49ers surpass Ravens for rushing records after NFL incorporates AAFC stats
Published Apr 5, 2025 at 7:26 AM
The above videos are auto-populated by an affiliate.
The 2019 Baltimore Ravens rushed for an impressive 3,296 yards during the regular season, setting what was then the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single season—until now.
This week, the NFL announced it would begin incorporating statistics from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) into its official record books. The San Francisco 49ers, who played in the AAFC from 1946 to 1949 before joining the NFL in 1950, have overtaken the Ravens for the top spot in the league's rushing history.
At the NFL's annual meetings in Florida, league owners approved a proposal from the competition committee to officially include player, coach, and team stats from the AAFC era into the NFL's historical records.
As a result, the 49ers now hold the record for the most rushing yards in a single season—a staggering 3,663 yards, achieved during the 1948 campaign. Until this week, the NFL didn't recognize those numbers in its record books.
Johnny Strzykalski led that dominant ground attack with 915 rushing yards, followed by Joe "The Jet" Perry with 562 and Forrest Hall with 413. Quarterback Frankie Albert also chipped in, adding 349 rushing yards of his own.
But that wasn't the only mark the 49ers claimed. San Francisco also averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt in 1948, eclipsing the Ravens' previous record of 5.8 yards per carry, achieved this past season. Perry and Strzykalski averaged career-best rushing yards per attempt in 1948, with 7.3 and 6.5 yards, respectively.
Nobody's perfect. Did you find a mistake in this article?
Report it.
Comments
Do not use the comments to notify us of errors in the article. Editors may not see it. Instead, report errors here.
More San Francisco 49ers News
Jalen Reeves-Maybin named top free agent fit for 49ers after Dre Greenlaw exit
With Dre Greenlaw departing in free agency, the San Francisco 49ers are expected to target linebacker help in next week's draft. However, one Pro Football Network contributor believes there's still a veteran free agent who could bolster defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's...
49ers and the NFL Draft: What you see is not always what you get
Vegas gives you the odds, but I am not a betting man. So I will give you the percentages.
In his time as general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, John Lynch has made 65 selections in the NFL draft. Of those, I count 16 obvious successes (or look-to-be successes), or roughly...
PFF outlines worst-case scenario for 49ers in 2025 NFL Draft
Pro Football Focus (PFF) contributor Bradley Locker recently examined the worst-case scenarios for all 32 teams in the 2025 NFL Draft. For the San Francisco 49ers, he focused on the team's most pressing offseason need—rebuilding a depleted defensive line. According to...
NFL suspends 49ers offensive lineman for six games
The NFL has suspended San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Isaac Alarcón for six games without pay for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
The NFL announced a six-game suspension without pay for 49ers OL Isaac Alarcon or violating the...