Curtis charting a course past a Panther in '05
Just as he often popped up, cutting and darting to daylight through opposing defenses, Curtis Martin's name jumps out numerous times in the NFL's 2007 Record & Fact Book, mostly as the result of his tirelessness in running with the ball and gaining yardage.
The one NFL record he holds, along with Barry Sanders, is not listed separately in the Record & Fact Book, although it is repeated frequently as a measure of his productivity and durability: Martin and Sanders have the most consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from the start of a career, 10.
Here are the official NFL record book entries where Martin's name appears:
RUSHING
Most Attempts, Career
4,409 Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1990-2002; Arizona, 2003-04
3,838 Walter Payton, Chicago, 1975-1987
3,518 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995-97; N.Y. Jets, 1998-2005
Most Seasons, 1,000 or More Yards Rushing
11 Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1991-2001
10 Walter Payton, Chicago, 1976-1981, 1983-86
10 Barry Sanders, Detroit, 1989-1998
10 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995-97; N.Y. Jets, 1998-2004
8 Franco Harris, Pittsburgh, 1972, 1974-79, 1983
8 Tony Dorsett, Dallas, 1977-1981, 1983-85
8 Thurman Thomas, Buffalo, 1989-1996
8 Jerome Bettis, L.A. Rams, 1993-94; Pittsburgh, 1996-2001
Most Consecutive Seasons, 1,000 or More Yards Rushing
11 Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1991-2001
10 Barry Sanders, Detroit, 1989-1998
10 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995-97; N.Y. Jets, 1998-2004
8 Thurman Thomas, Buffalo, 1989-1996
Most Touchdowns, Rookie, Season
18 Eric Dickerson, L.A. Rams, 1983
15 Ickey Woods, Cincinnati, 1988
15 Mike Anderson, Denver, 2000
15 Clinton Portis, Denver, 2002
14 Gale Sayers, Chicago, 1965
14 Barry Sanders, Detroit, 1989
14 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995
14 Fred Taylor, Jacksonville, 1998
COMB INED NET YARDS GAINED
Most Attempts, Career
4,939 Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1990-2002; Arizona, 2003-04
4,368 Walter Payton, Chicago, 1975-1987
4,016 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995-97; N.Y. Jets, 1998-2005
Most Attempts, Rookie, Season
442 Eric Dickerson, L.A. Rams, 1983
433 Edgerrin James, Indianapolis, 1999
401 Curtis Martin, New England, 1995
Martin appears several more times in the NFL's postseason records section, with his most prominent entry hearkening back to the Jets' home playoff win after the 1998 season over Jacksonville, in which he carried 36 times for 124 yards, caught six passes for 58 yards and scored on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs.
COMBINED NET YARDS GAINED, POSTSEASON
Most Attempts, Game
43 Lamar Smith, AFC-FR: Miami vs. Indianapolis, 2000 (OT)
42 Curtis Martin, AFC-D: N.Y. Jets vs. Jacksonville, 1998
40 Lawrence McCutcheon, NFC-D: Los Angeles vs. St. Louis, 1975
Additionally, Martin is listed with the following distinctions and rankings:
- In 2004, he led the NFL with 1,697 rushing yards.
- He's tied for 19th all-time with Franco Harris with 100 touchdowns scored.
- He's fourth all-time with 14,101 rushing yards.
- He's 10th all-time with 17,421 combined yards (which includes all return yardage).
- He's seventh all-time with 17,430 yards.
This also appears in the Record & Fact Book, not as a record entry but as an oddity that attests to Martin's understated dominance over a decade that included his eight superb playing seasons as a Jet:
For the 10 seasons from 1997-2006, even though he missed all of '06 and the last four games of '05, Martin led all NFL rushers with 2,834 carries and 11,462 rushing yards.
