NFL Punt Return Leaders |
| Career Leaders |
| Category | Player | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Returns | Brian Mitchell | 463 |
| Fair Catches | Brian Mitchell | 231 |
| Yards | Brian Mitchell | 4999 |
| Average (75 returns minimum) | Gunner Olszewski | 13.3 |
| Touchdowns | Devin Hester | 14 |
| Gains of 20 yards and more | Devin Hester | 61 |
| Gains of 40 yards and more | Devin Hester | 21 |
| Fumbles | Eric Metcalf | 26 |
| Yearly Leaders |
| Year | League | Player | NO | FC | YDS | AVG | LG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | APFA | Frank Bacon | 1 | |||||
| 1920 | APFA | Fritz Pollard | 1 | |||||
| 1921 | APFA | Ockie Anderson | 1 | |||||
| 1921 | APFA | Paddy Driscoll | 1 | |||||
| 1921 | APFA | Jerry Noonan | 1 | |||||
| 1922 | NFL | Norb Sacksteder | 1 | |||||
| 1923 | NFL | Eddie Robinson | 1 | |||||
| 1923 | NFL | Howard Turner | 1 | |||||
| 1924 | NFL | Benny Boynton | 1 | |||||
| 1924 | NFL | Benny Boynton | 1 | |||||
| 1924 | NFL | Joey Sternaman | 1 | |||||
| 1925 | NFL | Jack Ernst | 1 | |||||
| 1925 | NFL | Henry Homan | 1 | |||||
| 1926 | AFL | Matt Bross | 1 | |||||
| 1926 | AFL | Bob Dinsmore | 1 | |||||
| 1926 | NFL | Curly Oden | 2 | |||||
| 1927 | NFL | Jack Cronin | 1 | |||||
| 1927 | NFL | Jack Hagerty | 1 | |||||
| 1927 | NFL | Curly Oden | 1 | |||||
| 1928 | NFL | Al Bloodgood | 1 | |||||
| 1928 | NFL | Hinkey Haines | 1 | |||||
| 1928 | NFL | Bill Senn | 1 | |||||
| 1928 | NFL | Dick Sturtridge | 1 | |||||
| 1929 | NFL | Johnny Blood | 1 | |||||
| 1929 | NFL | Mickey MacDonnell | 1 | |||||
| 1929 | NFL | Ken Strong | 1 | |||||
| 1929 | NFL | Cy Wentworth | 1 | |||||
| 1931 | NFL | Mort Kaer | 1 | |||||
| 1931 | NFL | Curly Oden | 1 | |||||
| 1931 | NFL | Glenn Presnell | 1 | |||||
| 1931 | NFL | Ken Strong | 1 | |||||
| 1932 | NFL | Chris Cagle | 1 | |||||
| 1933 | NFL | John Kelly | 2 | |||||
| 1934 | NFL | Homer Griffith | 1 | |||||
| 1934 | NFL | Jack Grossman | 1 | |||||
| 1935 | NFL | Phil Sarboe | 2 | |||||
| 1936 | NFL | Cliff Battles | 1 | |||||
| 1936 | NFL | George Grosvenor | 1 | |||||
| 1937 | NFL | Ace Parker | 1 | |||||
| 1937 | NFL | Doug Russell | 1 | |||||
| 1939 | NFL | Joe Laws | 1 | |||||
| 1939 | NFL | Dick Todd | 1 | |||||
| 1940 | NFL | Ray McLean | 1 | |||||
| 1940 | NFL | Dick Todd | 1 | |||||
| 1941 | NFL | Whizzer White | 19 | 262 | 13.8 | 64 | 0 | |
| 1942 | NFL | Merl Condit | 21 | 210 | 10.0 | 23 | 0 | |
| 1943 | NFL | Andy Farkas | 15 | 168 | 11.2 | 33 | 0 | |
| 1944 | NFL | Steve Van Buren | 15 | 230 | 15.3 | 55t | 1 | |
| 1945 | NFL | Dave Ryan | 15 | 220 | 14.7 | 58 | 0 | |
| 1946 | AAFC | Chuck Fenenbock | 16 | 299 | 18.7 | 41 | 0 | |
| 1946 | NFL | Bill Dudley | 27 | 385 | 14.3 | 52 | 0 | |
| 1947 | AAFC | Glenn Dobbs | 19 | 215 | 11.3 | 0 | ||
