| Punt Returns | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Age | Team | Pos | G | GS | Ret | Yds | PRTD | Lng | Y/Ret | Ret | Yds | KRTD | Lng | Y/Ret | APYd | Awards |
| 1 | Tommy McDonald | 23 | PHI | WR | 12 | 3 | 26 | 127 | 0 | 28 | 4.9 | 11 | 304 | 0 | 50 | 27.6 | 695 | |
| 2 | Joe Arenas | 32 | SFO | HB | 12 | 1 | 25 | 80 | 0 | 26 | 3.2 | 24 | 657 | 0 | 64 | 27.4 | 761 | |
| 3 | Al Carmichael | 29 | GNB | HB | 12 | 4 | 25 | 190 | 0 | 48 | 7.6 | 31 | 690 | 0 | 33 | 22.3 | 1182 | |
| 4 | Yale Lary | 27 | DET | FS | 12 | 12 | 25 | 139 | 0 | 36 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 235 | PB,AP-2 | |
| 5 | Woodley Lewis | 32 | CRD | LE | 12 | 12 | 24 | 175 | 0 | 31 | 7.3 | 26 | 682 | 0 | 52 | 26.2 | 1315 | |
| 6 | Billy Reynolds | 26 | CLE | HB | 12 | 0 | 24 | 114 | 0 | 23 | 4.8 | 7 | 152 | 0 | 29 | 21.7 | 335 | |
| 7 | Ron Drzewiecki | 24 | CHI | HB | 8 | 0 | 22 | 64 | 0 | 11 | 2.9 | 13 | 315 | 0 | 53 | 24.2 | 397 | |
| 8 | Bert Rechichar | 27 | BAL | FS | 12 | 12 | 22 | 71 | 0 | 22 | 3.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 104 | PB |
| 9 | Billy Wells | 26 | 2TM | RH | 11 | 9 | 21 | 143 | 0 | 30 | 6.8 | 12 | 325 | 1 | 96 | 27.1 | 1089 | |
| 9 | Billy Wells | 26 | WAS | HB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 | 19 | ||
| 9 | Billy Wells | 26 | PIT | RH | 10 | 9 | 21 | 143 | 0 | 30 | 6.8 | 11 | 306 | 1 | 96 | 27.8 | 1070 | |
| 10 | Gene Filipski | 26 | NYG | HB | 12 | 1 | 20 | 91 | 0 | 17 | 4.6 | 26 | 613 | 0 | 34 | 23.6 | 800 | |
| 11 | Fred Bruney | 26 | PIT | SS | 12 | 11 | 17 | 86 | 0 | 15 | 5.1 | 5 | 101 | 0 | 31 | 20.2 | 187 | |
| 12 | Ron Waller | 24 | RAM | HB | 11 | 3 | 16 | 33 | 0 | 24 | 2.1 | 13 | 289 | 0 | 46 | 22.2 | 654 | |
| 13 | Jon Arnett | 22 | RAM | LH | 12 | 8 | 14 | 85 | 0 | 22 | 6.1 | 18 | 504 | 1 | 98 | 28.0 | 1258 | PB |
| 14 | Bert Zagers | 24 | WAS | LDH | 11 | 10 | 14 | 217 | 2 | 76 | 15.5 | 15 | 348 | 0 | 35 | 23.2 | 594 | |
| 15 | Emlen Tunnell | 32 | NYG | SS | 12 | 12 | 12 | 60 | 0 | 23 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 147 | PB,AP-2 | |
| 16 | Chet Hanulak | 24 | CLE | LH | 12 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 0 | 11 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 442 | ||
| 17 | Dick James | 23 | WAS | DB | 11 | 8 | 11 | 83 | 0 | 27 | 7.5 | 12 | 259 | 0 | 38 | 21.6 | 364 | |
| 18 | Jimmy Patton | 24 | NYG | FS | 12 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 2.6 | 10 | 223 | 0 | 33 | 22.3 | 302 | |
| 19 | Vic Zucco | 22 | CHI | LDH | 12 | 12 | 11 | 58 | 0 | 25 | 5.3 | 8 | 224 | 0 | 73 | 28.0 | 345 | |
| 20 | Ollie Matson | 27 | CRD | LH | 12 | 11 | 10 | 54 | 0 | 28 | 5.4 | 7 | 154 | 0 | 32 | 22.0 | 1236 | PB,AP-1 |
| 21 | Hugh McElhenny | 29 | SFO | LH | 12 | 10 | 10 | 41 | 0 | 13 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 977 | PB,AP-2 | |
| 22 | Tommy Runnels | 23 | WAS | HB | 10 | 4 | 10 | 76 | 0 | 16 | 7.6 | 2 | 66 | 0 | 38 | 33.0 | 198 | |
| 23 | Terry Barr | 22 | DET | DB | 12 | 0 | 9 | 33 | 0 | 18 | 3.7 | 9 | 153 | 0 | 27 | 17.0 | 186 | |
| 24 | Dean Derby | 22 | PIT | DB | 11 | 2 | 9 | 32 | 0 | 14 | 3.6 | 6 | 137 | 0 | 30 | 22.8 | 297 | |
| 25 | Ken Keller | 23 | PHI | HB | 12 | 2 | 9 | 59 | 0 | 38 | 6.6 | 15 | 320 | 0 | 37 | 21.3 | 605 | |
| 26 | Don Paul | 31 | CLE | RDH | 12 | 12 | 9 | 75 | 0 | 32 | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 192 | PB,AP-2 | |
| 27 | Joe Scudero | 27 | WAS | FS/LDH | 10 | 4 | 9 | 84 | 0 | 21 | 9.3 | 3 | 95 | 0 | 45 | 31.7 | 269 | |
