NFL Single Season Leaders - Punt Returns

The following is a list of the NFL single season punt return leaders ranked by punt returns. Statistics are current through the 2020 NFL season and include stats accrued in NFL, AFL and APFA games.

Active players are listed in bold.

      Punt Returns
Player Season Team Num Yds Avg Lg TD
1. D. Reece 1979 TB 70 431 6.2 17 0
2. F. Walker 1985 LAR 62 692 11.2 32 0
3. N. Burleson 2007 Sea 58 658 11.3 94t 1
  D. Howard 1996 GB 58 875 15.1 92t 3
  L. Lewis 1988 Min 58 550 9.5 64 0
  D. McCluster 2013 KC 58 686 11.8 89t 2
  G. Pruitt 1983 LAR 58 666 11.5 97t 1
  J. Smith 1979 KC 58 612 10.6 88t 2
9. L. Barnes 1986 Chi 57 482 8.5 35 0
  E. Brown 1977 Was 57 452 7.9 43 0
  J. Fisher 1984 Chi 57 492 8.6 28 0
  J. Lewis 1999 Bal 57 452 7.9 33 0
  D. Reece 1980 TB 57 313 5.5 19 0
14. E. Brown 1979 LA 56 332 5.9 30 0
15. B. Sams 2004 Bal 55 575 10.5 78t 2
  S. Smith 2002 Car 55 470 8.5 87t 2
17. G. Allen 1984 Dal 54 446 8.3 18 0
  W. Henry 1981 Phi 54 396 7.3 52 0
  J. Jones 1980 Dal 54 548 10.1 52 0
  R. Lawrence 1976 Atl 54 372 6.9 24 0
21. R. Harris 1991 Phi 53 416 7.8 40 0
  A. Haymond 1970 LA 53 376 7.1 30 0
  L. Jones 1975 Was 53 407 7.7 52t 1
  T. Kinchen 1995 Stl 53 416 7.8 27 0
  L. Lipps 1984 Pit 53 656 12.4 76t 1
  P. McConkey 1985 NYG 53 442 8.3 37 0
  G. Pruitt 1984 LAR 53 473 8.9 38 0
28. L. Bright 1981 NYG 52 410 7.9 55 0
  T. Kinchen 1997 Atl 52 446 8.6 38 0
  R. Martin 1981 Det 52 450 8.7 45t 1
  D. Meggett 1996 NE 52 588 11.3 60t 1
  W. Oliver 1996 Car 52 598 11.5 84t 1
  J. Wallace 1978 LA 52 618 11.9 58 0
34. B. Johnson 1978 Dal 51 401 7.9 23 0
  L. Johnson 1997 NYJ 51 619 12.1 66t 1
  M. Jones 2005 TB 51 492 9.6 31 0
  R. Lawrence 1977 Atl 51 352 6.9 37 0
  D. Mason 2000 Ten 51 662 13.0 69t 1
  P. Peterson 2012 Ari 51 426 8.4 26 0
  B. Tate 2011 Cin 51 543 10.6 56t 1
  G. Tate 2013 Sea 51 585 11.5 71 0
  R. Upchurch 1977 Den 51 653 12.8 87t 1
  T. Vanover 1995 KC 51 540 10.6 86t 1
  T. Vanover 1999 KC 51 627 12.3 84t 2
45. D. Jackson 2008 Phi 50 440 8.8 68t 1
  B. Johnson 1977 Dal 50 423 8.5 38 0
  J. Smith 1981 KC 50 528 10.6 62 0
48. T. Brown 1988 LAR 49 444 9.1 36 0
  J. Jones 2011 Hou 49 518 10.6 79t 1
  G. McNeil 1989 Cle 49 496 10.1 49 0
  M. Nelms 1984 Was 49 428 8.7 46 0
  A. Pearman 2005 Jax 49 410 8.4 24 0
  F. Walker 1986 LAR 49 440 9.0 70t 1