As I mentioned last fall, running back Christian McCaffrey was in the hunt to be the first white to lead the NFL in rushing yardage (yards gained on the ground) since Jim Taylor in 1962.
McCaffrey wound up finishing 3rd in the NFL with 1387 yards, but he also caught 116 passes, good for 1005 additional yards, for a total yards from scrimmage of 2392, the third highest in a single season in American pro football history, behind only Chris Johnson in 2006 and Marshall Faulk in 1999.
McCaffrey’s 2018 season with 1965 total yards was the 77th best ever, and I believe it’s the only other season in the top 100 all-time by a white player.
The next white player I could find was wide receiver Charley Henningan of the 1961 Houston Oilers of the AFL at 177th. The next white NFL player was Peyton Hillis of the 2010 Cleveland Browns at 233rd.
Famously, McCaffrey’s dad Ed was a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Denver Broncos and his maternal grandfather, Dr. Dave Sime, won the silver medal in the 1960 Olympics 100 meter dash.
