All-Time Kick Return Yards Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
+ Indicates Hall of Famer, season age in parentheses
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Leaders Table
Year |
Player |
Yds |
Tm |
2023 | Keisean Nixon (26) | 782 | GNB |
2022 | Keisean Nixon (25) | 1,009 | GNB |
2021 | Andre Roberts (33) | 1,010 | 2TM |
2020 | Cordarrelle Patterson (29) | 1,017 | CHI |
2019 | Cordarrelle Patterson (28) | 825 | CHI |
2018 | Andre Roberts (30) | 1,174 | NYJ |
2017 | Tyler Lockett (24) | 949 | SEA |
2016 | Alex Erickson (23) | 810 | CIN |
2015 | Ameer Abdullah (22) | 1,077 | DET |
2014 | Devin Hester+ (31) | 1,128 | ATL |
2013 | Devin Hester+ (30) | 1,436 | CHI |
2012 | David Wilson (21) | 1,533 | NYG |
2011 | Brandon Banks (23) | 1,174 | WAS |
2010 | LaRod Stephens-Howling (23) | 1,548 | ARI |
2009 | Danny Amendola (23) | 1,618 | STL |
2008 | Josh Wilson (23) | 1,753 | SEA |
2007 | Josh Cribbs (24) | 1,809 | CLE |
2006 | Chris Carr (23) | 1,762 | OAK |
2005 | Chris Carr (22) | 1,752 | OAK |
2004 | Dante Hall (25) | 1,718 | KAN |
2003 | Josh Scobey (23) | 1,684 | ARI |
2002 | Michael Lewis (30) | 1,807 | NOR |
2001 | Ronney Jenkins (24) | 1,541 | SDG |
2000 | MarTay Jenkins (25) | 2,186 | ARI |
1999 | Brock Marion (29) | 1,524 | MIA |
1998 | Glyn Milburn (27) | 1,550 | CHI |
1997 | Kevin Williams (26) | 1,458 | ARI |
1996 | Tyrone Hughes (26) | 1,791 | NOR |
1995 | Tyrone Hughes (25) | 1,617 | NOR |
1994 | Tyrone Hughes (24) | 1,556 | NOR |
1993 | Clarence Verdin (30) | 1,050 | IND |
1992 | Deion Sanders+ (25) | 1,067 | ATL |
1991 | Mel Gray (30) | 929 | DET |
1990 | Eric Metcalf (22) | 1,052 | CLE |
1989 | James Dixon (22) | 1,181 | DAL |
1988 | Tim Brown+ (22) | 1,098 | RAI |
1987 | Paul Palmer (22) | 923 | KAN |
1986 | Herman Hunter (25) | 1,007 | DET |
1986 | Tim McGee (22) | 1,007 | CIN |
1985 | Buster Rhymes (23) | 1,345 | MIN |
1984 | Lionel James (22) | 959 | SDG |
1983 | Zachary Dixon (27) | 1,171 | 2TM |
1982 | James Brooks (23) | 749 | SDG |
1981 | Stump Mitchell (22) | 1,292 | STL |
1980 | Eddie Payton (29) | 1,184 | MIN |
1979 | Bruce Harper (24) | 1,158 | NYJ |
1978 | Bruce Harper (23) | 1,280 | NYJ |
1977 | Bruce Harper (22) | 1,035 | NYJ |
1976 | Willie Shelby (23) | 761 | CIN |
1975 | Larry Jones (24) | 1,086 | WAS |
1974 | Lou Piccone (25) | 961 | NYJ |
1973 | Mack Herron (25) | 1,092 | NWE |
1972 | Margene Adkins (25) | 1,020 | NOR |
1971 | Dave Hampton (24) | 1,314 | GNB |
1970 | Alvin Haymond (28) | 1,022 | RAM |
1969 | Mercury Morris (22) | 1,136 | MIA |
1969 | Bo Scott (26) | 722 | CLE |
1968 | Chuck Latourette (23) | 1,237 | STL |
1968 | Max Anderson (23) | 971 | BUF |
1967 | Noland Smith (23) | 1,148 | KAN |
1967 | Ron Smith (24) | 976 | ATL |
1966 | Ron Smith (23) | 1,013 | ATL |
1966 | Bobby Jancik (26) | 875 | HOU |
1965 | Abner Haynes (27) | 901 | DEN |
1965 | Kermit Alexander (24) | 741 | SFO |
1964 | Odell Barry (22) | 1,245 | DEN |
1964 | Mel Renfro+ (22) | 1,017 | DAL |
1963 | Bobby Jancik (23) | 1,317 | HOU |
1963 | Timmy Brown (26) | 945 | PHI |
1962 | Abe Woodson (28) | 1,157 | SFO |
1962 | Dick Christy (26) | 824 | NYT |
1961 | Timmy Brown (24) | 811 | PHI |
1961 | Frank Jackson (22) | 645 | DTX |
1960 | Leon Burton (25) | 862 | NYT |
1960 | Ted Dean (22) | 533 | PHI |
1959 | Lenny Lyles (23) | 565 | SFO |
1958 | Jimmy Sears (27) | 756 | CRD |
1957 | Al Carmichael (28) | 690 | GNB |
1956 | Al Carmichael (27) | 927 | GNB |
1955 | Sid Watson (23) | 716 | PIT |
1954 | Woodley Lewis (29) | 836 | RAM |
1953 | Woodley Lewis (28) | 830 | RAM |
1952 | Buddy Young (26) | 643 | DTX |
1951 | George Taliaferro (24) | 622 | NYY |
1950 | Vitamin Smith (26) | 742 | RAM |
1949 | Herm Wedemeyer (25) | 602 | BCL |
1949 | Don Doll (23) | 536 | DET |
1948 | Dan Sandifer (21) | 594 | WAS |
1948 | Monk Gafford (27) | 559 | BDA |
1947 | Eddie Saenz (24) | 797 | WAS |
1947 | Chet Mutryn (26) | 691 | BUF |
1946 | Abe Karnofsky (23) | 599 | BOS |
1946 | Chuck Fenenbock (28) | 479 | LAD |
1945 | Frank Seno (24) | 408 | CRD |
1944 | John Grigas (24) | 471 | CRD |
1943 | Ken Heineman (25) | 444 | BKN |
1942 | Marshall Goldberg (24) | 393 | CRD |
1941 | Marshall Goldberg (23) | 290 | CRD |
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