Stretching from goal line to open field, some of the NFL’s most iconic plays have been long rushing touchdowns that flip momentum in an instant. Backs have shattered defenses with runs that defy tackle charts and fade into league lore.
The benchmark for sheer distance remains impossible to top, first set in the early 1980s and later matched. Those moments crystallize speed, vision, and an offensive line firing on all cylinders.
But beyond the record, a rich tapestry of explosive long runs spans eras and personnel. From franchise-best bursts to game-changing breakouts, some touchdown dashes have become enduring snapshots of athletic prowess.
What is the longest rushing touchdown in the NFL?
In the long, storied history of the National Football League, every inch counts but the longest possible rushing touchdown from scrimmage is one that spans the entire length of the field.
Tony Dorsett #33 of the Dallas Cowboys in 1996 (Source: George Rose/Getty Images)
That mark stands at 99 yards, and it has stood the test of time as the official maximum for a run from scrimmage, since the ball must be snapped from within a team’s own 1-yard line.
Two of the greatest running backs of their respective eras share this rarefied record: Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys and Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans.
On January 3, 1983, Dorsett shattered conventional expectations with a dazzling, 99-yard sprint against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. It wasn’t just a record, it was a defining moment in a Hall of Fame career.
Decades later, on December 6, 2018, Titans star Derrick Henry replicated that feat, bulldozing through defenders to match Dorsett’s historic run for Tennessee against Jacksonville. That run tied Tony’s record, proving how rare and special such a play truly is
Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans in 2018 (Source: Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
Since that iconic night in Minnesota, no player in NFL history has surpassed the 99-yard rushing touchdown mark, it remains the longest possible run from scrimmage and the highest ground-gain highlight any running back can achieve.
Why 99 yards is as far as you can go in the NFL
It may seem strange that no player has ever rushed for 100 yards on a single play, but the rules of football make the math clear. The offensive team cannot snap the ball from inside its own end zone and even if its back is pressed against the goal line, the farthest position for a rushing attempt is the 1-yard line.
From that spot, the maximum distance to the opposite end zone, where a touchdown is scored, is exactly 99 yards. No more, no less. Each foot past that point would already be in the end zone, so the record is bound not by athletic ability, but by the geometry of the gridiron itself.
Because of this setup, any run of 99 yards instantly catapults a back into NFL lore. It’s a blend of speed, vision, blocking and a little bit of luck — a perfect storm that only a handful of players have ever been part of.
