# 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.
* 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 |
| 1960 | Leon Burton | 862* | New York Titans |
| 1961 | Frank Jackson | 645 | Dallas Texans |
| 1962 | Dick Christy | 824 | New York Titans |
| 1963 | Bobby Jancik | 1,317* | Houston Oilers |
| 1964 | Odell Barry | 1,245 | Denver Broncos |
| 1965 | Abner Haynes | 901 | Denver Broncos |
| 1966 | Bobby Jancik (2) | 875 | Houston Oilers |
| 1967 | Noland Smith | 1,148 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1968 | Max Anderson | 971 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1969 | Mercury Morris | 1,136 | Miami Dolphins |