NFL playoff rushing yards record: How Derrick Henry compares to Emmitt Smith, more all-time greats

NFL records are split into two categories: the regular season and the playoffs. Regular-season records are the ones most often cited, as every team is playing the same number of games and players are on even playing fields.

The playoffs are separated from those record, as only a portion of the league advances to the playoffs initially, and that number shrinks each round leading up to the Super Bowl.

Still, there have been players that have risen above the others with their playoff performances. Some have benefitted from multiple playoff trips, while others just seem to take as step forward with the heightened stakes of the postseason.

Here is who holds the rushing record for the NFL playoffs, and how Ravens running back Derrick Henry compares. 

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NFL playoff rushing yards record

Rank	Player Name	Yards
1.	Emmitt Smith	1,586
2.	Franco Harris	1,556
3.	Thurman Thomas	1,442
4.	Tony Dorsett	1,383
5.	Marcus Allen	1,347
6.	Terrell Davis	1,140
7.	Derrick Henry	1,002
8.	John Riggins	996
9.	Marshawn Lynch	970
10.	Larry Csonka	891

Smith is synonymous with rushing records. He has the most career rushing yards (18,355), rushing touchdowns (164) and rushing attempts (4,409). Smith continued this dominance in the playoffs, rushing for 1,586 yards with the Cowboys over 17 games. 

Harris played 19 games in the postseason with the Steelers. He won four Super Bowls when he was with Pittsburgh, and held the playoff rushing yards record until Smith broke it in 2000. Thomas came close to catching Harris, but came up just short. He played in 21 playoff games for the Bills, and was part of their infamous four consecutive Super Bowl losses. 

Henry is the highest-ranked active player on the list. Despite spending the majority of his career so far with the Titans, he had played in seven playoff games for the franchise. Henry has added two games with the Ravens, cracking 1,00 career playoff yards in the process. 

MORE NFL PLAYOFFS:

Derrick Henry postseason game log

Game	Date	Opponent	Rushing Yards
1.	01-06-18	Chiefs	156
2.	01-13-18	Patriots	28
3.	01-04-20	Patriots	182
4.	01-11-20	Ravens	195
5.	01-19-20	Chiefs	69
6.	01-10-21	Ravens	40
7.	01-22-22	Bengals	62
8.	01-11-25	Steelers	186
9.	01-19-25	Ravens	84

Henry has ben known to dominate in the playoffs, cracking 150 yards in four games. He put together a strong game on Sunday night against the Bills, but it was certainly not a ceiling outcome for Henry.