NFL Single Season Leaders - Punt Return Yards

The following is a list of the NFL single season punt return leaders ranked by punt return yards. 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. Howard 1996 GB 58 875 15.1 92t 3
2. P. Peterson 2011 Ari 44 699 15.9 99t 4
3. F. Walker 1985 LAR 62 692 11.2 32 0
4. D. McCluster 2013 KC 58 686 11.8 89t 2
5. G. Pruitt 1983 LAR 58 666 11.5 97t 1
6. D. Mason 2000 Ten 51 662 13.0 69t 1
7. N. Burleson 2007 Sea 58 658 11.3 94t 1
8. L. Lipps 1984 Pit 53 656 12.4 76t 1
9. N. Colzie 1975 Oak 48 655 13.6 64 0
10. R. Upchurch 1977 Den 51 653 12.8 87t 1
11. D. Hester 2007 Chi 42 651 15.5 89t 4
12. E. Brown 1976 Was 48 646 13.5 71t 1
13. T. Vanover 1999 KC 51 627 12.3 84t 2
14. M. Lewis 2002 NO 44 625 14.2 83t 1
15. L. Johnson 1997 NYJ 51 619 12.1 66t 1
16. J. Wallace 1978 LA 52 618 11.9 58 0
17. L. Irvin 1981 LA 46 615 13.4 84t 3
18. R. Bird 1967 Oak 46 612 13.3 78 0
  B. Johnson 1975 Hou 40 612 15.3 83t 3
  J. Smith 1979 KC 58 612 10.6 88t 2
21. M. Haynes 1976 NE 45 608 13.5 89t 2
22. D. Hester 2006 Chi 47 600 12.8 84t 3
  B. Mitchell 1991 Was 45 600 13.3 69t 2
24. W. Oliver 1996 Car 52 598 11.5 84t 1
25. K. Williams 1997 TB 46 597 13.0 63 1
26. T. Hill 2016 KC 39 592 15.2 95t 2
27. D. Meggett 1996 NE 52 588 11.3 60t 1
28. G. Tate 2013 Sea 51 585 11.5 71 0
29. D. Meggett 1989 NYG 46 582 12.7 76t 1
30. J. Smith 1980 KC 40 581 14.5 75t 2
31. J. Lewis 2000 Bal 36 578 16.1 89t 2
32. L. Swann 1974 Pit 41 577 14.1 69 1
33. B. Sams 2004 Bal 55 575 10.5 78t 2
34. J. Higgins 2008 Oak 44 570 13.0 93t 3
35. B. Mitchell 2002 Phi 46 567 12.3 76t 1
36. D. Hester 2010 Chi 33 564 17.1 89t 3
37. J. Taylor 1988 SF 44 556 12.6 95t 2
38. R. Barlow 1998 Jax 43 555 12.9 85t 1
  B. Grimes 1950 GB 29 555 19.1 85 2
40. L. Lewis 1988 Min 58 550 9.5 64 0
  V. Sikahema 1987 Stl 44 550 12.5 76t 1
42. J. Jones 1980 Dal 54 548 10.1 52 0
43. A. Rossum 2003 Atl 39 545 14.0 72 1
44. D. Gordon 1997 Den 40 543 13.6 94t 3
  B. Tate 2011 Cin 51 543 10.6 56t 1
46. A. Randle El 2003 Pit 45 542 12.0 84t 2
47. D. Howard 1998 Oak 45 541 12.0 75t 2
48. T. Vanover 1995 KC 51 540 10.6 86t 1
49. B. Johnson 1977 Hou 35 539 15.4 87t 2
50. D. Gordon 1996 SD 36 537 14.9 81t 1