Alabama Roots: Top 10 in NFL total offense

Published Jul. 22, 2023, 8:00 a.m.
By Mark Inabinett |
Running back Shaun Alexander never threw a pass during his pro career, and that sets him apart from the other nine players among the top 10 for yards of total offense among former Alabama high school and college stars in the NFL.
The Alabama roots top 10 for total offense closely mirrors the top 10 for passing yards – except for Alexander.
In general, total offense is measured as the yards that a player has gained passing and running. Alexander has more NFL rushing yards than any player from an Alabama high school or college, and those 9,473 rushing yards allowed him to take the 10th spot on the total offense list.
For NFL quarterbacks, total offense is a little more complicated, at least since 1968, when the league started recording quarterback sacks.
In today’s NFL, when quarterbacks get sacked trying to pass, the yardage lost is subtracted from the team’s total passing yards. At one time, those sacks counted as rushing attempts for quarterbacks, and the lost yardage came off their rushing total. In the NCAA, that’s still how it’s done.
But that yardage lost in sacks is reflected in NFL total offense statistics even though it doesn’t impact quarterback rushing statistics any more.
For example, Philip Rivers ranks sixth in NFL history in yards of total offense and leads the Alabama list with 61,209. But Rivers passed for 63,440 yards in his career. He also had 601 rushing yards.
How can Rivers have fewer yards of total offense than he has passing yards?
Because he was sacked 464 times for a loss of 2,832 yards, which are subtracted from his yards gained passing and rushing to produce his yards of total offense.
The player from an Alabama high school or college with the most yards of total offense during the NFL’s 2022 season was Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (Alabama). Hurts had 4,230 yards – 3,701 passing yards, 760 rushing yards and minus-231 yards lost on 38 sacks.
Hurts is 90 yards of total offense short of replacing Alexander in the top 10.
The top 10 NFL players in total offense with Alabama roots:
San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers passes during an NFL game
1. Philip Rivers, Athens High School: 61,209 yards of total offense
San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers 2004-2019, Indianapolis Colts 2020: 63,440 passing yards, 601 rushing yards and minus-2,832 yards on 464 sacks
2. Cam Newton, Auburn: 35,533 yards of total offense
Carolina Panthers 2011-2019, 2021, New England Patriots 2020: 32,382 passing yards, 5,628 rushing yards and minus-2,477 yards on 332 sacks
3. Joe Namath, Alabama: 26,751 yards of total offense
New York Jets 1965-1976, Los Angeles Rams 1977: 27,663 passing yards, 140 rushing yards and minus-1,052 yards on 109 sacks
4. Ken Stabler, Foley High School, Alabama: 25,517 yards of total offense
Oakland Raiders 1970-1979, Houston Oilers 1980-1981, New Orleans Saints 1982-1984: 27,938 passing yards, 93 rushing yards and minus-2,514 on 281 sacks
5. Bart Starr, Sidney Lanier High School, Alabama: 25,493 yards of total offense
Green Bay Packers 1956-1971: 24,718 passing yards, 1,308 rushing yards and minus-533 yards on 59 sacks
6. Jameis Winston, Hueytown High School: 21,831 yards of total offense
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015-2019, New Orleans Saints 2020-2022: 21,840 passing yards, 1,220 rushing yards and minus-1,229 yards on 193 sacks
7. Richard Todd, Davidson High School, Alabama: 19,415 yards of total offense
New York Jets 1976-1983, New Orleans Saints 1984-1985: 20,610 passing yards, 932 rushing yards and minus-2,127 yards on 264 sacks
8. Jason Campbell, Auburn: 16,879 yards of total offense
Washington Redskins 2005-2009, Oakland Raiders 2010-2011, Chicago Bears 2012, Cleveland Browns 2013, Cincinnati Bengals 2014: 16,771 passing yards, 1,204 rushing yards and minus-1,096 yards on 170 sacks
9. Bobby Thomason, Leeds High School: 9,770 yards of total offense
Los Angeles Rams 1949, Green Bay Packers 1951, Philadelphia Eagles 1952-1957: 9,480 passing yards and 290 rushing yards
10. Shaun Alexander, Alabama: 9,453 yards of total offense
Seattle Seahawks 2000-2007, Washington Redskins 2008: 9,453 rushing yards