NFL Punt Returns Single Game Leaders (since 1941)
All-Time Punt Returns Leaders
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Single game leaders only reflect years for which we have mostly complete boxscore data (1933 onward).
+ Indicates Hall of Famer, season age in parentheses
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Leaders Table
Rank |
Player |
Ret |
Tm |
Boxscore |
1 | Eddie Brown | 11 | WAS | Washington Redskins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, October 9, 1977 |
2 | Ronnie Harris | 10 | NWE | New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, December 5, 1993 |
| Mike Nelms | 10 | WAS | Washington Redskins vs. New Orleans Saints, December 26, 1982 |
| Theo Bell | 10 | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills, December 16, 1979 |
5 | Reggie Swinton | 9 | ARI | Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles, December 24, 2005 |
| Steve Smith Sr. | 9 | CAR | Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions, September 15, 2002 |
| Andre Hastings | 9 | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns, November 13, 1995 |
| Phil McConkey | 9 | NYG | New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles, December 6, 1987 |
| Cleo Montgomery | 9 | RAI | Los Angeles Raiders vs. Detroit Lions, December 10, 1984 |
| Pete Shaw | 9 | NYG | New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles, November 20, 1983 |
| Leon Bright | 9 | NYG | New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles, December 11, 1982 |
| Mike Nelms | 9 | WAS | Washington Redskins vs. St. Louis Cardinals, December 21, 1980 |
| Nesby Glasgow | 9 | BAL | Baltimore Colts vs. Kansas City Chiefs, September 2, 1979 |
| Larry Marshall | 9 | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, September 18, 1977 |
| Butch Johnson | 9 | DAL | Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills, November 15, 1976 |
| Tony Leonard | 9 | SFO | San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints, October 17, 1976 |
| Ed Podolak | 9 | KAN | Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Diego Chargers, November 10, 1974 |
| Ralph McGill | 9 | SFO | San Francisco 49ers vs. Atlanta Falcons, October 29, 1972 |
| Rodger Bird | 9 | OAK | Oakland Raiders vs. Denver Broncos, September 10, 1967 |
20 | Jaelon Darden | 8 | TAM | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Los Angeles Rams, November 6, 2022 |
| Gunner Olszewski | 8 | NWE | New England Patriots vs. New York Jets, September 22, 2019 |
| Marcus Murphy | 8 | NOR | New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts, October 25, 2015 |
| De'Anthony Thomas | 8 | KAN | Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders, December 14, 2014 |
| Trindon Holliday | 8 | DEN | Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers, November 11, 2012 |
| Quan Cosby | 8 | DEN | Denver Broncos vs. Chicago Bears, December 11, 2011 |
| DeSean Jackson | 8 | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles vs. St. Louis Rams, September 7, 2008 |
| Adam Jones | 8 | TEN | Tennessee Titans vs. Miami Dolphins, December 24, 2005 |
| Dedric Ward | 8 | DAL | Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins, September 27, 2004 |
| Leon Johnson | 8 | SDG | San Diego Chargers vs. Detroit Lions, December 7, 2003 |
| Tim Dwight | 8 | ATL | Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions, November 12, 2000 |
| Terry Fair | 8 | DET | Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles, November 8, 1998 |
| Latario Rachal | 8 | SDG | San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders, October 11, 1998 |
| Desmond Howard | 8 | OAK | Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers, October 11, 1998 |
| Vai Sikahema | 8 | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Seattle Seahawks, December 13, 1992 |
| Phil McConkey | 8 | SDG | San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts, November 26, 1989 |
| Fulton Walker | 8 | RAI | Los Angeles Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns, November 16, 1986 |
| Evan Cooper | 8 | PHI | Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Diego Chargers, October 26, 1986 |
| Jeff Fisher | 8 | CHI | Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions, December 16, 1984 |
| Phil McConkey | 8 | NYG | New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys, November 4, 1984 |
| Paul Skansi | 8 | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, October 30, 1983 |
| Stump Mitchell | 8 | STL | St. Louis Cardinals vs. Washington Redskins, January 2, 1983 |
| Willie Sydnor | 8 | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots, December 26, 1982 |
| Ron Fellows | 8 | DAL | Dallas Cowboys vs. Cleveland Browns, November 25, 1982 |
| Phil Epps | 8 | GNB | Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings, November 21, 1982 |
| Ted Watts | 8 | OAK | Oakland Raiders vs. New England Patriots, November 1, 1981 |
| Mike Nelms | 8 | WAS | Washington Redskins vs. Chicago Bears, October 11, 1981 |
| Leon Bright | 8 | NYG | New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins, September 13, 1981 |
| Ray Williams | 8 | DET | Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, December 14, 1980 |
| Kevin Miller | 8 | MIN | Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams, December 2, 1979 |
| Jim Smith | 8 | PIT | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Oilers, September 9, 1979 |
| Danny Reece | 8 | TAM | Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions, September 1, 1979 |
| Rick Upchurch | 8 | DEN | Denver Broncos vs. Baltimore Colts, October 22, 1978 |
| Eddie Payton | 8 | DET | Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, November 20, 1977 |
| Rolland Lawrence | 8 | ATL | Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers, October 9, 1977 |
| Howard Stevens | 8 | BAL | Baltimore Colts vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, October 3, 1976 |
| Neal Colzie | 8 | OAK | Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers, October 5, 1975 |
| Tommy Pharr | 8 | BUF | Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets, October 25, 1970 |
| Hugh McElhenny+ | 8 | SFO | San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions, November 2, 1958 |
| Joe Arenas | 8 | SFO | San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions, October 16, 1955 |
| Emlen Tunnell+ | 8 | NYG | New York Giants vs. New York Yanks, December 3, 1950 |
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