What are rushing yards?

Rushing yards total the gains and losses credited on rushing plays. Lost yardage reduces the total, so a player's rushing line can be negative.

For example, carries of 9, 3, and minus 4 yards produce 8 rushing yards on three attempts, or about 2.67 yards per carry. Receiving and return yards are separate categories and should not be added unless the statistic explicitly calls for combined yardage.