They absorb as much punishment as any skill position during the regular season – so imagine how satisfying it must be for a star running back to punctuate the end of a physical year with a rushing touchdown in the Super Bowl.
The attrition rate for even the greatest running backs of all time is high, so it's not surprising that even scoring three Super Bowl rushing TDs in a career is enough to rank inside the top-five all-time. And let's not limit Super Bowl rushing scores to running backs: as you'll see from this list, QBs like to get in on the act, as well.
Let's celebrate the seven players that have scored the most rushing touchdowns all-time in Super Bowl history.
All-Time Super Bowl Rushing Touchdown Leaders
| Rank | Player | Appearances | Rushing TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Emmitt Smith* |
3 | 5 |
| T2 |  John Elway* |
5 | 4 |
| T2 |  Franco Harris* |
4 | 4 |
| T2 |  Thurman Thomas* |
4 | 4 |
| T3 | Terrell Davis* |
2 | 3 |
| T3 |  Jalen Hurts** |
1 | 3 |
| T3 |  James White |
3 | 3 |
16 others tied at 2.
*Pro Football Hall of Famer
**Active
Editor's Note: Super Bowls below are listed as part of the NFL season, not the date the game was played. For example, Super Bowl XXVII took place on Jan. 31, 1993, but was the last game of the 1992 NFL postseason.
1. Emmitt Smith (5 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl XXVII (1992): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXVIII (1993): 2 TDs
- Super Bowl XXX (1995): 2 TDs
The NFL's all-time leading rusher knows a thing or two about being at the top of his field – and nowhere is this more significant than when it comes to his Super Bowl resume.
Smith was the ground-game catalyst for Dallas' two one-sided wins over the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990s, racking up a combined 240 rushing yards and three scores in those victories. His yards impact was muted in his third Super Bowl appearance, but he still found the end zone twice as Dallas upended the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 at Super Bowl XXX.
Smith almost certainly won't own this record forever – but the fact he's held it for three decades is a testament to his greatness.
T2. John Elway (4 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl XXI (1986): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXII (1987): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXIV (1989): 0 TDs
- Super Bowl XXXII (1997): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXXIII (1998): 1 TD
We rightly praise Tom Brady for establishing Super Bowl passing records that will only be broken if another Tom Brady comes along (prognosis: not good). But when it comes to Super Bowl QB rushing scores, Elway is the gold standard.
The Hall of Famer appeared in five Super Bowls, and scored a rushing touchdown in four – a remarkable achievement at a time when QB scores were far less common. And he's one of only two players in NFL history to record a rushing TD in four different NFL title games.
Elway might have an overall losing record for his career in Super Bowl games, but no QB has been better at calling his own number in the Big Game.
T2. Franco Harris (4 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl IX (1974): 1 TD
- Super Bowl X (1975): 0 TDs
- Super Bowl XIII (1978): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XIV (1979): 2 TDs
Harris might get more attention for his role in the "Immaculate Reception" than for many of his career achievements, but let's give the man his roses: He was a fantastic rusher, particularly near the opponent's end zone.
Racking up double-digit rushing touchdowns in five different seasons is evidence enough. But we should also add his four rushing scores in as many Super Bowl appearances, the first coming as part of a 34-carry, 158-yard masterpiece in a 16-6 win over Minnesota at Super Bowl IX.
Even as his yards-per-carry average lagged in his fourth and final NFL title game appearance, Harris still punched in a pair of one-yard touchdowns, the second of which iced a 31-19 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl XIV.
T2. Thurman Thomas (4 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl XXV (1990): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXVI (1991): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXVII (1992): 1 TD
- Super Bowl XXVIII (1993): 1 TD
Any appearance by a Buffalo Bills player on an all-time list of Super Bowl accomplishments is tainted by the team's ignominious 0-4 record in those games. But the losses shouldn't detract from those players' standout performances – especially Bills running back Thurman Thomas's.
Thomas is the only running back in NFL history with rushing scores in four different Super Bowls, with his best effort – 190 all-purpose yards and a score – ultimately going to waste in a 20-19 heartbreaker to the New York Giants at Super Bowl XXV.
Thomas struggled to do much on the ground in his three other appearances (finishing with just 69 total yards on 37 carries), but his TDs in each provided the Bills with more than a third of their total points scored in those three matchups.
T3. Terrell Davis (3 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl XXXII (1997): 3 TDs
- Super Bowl XXXIII (1998): 0 TDs
Any list of running backs we wish played longer needs to feature Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis, who played parts of just seven seasons (and only four in which he wasn't dealing with major injury woes.)
In addition to being one of just eight players in league history with a 2,000-yard rushing season, Davis also owns one of the most incredible Super Bowl rushing performances. The Hall of Fame Class of 2017 member rumbled for 157 yards and three touchdowns as the Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers at Super Bowl XXXII.
Davis "only" had 102 scoreless yards the following Super Bowl, but the Broncos didn't need more as they prevailed 34-19 over the Atlanta Falcons to complete their title defense.
T3. Jalen Hurts (3 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl LVII (2022): 3 TDs
Say what you will about the Tush Push, but it might just lead to an NFL record one day.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts put the full force of his rushing prowess – and his offensive line's sturdiness – on display at Super Bowl LVII, tying an NFL record with three rushing scores in a 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the most entertaining NFL title games ever. He also threw for 304 yards and a score.
Given Hurts' penchant for finding the end zone (he came into 2024 with 38 rushing scores in his previous three seasons, and has 14 so far this year), it might only take one more Super Bowl appearance for the 2020 second-round pick to become the all-time king of Super Bowl rushing TDs.
T3. James White (3 touchdowns)
- Super Bowl LI (2016): 2 TDs
- Super Bowl LII (2017): 1 TD
- Super Bowl LII (2018): 0 TDs
New England Patriots running back James White is an easy player to miss. He wasn't a superstar like the others on this list, but every time White had the ball, there was a chance of something magical happening.
The entire football-watching world found that out first-hand at Super Bowl LI, when White scored two rushing TDs (one in the final minute of regulation to tie the game, the second in OT to win it) while adding 110 receiving yards and a score in the Patriots' astounding 34-28 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.
His subsequent Super Bowl showings were less electrifying, but he did add a score the following year and managed a respectable 224 all-purpose yards in three title game appearances.
