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Year-by-Year Kick Return Yards Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Yds | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Glenn Holt (24) | 623 | CIN |
| 2007 | Josh Cribbs (24) | 1,809 | CLE |
| 2006 | Chris Carr (23) | 1,762 | OAK |
| 2005 | Chris Carr (22) | 1,752 | OAK |
| 2004 | Dante Hall (26) | 1,718 | KAN |
| 2003 | Josh Scobey (24) | 1,684 | ARI |
| 2002 | Michael Lewis (31) | 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 J. 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 (23) | 923 | KAN |
| 1986 | Herman Hunter (25) | 1,007 | DET |
| 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 (24) | 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 |
| Bo Scott (26) | 722 | CLE | |
| 1968 | Chuck Latourette (23) | 1,237 | STL |
| Max Anderson (23) | 971 | BUF | |
| 1967 | Noland Smith (24) | 1,148 | KAN |
| Ron Smith (24) | 976 | ATL | |
| 1966 | Ron Smith (23) | 1,013 | ATL |
| Bobby Jancik (26) | 875 | HOU | |
| 1965 | Abner Haynes (28) | 901 | DEN |
| Kermit Alexander (24) | 741 | SFO | |
| 1964 | Odell Barry (23) | 1,245 | DEN |
| Mel Renfro+ (23) | 1,017 | DAL | |
| 1963 | Bobby Jancik (23) | 1,317 | HOU |
| Timmy Brown (26) | 945 | PHI | |
| 1962 | Abe Woodson (28) | 1,157 | SFO |
| Dick Christy (27) | 824 | NYT | |
| 1961 | Timmy Brown (24) | 811 | PHI |
| Frank Jackson (22) | 645 | DTX | |
| 1960 | Leon Burton (25) | 862 | NYT |
| Ted Dean (22) | 533 | PHI | |
| 1959 | Lenny Lyles (23) | 565 | SFO |
| 1958 | Jimmy Sears (27) | 756 | CRD |
| 1957 | Al Carmichael (29) | 690 | GNB |
| 1956 | Al Carmichael (28) | 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 (27) | 742 | RAM |
| 1949 | Herm Wedemeyer (25) | 602 | BCL |
| Don Doll (23) | 536 | DET | |
| 1948 | Dan Sandifer (21) | 594 | WAS |
| Monk Gafford (28) | 559 | BDA | |
| 1947 | Eddie Saenz (25) | 797 | WAS |
| Chet Mutryn (26) | 691 | BUF | |
| 1946 | Abe Karnofsky (24) | 599 | BOS |
| Chuck Fenenbock (29) | 479 | LAD | |
| 1945 | Frank Seno (24) | 408 | CRD |
| 1944 | John Grigas (24) | 471 | CRD |
| 1943 | Ken Heineman (25) | 444 | BKN |
| 1942 | Marshall Goldberg (25) | 393 | CRD |
| 1941 | Marshall Goldberg (24) | 290 | CRD |