List of NFL annual kickoff return yards leaders

This is a list of National Football League kickoff returners who have led the regular season in kickoff return yards each year.

Kick return yards leaders

According to Pro Football Reference and The Football Database.^[1][2]

Set record*

Season	Player	Kickoff return yards	Team
1941	Marshall Goldberg	290*	Chicago Cardinals
1942	Marshall Goldberg (2)	393*	Chicago Cardinals
1943	Ken Heineman	444*	Brooklyn Dodgers
1944	John Grigas	471*	Card-Pitt
1945	Frank Seno	408	Chicago Cardinals
1946	Sonny Karnofsky	599*	Boston Yanks
1947	Eddie Saenz	797*	Washington Redskins
1948	Dan Sandifer	594	Washington Redskins
1949	Don Doll	536	Detroit Lions
1950	Vitamin Smith	742	Los Angeles Rams
1951	George Taliaferro	622	New York Yanks
1952	Buddy Young	643	Dallas Texans
1953	Woodley Lewis	830*	Los Angeles Rams
1954	Woodley Lewis (2)	836*	Los Angeles Rams
1955	Sid Watson	716	Pittsburgh Steelers
1956	Al Carmichael	927*	Green Bay Packers
1957	Al Carmichael (2)	690	Green Bay Packers
1958	Jimmy Sears	756	Chicago Cardinals
1959	Lenny Lyles	565	San Francisco 49ers
1960	Ted Dean	533	Philadelphia Eagles
1961	Timmy Brown	811	Philadelphia Eagles
1962	Abe Woodson	1,157*	San Francisco 49ers
1963	Timmy Brown (2)	945	Philadelphia Eagles
1964	Mel Renfro	1,017	Dallas Cowboys
1965	Kermit Alexander	741	San Francisco 49ers
1966	Ron Smith	1,013	Atlanta Falcons
1967	Ron Smith (2)	976	Atlanta Falcons
1968	Chuck Latourette	1,237*	St. Louis Cardinals
1969	Bo Scott	722	Cleveland Browns
1970	Alvin Haymond	1,022	Los Angeles Rams
1971	Dave Hampton	1,314*	Green Bay Packers
1972	Margene Adkins	1,020	New Orleans Saints
1973	Mack Herron	1,092	New England Patriots
1974	Lou Piccone	961	New York Jets
1975	Larry Jones	1,086	Washington Redskins
1976	Willie Shelby	761	Cincinnati Bengals
1977	Bruce Harper	1,035	New York Jets
1978	Bruce Harper (2)	1,280	New York Jets
1979	Bruce Harper (3)	1,158	New York Jets
1980	Eddie Payton	1,184	Minnesota Vikings
1981	Stump Mitchell	1,292	Los Angeles Rams
1982	James Brooks	749	San Diego Chargers
1983	Zachary Dixon	1,171	Baltimore Colts Seattle Seahawks
1984	Lionel James	959	San Diego Chargers
1985	Buster Rhymes	1,345*	Minnesota Vikings
1986	Tim McGee Herman Hunter	1,007	Cincinnati Bengals Detroit Lions
1987	Paul Palmer	923	Kansas City Chiefs
1988	Tim Brown	1,098	Los Angeles Raiders
1989	James Dixon	1,181	Dallas Cowboys
1990	Eric Metcalf	1,052	Cleveland Browns
1991	Mel Gray	929	Detroit Lions
1992	Deion Sanders	1,067	Atlanta Falcons
1993	Clarence Verdin	1,050	Indianapolis Colts
1994	Tyrone Hughes	1,556*	New Orleans Saints
1995	Tyrone Hughes (2)	1,617*	New Orleans Saints
1996	Tyrone Hughes (3)	1,791*	New Orleans Saints
1997	Kevin Williams	1,458	Arizona Cardinals
1998	Glyn Milburn	1,550	Chicago Bears
1999	Brock Marion	1,524	Miami Dolphins
2000	MarTay Jenkins	2,186*	Arizona Cardinals
2001	Ronney Jenkins	1,541	San Diego Chargers
2002	Michael Lewis	1,807	New Orleans Saints
2003	Josh Scobey	1,684	Arizona Cardinals
2004	Dante Hall	1,718	Kansas City Chiefs
2005	Chris Carr	1,752	Oakland Raiders
2006	Chris Carr (2)	1,762	Oakland Raiders
2007	Josh Cribbs	1,809	Cleveland Browns
2008	Josh Wilson	1,753	Seattle Seahawks
2009	Danny Amendola	1,618	St. Louis Rams
2010	LaRod Stephens-Howling	1,548	Arizona Cardinals
2011	Brandon Banks	1,174	Washington Redskins
2012	David Wilson	1,533	New York Giants
2013	Devin Hester	1,436	Chicago Bears
2014	Devin Hester (2)	1,128	Atlanta Falcons
2015	Ameer Abdullah	1,077	Detroit Lions
2016	Alex Erickson	810	Cincinnati Bengals
2017	Tyler Lockett	949	Seattle Seahawks
2018	Andre Roberts	1,174	New York Jets
2019	Cordarrelle Patterson	825	Chicago Bears
2020	Cordarrelle Patterson (2)	1,017	Chicago Bears
2021	Andre Roberts (2)	1,010	Houston Texans Los Angeles Chargers
2022	Keisean Nixon	1,009	Green Bay Packers
2023	Keisean Nixon (2)	782	Green Bay Packers
2024	KaVontae Turpin	904	Dallas Cowboys

American Football League (AFL)

Set record*

Season	Player	Kickoff return yards	Team	Ref.
1960	Leon Burton	862*	New York Titans	[3]
1961	Frank Jackson	645	Dallas Texans	[4]
1962	Dick Christy	824	New York Titans	[5]
1963	Bobby Jancik	1,317*	Houston Oilers	[6]
1964	Odell Barry	1,245	Denver Broncos	[7]
1965	Abner Haynes	901	Denver Broncos	[8]
1966	Bobby Jancik (2)	875	Houston Oilers	[9]
1967	Noland Smith	1,148	Kansas City Chiefs	[10]
1968	Max Anderson	971	Buffalo Bills	[11]
1969	Mercury Morris	1,136	Miami Dolphins	[12]

See also

• List of NFL career kickoff return yards leaders