NFL Kick & Punt Return Yards Year-by-Year Leaders (since 1941)
All-Time Kick & Punt 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 |
RtY |
Tm |
2023 | Keisean Nixon (26) | 877 | GNB |
2022 | Keisean Nixon (25) | 1,149 | GNB |
2021 | Ray-Ray McCloud (24) | 1,143 | PIT |
2020 | Andre Roberts (32) | 1,247 | BUF |
2019 | Deonte Harty (21) | 982 | NOR |
2018 | Andre Roberts (30) | 1,498 | NYJ |
2017 | Pharoh Cooper (22) | 1,331 | LAR |
2016 | Alex Erickson (23) | 1,005 | CIN |
2015 | Tyler Lockett (22) | 1,231 | SEA |
2014 | Devin Hester+ (31) | 1,368 | ATL |
2013 | Devin Hester+ (30) | 1,692 | CHI |
2012 | Darius Reynaud (27) | 1,650 | TEN |
2011 | Leon Washington (29) | 1,548 | SEA |
2010 | Marc Mariani (23) | 1,859 | TEN |
2009 | Josh Cribbs (26) | 1,994 | CLE |
2008 | Josh Wilson (23) | 1,753 | SEA |
2007 | Josh Cribbs (24) | 2,214 | CLE |
2006 | Chris Carr (23) | 1,978 | OAK |
2005 | Chris Carr (22) | 1,938 | OAK |
2004 | Dante Hall (25) | 1,950 | KAN |
2003 | Dante Hall (24) | 1,950 | KAN |
2002 | Michael Lewis (30) | 2,432 | NOR |
2001 | Steve Smith Sr. (22) | 1,795 | CAR |
2000 | MarTay Jenkins (25) | 2,187 | ARI |
1999 | Glyn Milburn (28) | 1,772 | CHI |
1998 | Roell Preston (26) | 1,895 | GNB |
1997 | Kevin Williams (26) | 1,920 | ARI |
1996 | Tyrone Hughes (26) | 1,943 | NOR |
1995 | Tyrone Hughes (25) | 1,879 | NOR |
1994 | Brian Mitchell (26) | 1,930 | WAS |
1993 | Tyrone Hughes (23) | 1,256 | NOR |
1992 | Mel Gray (31) | 1,181 | DET |
1991 | Mel Gray (30) | 1,314 | DET |
1990 | Mel Gray (29) | 1,300 | DET |
1989 | Vai Sikahema (27) | 1,307 | PHO |
1988 | Tim Brown+ (22) | 1,542 | RAI |
1987 | Vai Sikahema (25) | 1,311 | STL |
1986 | Vai Sikahema (24) | 1,369 | STL |
1985 | Mike Martin (24) | 1,372 | CIN |
1984 | Mike Nelms (29) | 1,288 | WAS |
1983 | Ricky Smith (23) | 1,314 | NWE |
1982 | James Brooks (23) | 887 | SDG |
1981 | Stump Mitchell (22) | 1,737 | STL |
1980 | Eddie Payton (29) | 1,435 | MIN |
1979 | Nesby Glasgow (22) | 1,478 | BAL |
1978 | Bruce Harper (23) | 1,658 | NYJ |
1977 | Bruce Harper (22) | 1,460 | NYJ |
1976 | Eddie Brown (24) | 1,384 | WAS |
1975 | Larry Jones (24) | 1,493 | WAS |
1974 | Billy Johnson (22) | 1,194 | HOU |
1973 | Mack Herron (25) | 1,374 | NWE |
1972 | Bruce Laird (22) | 1,146 | BAL |
1971 | Dave Hampton (24) | 1,314 | GNB |
1970 | Alvin Haymond (28) | 1,398 | RAM |
1969 | Mercury Morris (22) | 1,308 | MIA |
1969 | Alvin Haymond (27) | 810 | RAM |
1968 | Chuck Latourette (23) | 1,582 | STL |
1968 | George Atkinson (21) | 1,292 | OAK |
1967 | Noland Smith (23) | 1,360 | KAN |
1967 | Doug Cunningham (21) | 1,075 | SFO |
1966 | Kermit Alexander (25) | 1,182 | SFO |
1966 | Bobby Jancik (26) | 937 | HOU |
1965 | Speedy Duncan (23) | 1,076 | SDG |
1965 | Alvin Haymond (23) | 1,017 | BAL |
1964 | Mel Renfro+ (22) | 1,435 | DAL |
1964 | Odell Barry (22) | 1,394 | DEN |
1963 | Bobby Jancik (23) | 1,462 | HOU |
1963 | Timmy Brown (26) | 1,097 | PHI |
1962 | Abe Woodson (28) | 1,336 | SFO |
1962 | Dick Christy (26) | 1,074 | NYT |
1961 | Abe Woodson (27) | 954 | SFO |
1961 | Dick Christy (25) | 743 | NYT |
1960 | Jack Larscheid (27) | 958 | OAK |
1960 | Abe Woodson (26) | 672 | SFO |
1959 | Bill Butler (22) | 635 | GNB |
1958 | Jimmy Sears (27) | 850 | CRD |
1957 | Al Carmichael (28) | 880 | GNB |
1956 | Al Carmichael (27) | 1,092 | GNB |
1955 | Joe Scudero (25) | 940 | WAS |
1954 | Woodley Lewis (29) | 918 | RAM |
1953 | Woodley Lewis (28) | 1,097 | RAM |
1952 | Johnny Williams (25) | 852 | WAS |
1951 | Joe Arenas (25) | 814 | SFO |
1950 | Billy Grimes (23) | 1,155 | GNB |
1949 | Herm Wedemeyer (25) | 823 | BCL |
1949 | Red Cochran (27) | 724 | CRD |
1948 | Dan Sandifer (21) | 830 | WAS |
1948 | Monk Gafford (27) | 689 | BDA |
1947 | Eddie Saenz (24) | 1,105 | WAS |
1947 | Chet Mutryn (26) | 878 | BUF |
1946 | Chuck Fenenbock (28) | 778 | LAD |
1946 | Bill Dudley+ (24) | 665 | PIT |
1945 | Steve Bagarus (26) | 576 | WAS |
1944 | John Grigas (24) | 511 | CRD |
1943 | Ken Heineman (25) | 522 | BKN |
1942 | Bill Dudley+ (20) | 569 | PIT |
1941 | Whizzer White (24) | 547 | DET |
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