List of NFL annual kickoff return yards leaders

Last updated

This is a list of National Football League kickoff returners who have led the regular season in kickoff return yards each year.

Contents

Kick return yards leaders

According to Pro Football Reference and The Football Database. [1] [2]

Set record*
SeasonPlayerKickoff
return yards
Team
1941 Marshall Goldberg 290* Chicago Cardinals
1942 Marshall Goldberg (2)393* Chicago Cardinals
1943 Ken Heineman 444* Brooklyn Dodgers
1944 John Grigas 471* Card-Pitt
1945 Frank Seno 408 Chicago Cardinals
1946 Sonny Karnofsky 599* Boston Yanks
1947 Eddie Saenz 797* Washington Redskins
1948 Dan Sandifer 594 Washington Redskins
1949 Don Doll 536 Detroit Lions
1950 Vitamin Smith 742 Los Angeles Rams
1951 George Taliaferro 622 New York Yanks
1952 Buddy Young 643 Dallas Texans
1953 Woodley Lewis 830* Los Angeles Rams
1954 Woodley Lewis (2)836* Los Angeles Rams
1955 Sid Watson 716 Pittsburgh Steelers
1956 Al Carmichael 927* Green Bay Packers
1957 Al Carmichael (2)690 Green Bay Packers
1958 Jimmy Sears 756 Chicago Cardinals
1959 Lenny Lyles 565 San Francisco 49ers
1960 Ted Dean 533 Philadelphia Eagles
1961 Timmy Brown 811 Philadelphia Eagles
1962 Abe Woodson 1,157* San Francisco 49ers
1963 Timmy Brown (2)945 Philadelphia Eagles
1964 Mel Renfro 1,017 Dallas Cowboys
1965 Kermit Alexander 741 San Francisco 49ers
1966 Ron Smith 1,013 Atlanta Falcons
1967 Ron Smith (2)976 Atlanta Falcons
1968 Chuck Latourette 1,237* St. Louis Cardinals
1969 Bo Scott 722 Cleveland Browns
1970 Alvin Haymond 1,022 Los Angeles Rams
1971 Dave Hampton 1,314* Green Bay Packers
1972 Margene Adkins 1,020 New Orleans Saints
1973 Mack Herron 1,092 New England Patriots
1974 Lou Piccone 961 New York Jets
1975 Larry Jones 1,086 Washington Redskins
1976 Willie Shelby 761 Cincinnati Bengals
1977 Bruce Harper 1,035 New York Jets
1978 Bruce Harper (2)1,280 New York Jets
1979 Bruce Harper (3)1,158 New York Jets
1980 Eddie Payton 1,184 Minnesota Vikings
1981 Stump Mitchell 1,292 Los Angeles Rams
1982 James Brooks 749 San Diego Chargers
1983 Zachary Dixon 1,171 Baltimore Colts
Seattle Seahawks
1984 Lionel James 959 San Diego Chargers
1985 Buster Rhymes 1,345* Minnesota Vikings
1986 Tim McGee
Herman Hunter
1,007 Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions
1987 Paul Palmer 923 Kansas City Chiefs
1988 Tim Brown 1,098 Los Angeles Raiders
1989 James Dixon 1,181 Dallas Cowboys
1990 Eric Metcalf 1,052 Cleveland Browns
1991 Mel Gray 929 Detroit Lions
1992 Deion Sanders 1,067 Atlanta Falcons
1993 Clarence Verdin 1,050 Indianapolis Colts
1994 Tyrone Hughes 1,556* New Orleans Saints
1995 Tyrone Hughes (2)1,617* New Orleans Saints
1996 Tyrone Hughes (3)1,791* New Orleans Saints
1997 Kevin Williams 1,458 Arizona Cardinals
1998 Glyn Milburn 1,550 Chicago Bears
1999 Brock Marion 1,524 Miami Dolphins
2000 MarTay Jenkins 2,186* Arizona Cardinals
2001 Ronney Jenkins 1,541 San Diego Chargers
2002 Michael Lewis 1,807 New Orleans Saints
2003 Josh Scobey 1,684 Arizona Cardinals
2004 Dante Hall 1,718 Kansas City Chiefs
2005 Chris Carr 1,752 Oakland Raiders
2006 Chris Carr (2)1,762 Oakland Raiders
2007 Josh Cribbs 1,809 Cleveland Browns
2008 Josh Wilson 1,753 Seattle Seahawks
2009 Danny Amendola 1,618 St. Louis Rams
2010 LaRod Stephens-Howling 1,548 Arizona Cardinals
2011 Brandon Banks 1,174 Washington Redskins
2012 David Wilson 1,533 New York Giants
2013 Devin Hester 1,436 Chicago Bears
2014 Devin Hester (2)1,128 Atlanta Falcons
2015 Ameer Abdullah 1,077 Detroit Lions
2016 Alex Erickson 810 Cincinnati Bengals
2017 Tyler Lockett 949 Seattle Seahawks
2018 Andre Roberts 1,174 New York Jets
2019 Cordarrelle Patterson 825 Chicago Bears
2020 Cordarrelle Patterson (2)1,017 Chicago Bears
2021 Andre Roberts (2)1,010 Houston Texans
Los Angeles Chargers
2022 Keisean Nixon 1,009 Green Bay Packers
2023 Keisean Nixon (2)782 Green Bay Packers