| 28 | Carl Taseff | 29 | BAL | DB | 4 | 4 | 7 | 60 | 0 | 40 | 8.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | ||
| 29 | J.C. Caroline | 24 | CHI | SS | 12 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 3.3 | 4 | 77 | 0 | 23 | 19.3 | 153 | |
| 30 | Joe Johnson | 28 | GNB | HB | 12 | 1 | 4 | 39 | 0 | 13 | 9.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 120 | ||
| 31 | Marv Brown | 27 | DET | HB | 4 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 5.3 | 6 | 106 | 0 | 23 | 17.7 | 128 | |
| 32 | Jack Christiansen | 29 | DET | SS | 12 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 4.0 | 4 | 80 | 0 | 22 | 20.0 | 229 | PB,AP-1 |
| 33 | Billy Kinard | 24 | GNB | DB | 12 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | ||
| 34 | Ken Konz | 29 | CLE | SS | 12 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 4.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | ||
| 35 | John Symank | 22 | GNB | SS | 12 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 | ||
| 36 | Corky Taylor | 24 | RAM | DB | 2 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 0 | 28 | 13.7 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 35 | 35.0 | 76 | |
| 37 | Frank Bernardi | 24 | CRD | SS | 12 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 | ||
| 38 | Perry Jeter | 26 | CHI | HB | 9 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1.5 | 3 | 62 | 0 | 28 | 20.7 | 85 | |
| 39 | Lenny Moore | 24 | BAL | RH | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 92 | 1 | 92 | 1267 | ||
| 40 | Ray Gene Smith | 29 | CHI | RDH | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 | ||
| 41 | Don Burroughs | 26 | RAM | SS | 12 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | ||
| 42 | Jack Butler | 30 | PIT | FS | 12 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | PB,AP-1 | |
| 43 | Milt Davis | 28 | BAL | RDH | 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 219 | AP-1 | |
| 44 | Bobby Dillon | 27 | GNB | FS | 12 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 188 | PB,AP-1 | |
| 45 | Gary Glick | 27 | PIT | LDH | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | ||
| 46 | Jimmy Harris | 23 | PHI | FS | 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 101 | ||
| 47 | Matt Hazeltine | 24 | SFO | LLB | 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 | 46 | |
| 48 | Jimmy Hill | 29 | CRD | RDH | 10 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | ||
| 49 | Dick Hughes | 25 | PIT | HB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 50 | Carl Karilivacz | 27 | DET | RDH | 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | ||
| 51 | Night Train Lane | 29 | CRD | LDH | 8 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | ||
| 52 | Dave Mann | 25 | CRD | RH | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 | 252 | |
| 53 | Dicky Moegle | 23 | SFO | FS | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 | AP-2 | |
| 54 | Jerry Norton | 26 | PHI | SS | 12 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 18 | 16.5 | 278 | PB |
| 55 | Fred Robinson | 27 | CLE | RG | 12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 56 | Aubrey Rozzell | 25 | PIT | LLB | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 57 | Jimmy Sears | 26 | CRD | HB | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 8 | 220 | 0 | 33 | 27.5 | 354 | |
| 58 | Will Sherman | 30 | RAM | FS | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | ||
| 59 | Don Shinnick | 22 | BAL | LLB | 12 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | ||