| 1947 | AAFC | Glenn Dobbs | 19 | 215 | 11.3 | 0 | ||
| 1947 | NFL | Walt Slater | 28 | 435 | 15.5 | 33 | 0 | |
| 1948 | AAFC | Herman Wedemeyer | 23 | 368 | 16.0 | 61 | 0 | |
| 1948 | NFL | George McAfee | 30 | 417 | 13.9 | 60t | 1 | |
| 1949 | AAFC | Jim Cason | 21 | 351 | 16.7 | 0 | ||
| 1949 | NFL | Vitamin Smith | 27 | 427 | 15.8 | 85 | 1 | |
| 1950 | NFL | Herb Rich | 12 | 276 | 23.0 | 86t | 1 | |
| 1951 | NFL | Buddy Young | 12 | 231 | 19.3 | 79t | 1 | |
| 1952 | NFL | Jack Christiansen | 15 | 322 | 21.5 | 79t | 2 | |
| 1953 | NFL | Charley Trippi | 21 | 239 | 11.4 | 38 | 0 | |
| 1954 | NFL | Veryl Switzer | 24 | 306 | 12.8 | 93t | 1 | |
| 1955 | NFL | Ollie Matson | 13 | 245 | 18.8 | 78t | 2 | |
| 1956 | NFL | Kenny Konz | 13 | 187 | 14.4 | 65t | 1 | |
| 1957 | NFL | Bert Zagers | 14 | 217 | 15.5 | 76t | 2 | |
| 1958 | NFL | Jon Arnett | 18 | 223 | 12.4 | 58 | 0 | |
| 1959 | NFL | Johnny Morris | 14 | 171 | 12.2 | 78t | 1 | |
| 1960 | AFL | Abner Haynes | 14 | 215 | 15.4 | 46 | 0 | |
| 1960 | NFL | Abe Woodson | 13 | 174 | 13.4 | 48 | 0 | |
| 1961 | AFL | Dick Christy | 18 | 383 | 21.3 | 70t | 2 | |
| 1961 | NFL | Willie Wood | 14 | 11 | 225 | 16.1 | 72t | 2 |
| 1962 | AFL | Dick Christy | 15 | 250 | 16.7 | 73t | 2 | |
| 1962 | NFL | Pat Studstill | 29 | 7 | 457 | 15.8 | 44 | 0 |
| 1963 | AFL | Claude Gibson | 26 | 307 | 11.8 | 85t | 2 | |
| 1963 | NFL | Dick James | 16 | 6 | 214 | 13.4 | 39 | 0 |
| 1964 | AFL | Bobby Jancik | 12 | 220 | 18.3 | 82t | 1 | |
| 1964 | NFL | Tommy Watkins | 16 | 6 | 238 | 14.9 | 68t | 2 |
| 1965 | AFL | Speedy Duncan | 30 | 464 | 15.5 | 66t | 2 | |
| 1965 | NFL | Leroy Kelly | 17 | 6 | 265 | 15.6 | 67t | 2 |
| 1966 | AFL | Speedy Duncan | 18 | 4 | 238 | 13.2 | 81t | 1 |
| 1966 | NFL | Johnny Roland | 20 | 18 | 221 | 11.1 | 86t | 1 |
| 1967 | AFL | Floyd Little | 16 | 6 | 270 | 16.9 | 72t | 1 |
| 1967 | NFL | Ben Davis | 18 | 7 | 229 | 12.7 | 52t | 1 |
| 1968 | AFL | Noland Smith | 18 | 10 | 270 | 15.0 | 80t | 1 |
| 1968 | NFL | Bob Hayes | 15 | 10 | 312 | 20.8 | 90t | 2 |
| 1969 | AFL | Billy Thompson | 25 | 4 | 288 | 11.5 | 40 | 0 |
| 1969 | NFL | Alvin Haymond | 33 | 8 | 435 | 13.2 | 52 | 0 |
| 1970 | NFL | Ed Podolak | 23 | 21 | 311 | 13.5 | 60 | 0 |
| 1971 | NFL | Speedy Duncan | 22 | 9 | 233 | 10.6 | 33 | 0 |
| 1972 | NFL | Ken Ellis | 14 | 1 | 215 | 15.4 | 80t | 1 |
| 1973 | NFL | Bruce Taylor | 15 | 6 | 207 | 13.8 | 61 | 0 |
| 1974 | NFL | Lemar Parrish | 18 | 1 | 338 | 18.8 | 90t | 2 |
| 1975 | NFL | Billy Johnson | 40 | 1 | 612 | 15.3 | 83t | 3 |
| 1976 | NFL | Rick Upchurch | 39 | 3 | 536 | 13.7 | 92t | 4 |
| 1977 | NFL | Billy Johnson | 35 | 8 | 539 | 15.4 | 87t | 2 |
| 1978 | NFL | Rick Upchurch | 36 | 2 | 493 | 13.7 | 75t | 1 |
| 1979 | NFL | John Sciarra | 16 | 0 | 182 | 11.4 | 38 | 0 |
| 1980 | NFL | J.T. Smith | 40 | 8 | 581 | 14.5 | 75t | 2 |
