It’s been a good year for rookie running backs. Most recently, TreVeyon Henderson has joined the party, following up a breakout game at Tampa Bay with 3 touchdowns against the Jets.
He’s just the latest score 3 TDs in a game. Quinshon Judkins (who shared time with Henderson at Ohio State) had a 3-touchdown game against the Dolphins. Cam Skattebo did it in that unlikely Thursday night game against the Eagles. And RJ Harvey and Ashton Jeanty have also had 3-TD games.
That makes five running backs, the most since 1983. Only twice in the last 40 years have there been four such backs and one of those seasons comes with an asterisk (with two of the backs in 1987 doing it while most players were on strike).
Only three times in the last seven years has a rookie running back scored 3 TDs in a game – Saquan Barkley, Antonio Gibson, DeVon Achane. Now we’ve got five in the first half of this season.
| ROOKIE RUNNING BACKS WITH 3 TOUCHDOWNS (2002-) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Opp | Result | TD |
| 2002 | Clinton Portis, Den. | K.C. | W, 31-24 | 4 |
| 2003 | Onterrio Smith, Min. | K.C. | W, 45-20 | 3 |
| 2004 | Julius Jones, Dall. | at Sea. | W, 43-39 | 3 |
| 2005 | Samkon Gado, G.B. | at Atl. | W, 33-25 | 3 |
| 2006 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | Ind. | W, 44-17 | 3 |
| 2006 | Reggie Bush, N.O. | S.F. | W, 34-10 | 4 |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai, Ind. | Phil. | W, 45-21 | 4 |
| 2007 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | S.D. | W, 35-17 | 3 |
| 2007 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | at Chi. | W, 34-31 | 3 |
| 2010 | Keiland Williams, Was. | Phil. | L, 28-59 | 3 |
| 2010 | Ryan Mathews, S.D. | at Den. | W, 33-28 | 3 |
| 2010 | Jahvid Best, Det. | Phil. | L, 32-35 | 3 |
| 2012 | Alfred Morris, Was. | Dall. | W, 28-18 | 3 |
| 2012 | Doug Martin, T.B. | at Oak. | W, 42-32 | 4 |
| 2012 | Mikel Leshoure, Det. | at Jac. | W, 31-14 | 3 |
| 2012 | David Wilson, NYG | N.O. | W, 52-27 | 3 |
| 2014 | Tre Mason, St.L. | Oak. | W, 52-0 | 3 |
| 2014 | Jonas Gray, N.E. | at Ind. | W, 42-20 | 4 |
| 2015 | David Johnson, Ari. | at Phil. | W, 40-17 | 3 |
| 2016 | Robert Kelley, Was. | G.B. | W, 42-24 | 3 |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | at Pitt. | W, 35-30 | 3 |
| 2016 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | S.F. | W, 26-6 | 3 |
| 2017 | Corey Clement, Phil. | Den. | W, 51-23 | 3 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | at N.E. | W, 42-27 | 3 |
| 2018 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | T.B. | W, 38-35 | 3 |
| 2020 | Antonio Gibson, Was. | at Dall. | W, 41-16 | 3 |
| 2023 | DeVon Achane, Mia. | Den. | W, 70-20 | 4 |
| 2025 | Ashton Jeanty, L.V. | Chi. | L, 24-25 | 3 |
| 2025 | Cam Skattebo, NYG | Phil. | W, 34-17 | 3 |
| 2025 | TreVeyon Henderson, N.E. | NYJ | W, 27-14 | 3 |
| 2025 | Quinshon Judkins, Cle. | Mia. | W, 31-6 | 3 |
| 2025 | RJ Harvey, Den. | Dall. | W, 44-24 | 3 |
—Ian Allan