| 60 | Tommy Wilson | 25 | RAM | LH | 11 | 7 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 28 | 28.0 | 11 | 290 | 0 | 35 | 26.4 | 1029 | PB,AP-2 |
| 61 | Dick Alban | 28 | PIT | RDH | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 22 | 16.5 | 68 | ||
| 62 | Gene Babb | 23 | SFO | FB | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 471 | ||
| 63 | Eddie Bell | 26 | PHI | LDH | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7.0 | 45 | ||
| 64 | Dick Bielski | 25 | PHI | FL | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 5.5 | 92 | ||
| 65 | Johnny Bookman | 23 | NYG | LDH | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 102 | 0 | 33 | 25.5 | 156 | ||
| 66 | M.L. Brackett | 24 | CHI | DT | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1.7 | 5 | ||
| 67 | Jim Brown | 21 | CLE | FB | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 136 | 0 | 29 | 22.7 | 1133 | PB,AP-1,AP MVP-1 | |
| 68 | Jack Call | 22 | BAL | HB | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 329 | 0 | 45 | 23.5 | 492 | ||
| 69 | Milt Campbell | 24 | CLE | HB | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 263 | 0 | 36 | 23.9 | 311 | ||
| 70 | Lew Carpenter | 25 | CLE | LH | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 | 404 | ||
| 71 | Jimmy Carr | 24 | CRD | DB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 0 | 21 | 19.5 | 39 | ||
| 72 | Paul Carr | 26 | SFO | DB | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | ||
| 73 | Rick Casares | 26 | CHI | FB | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 925 | PB,AP-2 | |
| 74 | Howard Cassady | 23 | DET | RH | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 232 | 0 | 37 | 23.2 | 807 | ||
| 75 | Frank Clarke | 23 | CLE | E | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 13 | 11.0 | 99 | ||
| 76 | Fred Cone | 31 | GNB | FB | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 83 | 0 | 25 | 16.6 | 248 | ||
| 77 | Ed Crawford | 23 | NYG | DB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 25 | 19.0 | 81 | ||
| 78 | Gene Cronin | 24 | DET | RDE | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||
| 79 | John Damore | 24 | CHI | C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | ||
| 80 | Cotton Davidson | 26 | BAL | QB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 79 | 0 | 21 | 15.8 | 79 | ||
| 81 | Bill Forester | 25 | GNB | RLB | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 57 | 0 | 27 | 14.3 | 181 | ||
| 82 | Bobby Freeman | 25 | CLE | DB | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 | 61 | ||
| 83 | Willie Galimore | 22 | CHI | LH | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 140 | 0 | 47 | 28.0 | 879 | ||
| 84 | Gene Gedman | 25 | DET | LH | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 158 | 0 | 45 | 26.3 | 573 | ||
| 85 | Mal Hammack | 24 | CRD | FB | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 17 | 16.5 | 205 | ||
| 86 | Bill Jessup | 28 | SFO | E | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8.0 | 37 | ||
| 87 | Ed Khayat | 22 | WAS | DT | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 | 12 | ||
| 88 | Lamar Lundy | 22 | RAM | FL | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 114 | ||
| 89 | Max McGee | 25 | GNB | LE | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 0 | 32 | 17.3 | 382 | ||
| 90 | Don McIlhenny | 23 | GNB | LH | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 362 | 0 | 53 | 25.9 | 956 | ||
