Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones and Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey both have a legitimate shot at joining a rare group of touchdown-producing running backs.
In the history of the NFL, only three running backs have ever scored 15 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns in a single season.
Former Packers running back Ahman Green was the last to pull it off. He scored exactly 15 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns in 2003. Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk (18 rushing, eight receiving in 2000) and O.J. Simpson (16 rushing, seven receiving in 1975) are the only others.
With two games remaining, Jones has 17 total touchdowns: 14 rushing, and three receiving. He needs one more rushing touchdown and two receiving to join the group.
McCaffrey, who leads the NFL with 18 total touchdowns, only needs one more rushing score and one more receiving score.
Jones has scored three touchdowns in the last two games, but he doesn’t have a receiving touchdown since Oct. 27, a stretch of six games.
The Packers finish the season with games against the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Jones scored a rushing touchdown in the Packers’ first meeting with the Vikings but was held scoreless against the Lions.
The Vikings have allowed only five rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores to running backs in 2019, while the Lions have allowed 11 rushing touchdowns and a league-high eight receiving touchdowns to the position.
