards. Matt Forte is second, Neal Anderson is third, and Rick Casares and Gale Sayers round out a top five that covers different eras of Bears football.

The Bears have always been tied to physical football, and this leaderboard proves it. From Payton and Sayers to Forte, Anderson, Montgomery and Jones, Chicago has had several memorable backs carry the offense across different generations.

More Bears and NFL Rankings

For the full franchise picture, visit our Chicago Bears all-time leaders and player rankings hub.

You can also read our related Bears pages for the best Chicago Bears players of all-time, Chicago Bears all-time rushing touchdown leaders, Chicago Bears all-time passing yards leaders and Chicago Bears all-time receiving yards leaders.

For broader NFL history, check out our most rushing yards in NFL history tier list, the most rushing yards in a single season list, the best running backs of all-time, the NFL team all-time player rankings hub and the main NFL page. You can also follow SOG Football on Instagram for more NFL rankings and football history graphics.