| 91 | Ed Modzelewski | 28 | CLE | FB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 74 | 0 | 18 | 14.8 | 95 | ||
| 92 | Henry Moore | 23 | BAL | DB | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 | 16 | ||
| 93 | Steve Myhra | 23 | BAL | K | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 | 20 | ||
| 94 | Dick Nyers | 23 | BAL | HB | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 350 | 0 | 46 | 20.6 | 346 | ||
| 95 | Johnny Olszewski | 27 | CRD | FB | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 320 | |||
| 96 | Luke Owens | 24 | BAL | DT | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 | 23 | ||
| 97 | Lou Palatella | 24 | SFO | LG | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 30 | |||
| 98 | Jack Pardee | 21 | RAM | RLB | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 7.0 | 21 | ||
| 99 | Clarence Peaks | 22 | PHI | FB | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 98 | 0 | 27 | 19.6 | 692 | ||
| 100 | Gerry Perry | 27 | DET | G | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 | 18 | ||
| 101 | Jim Podoley | 24 | WAS | RH | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 56 | 0 | 24 | 18.7 | 1052 | PB | |
| 102 | Billy Pricer | 23 | BAL | FB | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 23 | 20.0 | 58 | ||
| 103 | Duane Putnam | 29 | RAM | LG | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 5.5 | 11 | PB,AP-1,AP MVP-5 | |
| 104 | Fran Rogel | 30 | PIT | FB | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4.0 | 364 | ||
| 105 | J.D. Smith | 25 | SFO | LDH | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 368 | 0 | 38 | 26.3 | 385 | ||
| 106 | Pat Summerall | 27 | CRD | RDE | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | ||
| 107 | Ed Sutton | 22 | WAS | LH | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 | 469 | ||
| 108 | Fred Williams | 28 | CHI | LDT | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | ||
| 109 | Neil Worden | 26 | PHI | FB | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 63 | 0 | 19 | 15.8 | 199 | ||
| 110 | Frank Wydo | 33 | PHI | T | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2.0 | 27 | ||
| League Average | 5.4 | 22.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Punt Returns | Kick Returns | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Player | Age | Team | Pos | G | GS | Ret | Yds | PRTD | Lng | Y/Ret | Ret | Yds | KRTD | Lng | Y/Ret | APYd | Awards |
| 1 | Yale Lary | 27 | DET | FS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 3.3 | 3 | 75 | 0 | 25 | 25.0 | 88 | |
| 2 | Joe Arenas | 32 | SFO | HB | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 8.0 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 23 | 17.0 | 52 | |
| 3 | Billy Reynolds | 26 | CLE | HB | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 3 | 58 | 0 | 20 | 19.3 | 59 | |
| 4 | Terry Barr | 22 | DET | DB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4 | 89 | 0 | 30 | 22.3 | 108 | |
| 5 | Jim Brown | 21 | CLE | FB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 106 | 0 | 50 | 26.5 | 175 | |||||
| 6 | Milt Campbell | 24 | CLE | HB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 | 19 | |||||
| League Average | 3.3 | 22.4 | ||||||||||||||||
Bold season totals indicate player led league.
Black Ink appears for stats with a leaderboard.
Bold season totals indicate player led league.
Black Ink appears for stats with a leaderboard.

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