American Football League (AFL)

Set record*
SeasonPlayerKickoff
return yards
TeamRef.
1960 Leon Burton 862* New York Titans [3]
1961 Frank Jackson 645 Dallas Texans [4]
1962 Dick Christy 824 New York Titans [5]
1963 Bobby Jancik 1,317* Houston Oilers [6]
1964 Odell Barry 1,245 Denver Broncos [7]
1965 Abner Haynes 901 Denver Broncos [8]
1966 Bobby Jancik (2)875 Houston Oilers [9]
1967 Noland Smith 1,148 Kansas City Chiefs [10]
1968 Max Anderson 971 Buffalo Bills [11]
1969 Mercury Morris 1,136 Miami Dolphins [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

André N. Davis is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech, earning first-team All-American honors in 2000. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. Davis also played for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans in his career. While playing for Virginia Tech Davis appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen Rossum</span> American football player (born 1975)

Allen Bonshaca Lamont Rossum is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dante Hall</span> American football player (born 1978)

Damieon Dante Hall is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is nicknamed "the Human Joystick" and "the X-Factor". Hall was a fifth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M University by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000 NFL draft. Hall played for the Chiefs for seven years before being traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2007. Hall was ranked the 10th greatest return specialist in NFL history on NFL Network's NFL Top 10 Return Aces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Sproles</span> American football player (born 1983)

Darren Lee Sproles is an American football executive and former running back. He is now a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning first-team All-American honors and becoming the school's all-time leading rusher. Sproles was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He also played for the New Orleans Saints and the Eagles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Mason</span> American football player (born 1974)

Derrick James Mason is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Michigan State Spartans. Following eight seasons with the Oilers franchise, including two Pro Bowl selections, Mason signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005. He became the Ravens' all-time leading receiver with 5,777 yards from 2005 to 2010. He spent 2011 with the New York Jets and Houston Texans. Mason retired as a Baltimore Raven on June 11, 2012. He was the last active NFL player to have played for the Oilers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devin Hester</span> American football player (born 1982)

Devin Devorris Hester Sr. is an American former football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL). The only primary return specialist to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is widely considered to be the greatest return specialist of all time. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, where he was the first player in the university's recent history to play in all three phases of American football: offense, defense and special teams. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. In addition to Chicago, Hester also played for the Atlanta Falcons, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks over his 11-season NFL career. He is also the only player to return the opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown. Hester was selected to the NFL All-Decade Team for both the 2000s and 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Nelms</span> American gridiron football player (born 1955)

Michael Craig Nelms is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1980 to 1984. Before his NFL career, Nelms played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Ginn Jr.</span> American football player (born 1985)

Theodore Ginn Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacoby Jones</span> American football player (born 1984)

Jacoby Rashi'd Jones is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Lane College, and was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played for the Texans from 2007 to 2011. Jones then played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2012 to 2014, and was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2012. He is known for two of the most memorable plays in the 2012 NFL playoffs as a member of the Ravens: catching a 70-yard game-tying touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation in the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Denver Broncos, which helped lead the Ravens to an eventual 38–35 double overtime victory; and a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers, the longest play in Super Bowl history. He also played for the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015 and the Monterrey Steel of the National Arena League in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javier Arenas (American football)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1987)

Javier E. Arenas is a former American football cornerback. Arenas played college football for the University of Alabama, earned consensus All-American honors, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). Arenas also had a brief stint with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Tate</span> American football player (born 1987)

Brandon Tate is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Peterson</span> American football player (born 1990)

Patrick De'mon Peterson Jr. is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the country, and the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back. He is regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks of his era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Roberts (American football)</span> American football player (born 1988)

Andre McXavier Roberts is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football for the The Citadel Bulldogs and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. Roberts has also played for the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Harris</span> American football player (born 1987)

Dwayne Lenard Harris is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordarrelle Patterson</span> American football player (born 1991)

Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.

Walter Leon Burton was an American professional football player who played 14 games for the New York Titans in one season of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. He earlier played college football at Arizona State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakeem Grant</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jakeem Grant Sr. is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft and has also played for the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Texas Tech, where he set their all-time record for receiving yards. On December 12, 2021, Grant broke the Bears' franchise record for longest punt return for a touchdown by scoring on a 97-yard punt return in a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The return is the tenth longest punt returned for a touchdown in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamal Agnew</span> American football player (born 1995)

Jamal Agnew is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at San Diego. On September 26, 2021, he tied the NFL record for the longest play with a 109 yard return off a missed field goal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Dickson (American football)</span> Australian-born American football player (born 1996)

Michael Dickson is an Australian-born American football punter for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Regarded as one of the best punters in the league, his career punt average of 47.7 yards per punt ranks as the highest in NFL history.

References

  1. "NFL Year-by-Year Kick Return Yards Leaders". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  2. "NFL Yearly Leaders – Kickoff Return Yards". footballdb.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  3. "1960 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  4. "1961 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  5. "1962 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  6. "1963 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  7. "1964 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  8. "1965 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  9. "1966 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  10. "1967 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  11. "1968 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  12. "1969 AFL Kick & Punt Returns". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-20.