All-purpose yards orall-purpose yardage is agridiron football statistical measure. It is virtually the same as the statistic that some football leagues refer to ascombined net yards.[1] In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing thefootball towards the opposing team'sgoal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive team by advancing the ball from its point of progress at the start of play known as theline of scrimmage or by the defensive team after taking possession of the football via a change of possession (such aspunt,kickoff,interception,punt block, blocked kick orfumble). When the offensive team advances the ball byrushing the football, the player who carries the ball is given credit for the difference in progress measured in rushing yards. When the offensive team advances the ball bypass reception, the player who catches the reception is given credit for the difference in progress measured in reception yards. Although the ball may also be advanced by penalty, these yards are not considered all-purpose yards. Progress lost viaquarterback sacks is classified variously. Thus, all-purpose yards is a combined total of rushing yards, receiving yards, and all forms ofreturn yards only. Some sources do not specify which types of return yards count toward this total because the most common forms of return yards are kick and punt return yards.[2]
Football associations differ on their own specific definitions of the term. TheNational Collegiate Athletic Association, for example, defines the term as "the combined net yards gained by rushing, receiving, interception (and fumble) returns, punt returns, kickoff returns and runbacks of field goal attempts. All-purpose yardage does not include forward passing yardage" (at pg. 206).[3] TheNational Football League (NFL), however, defines combined net yards as "Rushing, receiving, interception returns, punt returns, kickoff returns, and fumble returns".[4] Neither of these totals makes clear how they record yards from blocked punts recovered, blocked field goals, and missed field goal returns.
Brian Westbrook holds the NCAA all-division record for career all-purpose yards,[5][6][7][8] whileChristian McCaffrey holds the single-season record.[9][10]
Jerry Rice holds the NFL career combined net yards record with 23,546 yards,[4] whileDarren Sproles set the single-season record in the 2011 season with 2,696 yards.[11] Glyn Milburn set the single-game record of 404 yards in December 10, 1995.
Pinball Clemons holds theCanadian Football League (CFL) record for career all-purpose yardage with 25,438 yards which also set aprofessional football record,[12] while he had 25,610 yards combined between his CFL and NFL play.Chad Owens set a new single-season record during the 2012 season with 3,863 yards, which also set a new professional football record.[13] On 27 October 2017, in a game against theHamilton Tiger-Cats,Diontae Spencer set a new CFL single-game record with 496 all-purpose yards: 133 yards receiving, 165 kickoff return yards, 169 punt return yards and 29 missed field goal return yards.[14]