| 1981 | NFL | LeRoy Irvin | 46 | 6 | 615 | 13.4 | 84t | 3 |
| 1982 | NFL | Rick Upchurch | 15 | 3 | 242 | 16.1 | 78t | 2 |
| 1983 | NFL | Henry Ellard | 16 | 4 | 217 | 13.6 | 72t | 1 |
| 1984 | NFL | Mike Martin | 24 | 5 | 376 | 15.7 | 55 | 0 |
| 1985 | NFL | Irving Fryar | 37 | 15 | 520 | 14.1 | 85t | 2 |
| 1986 | NFL | Bobby Joe Edmonds | 34 | 14 | 419 | 12.3 | 75t | 1 |
| 1987 | NFL | Mel Gray | 24 | 5 | 352 | 14.7 | 80 | 0 |
| 1988 | NFL | John Taylor | 44 | 7 | 556 | 12.6 | 95t | 2 |
| 1989 | NFL | Walter Stanley | 36 | 5 | 496 | 13.8 | 74 | 0 |
| 1990 | NFL | Clarence Verdin | 31 | 3 | 396 | 12.8 | 36 | 0 |
| 1991 | NFL | Mel Gray | 25 | 14 | 385 | 15.4 | 78t | 1 |
| 1992 | NFL | Johnny Bailey | 20 | 8 | 263 | 13.2 | 65 | 0 |
| 1993 | NFL | Tyrone Hughes | 37 | 21 | 503 | 13.6 | 83t | 2 |
| 1994 | NFL | Brian Mitchell | 32 | 24 | 452 | 14.1 | 78t | 2 |
| 1995 | NFL | David Palmer | 26 | 13 | 342 | 13.2 | 74t | 1 |
| 1996 | NFL | Desmond Howard | 58 | 16 | 875 | 15.1 | 92t | 3 |
| 1997 | NFL | Jermaine Lewis | 28 | 13 | 437 | 15.6 | 89t | 2 |
| 1998 | NFL | Deion Sanders | 24 | 8 | 375 | 15.6 | 69t | 2 |
| 1999 | NFL | Charlie Rogers | 22 | 18 | 318 | 14.5 | 94t | 1 |
| 2000 | NFL | Jermaine Lewis | 36 | 9 | 578 | 16.1 | 89t | 2 |
| 2001 | NFL | Troy Brown | 29 | 15 | 413 | 14.2 | 85t | 2 |
| 2002 | NFL | Jimmy Williams | 20 | 8 | 336 | 16.8 | 89t | 1 |
| 2003 | NFL | Dante Hall | 29 | 14 | 472 | 16.3 | 93t | 2 |
| 2004 | NFL | Eddie Drummond | 24 | 8 | 316 | 13.2 | 83t | 2 |
| 2005 | NFL | Reno Mahe | 21 | 9 | 269 | 12.8 | 44 | 0 |
| 2006 | NFL | Adam Jones | 34 | 3 | 440 | 12.9 | 90t | 3 |
| 2007 | NFL | Roscoe Parrish | 27 | 2 | 440 | 16.3 | 74t | 1 |
| 2008 | NFL | Roscoe Parrish | 21 | 10 | 322 | 15.3 | 63t | 1 |
| 2009 | NFL | DeSean Jackson | 29 | 15 | 441 | 15.2 | 85t | 2 |
| 2010 | NFL | Devin Hester | 33 | 10 | 564 | 17.1 | 89t | 3 |
| 2011 | NFL | Devin Hester | 28 | 15 | 454 | 16.2 | 82t | 2 |
| 2012 | NFL | Leodis McKelvin | 23 | 14 | 431 | 18.7 | 88t | 2 |
| 2013 | NFL | Tandon Doss | 23 | 7 | 359 | 15.6 | 82t | 1 |
| 2014 | NFL | Darren Sproles | 39 | 16 | 506 | 13.0 | 82t | 2 |
| 2015 | NFL | Danny Amendola | 23 | 12 | 276 | 12.0 | 82 | 0 |
| 2016 | NFL | Tyreek Hill | 39 | 8 | 592 | 15.2 | 95t | 2 |
| 2017 | NFL | Jamal Agnew | 29 | 16 | 447 | 15.4 | 88t | 2 |
| 2018 | NFL | Andre Roberts | 23 | 27 | 324 | 14.1 | 78t | 1 |
| 2019 | NFL | Diontae Johnson | 20 | 7 | 258 | 12.9 | 85t | 1 |
| 2020 | NFL | Gunner Olszewski | 20 | 11 | 346 | 17.3 | 70t | 1 |
| 2021 | NFL | Devin Duvernay | 26 | 24 | 360 | 13.8 | 42 | 0 |
| 2022 | NFL | Kalif Raymond | 20 | 20 | 264 | 13.2 | 47t | 1 |
| 2023 | NFL | Derius Davis | 24 | 29 | 385 | 16.8 | 47t | 1 |
| 2024 | NFL | Marvin Mims | 26 | 25 | 408 | 15.7 | 61 | 0 |
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