# List of NFL annual punt return yards leaders

This is a list of National Football League punt returners who have led the regular season in punt return yards each year. The record for punt return yards in a season is currently held by Desmond Howard of the Green Bay Packers who had 875 yards in 1996.

## Punt return yards leaders

According to Pro Football Reference and The Football Database.
* Set record*
| Season | Player | Punt return yards | Team |
| 1941 | Whizzer White | 262* | Detroit Lions |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley | 271* | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1943 | Frank Sinkwich | 228 | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 1944 | Bob Davis | 271 | Boston Yanks |
| 1945 | Steve Bagarus | 251 | Washington Redskins |
| 1946 | Bill Dudley (2) | 385 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1947 | Walt Slater | 435 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1948 | George McAfee | 417 | Chicago Bears |
| 1949 | Vitamin Smith | 427 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1950 | Billy Grimes | 555* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1951 | Emlen Tunnell | 489 | New York Giants |
| 1952 | Emlen Tunnell (2) | 411 | New York Giants |
| 1953 | Woodley Lewis | 267 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1954 | Veryl Switzer | 306 | Green Bay Packers |
| 1955 | Ollie Matson | 245 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1956 | Carl Taseff | 233 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1957 | Bert Zagers | 217 | Washington Redskins |
| 1958 | Jon Arnett | 217 | Washington Redskins |
| 1959 | Billy Stacy | 281 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1960 | Abe Woodson | 174 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1961 | Johnny Sample | 283 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1962 | Pat Studstill | 457 | Detroit Lions |
| 1963 | Tom Watkins | 399 | Detroit Lions |
| 1964 | Mel Renfro | 418 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1965 | Alvin Haymond | 403 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1966 | Alvin Haymond (2) | 403 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1967 | Bob Hayes | 276 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1968 | Chuck Latourette | 345 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| 1969 | Alvin Haymond (3) | 403 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1970 | Bruce Taylor | 516 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1971 | Jake Scott | 318 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1972 | Bruce Laird | 303 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1973 | Bill Thompson | 366 | Denver Broncos |
| 1974 | Lynn Swann | 577* | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1975 | Neal Colzie | 655* | Oakland Raiders |
| 1976 | Eddie Brown | 646 | Washington Redskins |
| 1977 | Rick Upchurch | 653 | Denver Broncos |
| 1978 | Jackie Wallace | 618 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1979 | J.T. Smith | 612 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1980 | J.T. Smith (2) | 581 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1981 | LeRoy Irvin | 615 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1982 | Leon Bright | 325 | New York Giants |
| 1983 | Greg Pruitt | 666* | Los Angeles Raiders |
| 1984 | Louis Lipps | 656 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1985 | Fulton Walker | 692* | Los Angeles Raiders Miami Dolphins |
| 1986 | Vai Sikahema | 522 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1987 | Vai Sikahema (2) | 550 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1988 | John Taylor | 556 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1989 | Dave Meggett | 582 | New York Giants |
| 1990 | Dave Meggett (2) | 467 | New York Giants |
| 1991 | Brian Mitchell | 600 | Washington Redskins |
| 1992 | Kelvin Martin | 532 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1993 | Tyrone Hughes | 503 | New Orleans Saints |
| 1994 | Tim Brown | 487 | Los Angeles Raiders |
| 1995 | Tamarick Vanover | 540 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1996 | Desmond Howard | 875* | Green Bay Packers |
| 1997 | Leon Johnson | 619 | New York Jets |
| 1998 | Reggie Barlow | 555 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 1999 | Tamarick Vanover (2) | 627 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2000 | Derrick Mason | 662 | Tennessee Titans |
| 2001 | Jermaine Lewis | 519 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2002 | Michael Lewis | 625 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2003 | Allen Rossum | 545 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2004 | B.J. Sams | 575 | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2005 | Mark Jones | 492 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2006 | Devin Hester | 600 | Chicago Bears |
| 2007 | Nate Burleson | 658 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2008 | Johnnie Lee Higgins | 570 | Oakland Raiders |
| 2009 | Quan Cosby | 474 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2010 | Devin Hester (2) | 564 | Chicago Bears |
| 2011 | Patrick Peterson | 699 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2012 | Trindon Holliday | 481 | Houston Texans Denver Broncos |
| 2013 | Dexter McCluster | 686 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2014 | Darren Sproles | 506 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2015 | Darren Sproles (2) | 446 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2016 | Tyreek Hill | 592 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2017 | Jamal Agnew | 447 | Detroit Lions |
| 2018 | Tarik Cohen | 411 | Chicago Bears |
| 2019 | Deonte Harris | 338 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2020 | Gunner Olszewski | 346 | New England Patriots |
| 2021 | Ray-Ray McCloud | 367 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2022 | Marcus Jones | 362 | New England Patriots |
| 2023 | Britain Covey | 417 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2024 | Kalif Raymond | 413 | Detroit Lions |

## American Football League (AFL)

* Set record*
| Season | Player | Punt return yards | Team |
| 1960 | Abner Haynes | 215* | Dallas Texans |
| 1961 | Dick Christy | 383* | New York Titans |
| 1962 | Dick Christy (2) | 250 | New York Titans |
| 1963 | Claude Gibson | 307 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1964 | Claude Gibson (2) | 419* | Oakland Raiders |
| 1965 | Speedy Duncan | 464* | San Diego Chargers |
| 1966 | Rodger Bird | 323 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1967 | Rodger Bird (2) | 612* | Oakland Raiders |
| 1968 | George Atkinson | 490 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1969 | Jerry LeVias | 292 | Houston Oilers |