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Year-by-Year Kick Returns Leaders
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.
| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Rt | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Josh Wilson (23) | 40 | SEA |
| 2007 | Maurice Hicks (29) | 63 | SFO |
| Ted Ginn Jr. (22) | 63 | MIA | |
| 2006 | Chris Carr (23) | 69 | OAK |
| 2005 | Chris Carr (22) | 73 | OAK |
| 2004 | Dante Hall (26) | 68 | KAN |
| 2003 | Josh Scobey (24) | 73 | ARI |
| 2002 | Michael Lewis (31) | 70 | NOR |
| 2001 | Darrick Vaughn (23) | 61 | ATL |
| 2000 | MarTay Jenkins (25) | 82 | ARI |
| 1999 | Brock Marion (29) | 62 | MIA |
| 1998 | Glyn Milburn (27) | 62 | CHI |
| 1997 | Desmond Howard (27) | 61 | OAK |
| 1996 | Tyrone Hughes (26) | 70 | NOR |
| 1995 | Tyrone Hughes (25) | 66 | NOR |
| 1994 | Tyrone Hughes (24) | 63 | NOR |
| 1993 | Clarence Verdin (30) | 50 | IND |
| 1992 | Mel J. Gray (31) | 42 | DET |
| 1991 | Rod Woodson (26) | 44 | PIT |
| 1990 | Eric Metcalf (22) | 52 | CLE |
| 1989 | James Dixon (22) | 47 | DAL |
| Ron J. Brown (28) | 47 | RAM | |
| 1988 | Tim Brown (22) | 41 | RAI |
| Joe Cribbs (30) | 41 | 2TM | |
| 1987 | Paul Palmer (23) | 38 | KAN |
| 1986 | Herman Hunter (25) | 49 | DET |
| 1985 | Buster Rhymes (23) | 53 | MIN |
| 1984 | Lionel James (22) | 43 | SDG |
| 1983 | Zachary Dixon (27) | 51 | 2TM |
| 1982 | James Brooks (24) | 33 | SDG |
| 1981 | Drew Hill (25) | 60 | RAM |
| 1980 | Eddie Payton (29) | 53 | MIN |
| 1979 | Bruce Harper (24) | 55 | NYJ |
| Deacon Turner (24) | 55 | CIN | |
| 1978 | Bruce Harper (23) | 55 | NYJ |
| 1977 | Bruce Harper (22) | 42 | NYJ |
| 1976 | Lou Piccone (27) | 31 | NYJ |
| 1975 | Larry Jones (24) | 47 | WAS |
| 1974 | Lou Piccone (25) | 39 | NYJ |
| 1973 | Mack Herron (25) | 41 | NWE |
| 1972 | Margene Adkins (25) | 43 | NOR |
| 1971 | Dave Hampton (24) | 46 | GNB |
| 1970 | Mike Battle (24) | 40 | NYJ |
| 1969 | Mercury Morris (22) | 43 | MIA |
| Preston Pearson (24) | 31 | BAL | |
| 1968 | Chuck Latourette (23) | 46 | STL |
| Max Anderson (23) | 39 | BUF | |
| 1967 | Noland Smith (24) | 41 | KAN |
| Ron Smith (24) | 39 | ATL | |
| 1966 | Ron Smith (23) | 43 | ATL |
| Bobby Jancik (26) | 34 | HOU | |
| 1965 | Abner Haynes (28) | 34 | DEN |
| Kermit Alexander (24) | 32 | SFO | |
| 1964 | Odell Barry (23) | 47 | DEN |
| Mel Renfro+ (23) | 40 | DAL | |
| 1963 | Bobby Jancik (23) | 45 | HOU |
| Bill Butler (26) | 33 | MIN | |
| Timmy Brown (26) | 33 | PHI | |
| 1962 | Dick Christy (27) | 38 | NYT |
| Abe Woodson (28) | 37 | SFO | |
| 1961 | Jim Steffen (25) | 29 | 2TM |
| Timmy Brown (24) | 29 | PHI | |
| George Fleming (23) | 29 | OAK | |
| 1960 | Jack Larscheid (27) | 30 | OAK |
| Leon Burton (25) | 30 | NYT | |
| Tom Franckhauser (23) | 26 | DAL | |
| Ted Dean (22) | 26 | PHI | |
| 1959 | Lenny Lyles (23) | 25 | SFO |
| 1958 | Jimmy Sears (27) | 32 | CRD |
| 1957 | Al Carmichael (29) | 31 | GNB |
| 1956 | Al Carmichael (28) | 33 | GNB |
| 1955 | Sid Watson (23) | 27 | PIT |
| 1954 | Woodley Lewis (29) | 34 | RAM |
| 1953 | Woodley Lewis (28) | 32 | RAM |
| 1952 | Buddy Young (26) | 23 | DTX |
| Billy Baggett (23) | 23 | DTX | |
| 1951 | George Taliaferro (24) | 27 | NYY |
| 1950 | Don R. Paul (24) | 28 | CRD |
| 1949 | Herm Wedemeyer (25) | 30 | BCL |
| Dan Sandifer (22) | 24 | WAS | |
| Eddie Saenz (27) | 24 | WAS | |
| 1948 | Dan Sandifer (21) | 26 | WAS |
| Monk Gafford (28) | 23 | BDA | |
| 1947 | Eddie Saenz (25) | 29 | WAS |
| Spec Sanders (29) | 22 | NYY | |
| 1946 | Steve Juzwik (28) | 21 | BUF |
| Abe Karnofsky (24) | 21 | BOS | |
| 1945 | Frank Seno (24) | 19 | CRD |
| 1944 | John Grigas (24) | 23 | CRD |
| 1943 | Ken Heineman (25) | 16 | BKN |
| 1942 | Marshall Goldberg (25) | 15 | CRD |
| 1941 | Marshall Goldberg (24) | 12 | CRD |