Record-keeping for punting yards began in 1939, when Parker Hall led the National Football League (NFL) with 2,369 punting yards, while playing for the Cleveland Rams (now known as the Los Angeles Rams). Hall would lead the league in punting yards the following season as well, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in consecutive seasons. Dave Zastudil holds the record for punting yards in a season; he set the record at 5,209 punting yards in 2012, while playing with the Arizona Cardinals.
Although many other players have been able to lead the league in two consecutive seasons, John James is the only player to have the led the league in three consecutive seasons (1976–1978). James and Shane Lechler share the record of most seasons leading the league in punting yards, with four each. James led the league in 1974, in addition to his aforementioned three-year stretch; he played with the Atlanta Falcons in all four of those seasons. Meanwhile, Lechler lead the league in 2003, 2008, and 2009 (while with the Oakland Raiders), and in 2017, while playing with the Houston Texans. Johnny Hekker was the most recent player to accomplish this feat, leading in 2015, while playing for the St. Louis Rams, and again in 2016, when the team relocated to Los Angeles.
Among punting yards performances that did not lead the league, Chad Stanley has the most with 4,720 for the Texans in 2002. Marquette King's 4,930 punting yards for the Oakland Raiders in 2014 is the most punting yards a player has had without setting the single-season record.
Sammy Baugh led the league in yards per punt five times in his career (1940–1943, 1945). Lechler is the only other player to lead the league in yards per punt four times (2003, 2004, 2007, 2009). Baugh's four consecutive years leading the league (1940–1943) is also notable; no other player has led the league more than twice consecutively. The most recent player to do so was Lechler in 2003 and 2004. Baugh set the record for yards per punt at 51.4 in 1940. The 50.0 yards per punt mark would not be reached again until Donnie Jones achieved the feat in 2008. Ryan Stonehouse would surpass Baugh's yards per punt record, setting the new benchmark at 53.1 in 2022.
Total punting yards leaders
The following is the season-by-season listing:
Year Player Team 1939 Parker Hall 2,369 Cleveland Rams 1940 Parker Hall (2) 2,489 Cleveland Rams 1941 Whizzer White 1,997 Detroit Lions 1942 Dean McAdams 2,158 Brooklyn Dodgers 1943 Sammy Baugh 2,295 Washington Redskins 1944 Len Younce 1,941 New York Giants 1945 Sid Tinsley 2,308 Pittsburgh Steelers 1946 Roy McKay 2,735 Green Bay Packers 1947 Howard Maley 3,731 Boston Yanks 1948 Jack Jacobs 2,782 Green Bay Packers 1949 Dick Poillon 2,697 Washington Redskins 1950 Adrian Burk 3,243 Baltimore Colts 1951 Horace Gillom 3,321 Cleveland Browns 1952 Tom Landry 3,363 New York Giants 1953 Pat Brady 3,752 Pittsburgh Steelers 1954 Max McGee 2,999 Green Bay Packers 1955 Tom Landry (2) 3,022 New York Giants 1956 Adrian Burk (2) 2,843 Philadelphia Eagles 1957 Jerry Norton 2,798 Philadelphia Eagles 1958 Don Chandler 2,859 New York Giants 1959 Max McGee (2) 2,716 Green Bay Packers 1960 Bobby Joe Green 2,829 Pittsburgh Steelers 1961 Jerry Norton (2) 3,802 St. Louis Cardinals 1962 Danny Villanueva 3,960 Los Angeles Rams 1963 Danny Villanueva (2) 3,678 Los Angeles Rams 1964 Pat Richter 3,749 Washington Redskins 1965 Frank Lambert 3,518 Pittsburgh Steelers 1966 Bobby Joe Green (2) 3,358 Chicago Bears 1967 Billy Lothridge 3,801 Atlanta Falcons 1968 Billy Lothridge (2) 3,324 Atlanta Falcons 1969 Pat Studstill 3,259 Los Angeles Rams 1970 Billy Van Heusen 3,732 Denver Broncos 1971 Bob Lee 3,515 Minnesota Vikings 1972 Don Cockroft 3,498 Cleveland Browns 1973 Jerrel Wilson 3,642 Kansas City Chiefs 1974 John James 3,891 Atlanta Falcons 1975 Tom Blanchard 3,776 New Orleans Saints 1976 John James (2) 4,253 Atlanta Falcons 1977 John James (3) 4,349 Atlanta Falcons 1978 John James (4) 4,227 Atlanta Falcons 1979 Dave Jennings 4,445 New York Giants 1980 Dave Jennings (2) 4,211 New York Giants 1981 Bob Parsons 4,531 Chicago Bears 1982 Bob Parsons (2) 2,394 Chicago Bears 1983 Rohn Stark 4,124 Baltimore Colts 1984 Jim Arnold 4,397 Kansas City Chiefs 1985 Rich Camarillo 3,953 New England Patriots 1986 John Teltschik 4,493 Philadelphia Eagles 1987 Dale Hatcher 3,140 Los Angeles Rams 1988 Jim Arnold (2) 4,110 Detroit Lions 1989 Bryan Wagner 3,817 Cleveland Browns 1990 Brian Hansen 3,752 New England Patriots 1991 Tommy Barnhardt 3,743 New Orleans Saints 1992 Rick Tuten 4,760 Seattle Seahawks 1993 Rick Tuten (2) 4,007 Seattle Seahawks 1994 Rich Camarillo (2) 4,115 Houston Oilers 1995 Brian Hansen (2) 4,090 New York Jets 1996 Mike Horan 4,289 New York Giants 1997 Brad Maynard 4,531 New York Giants 1998 Brad Maynard (2) 4,566 New York Giants 1999 Chris Gardocki 4,645 Cleveland Browns 2000 Chris Gardocki (2) 4,919 Cleveland Browns 2001 Todd Sauerbrun 4,419 Carolina Panthers 2002 Todd Sauerbrun (2) 4,735 Carolina Panthers 2003 Shane Lechler 4,503 Oakland Raiders 2004 Brad Maynard (3) 4,638 Chicago Bears 2005 Andy Lee 4,447 San Francisco 49ers 2006 Jason Baker 4,483 Carolina Panthers 2007 Andy Lee (2) 4,968 San Francisco 49ers 2008 Shane Lechler (2) 4,391 Oakland Raiders 2009 Shane Lechler (3) 4,909 Oakland Raiders 2010 Donnie Jones 4,276 St. Louis Rams 2011 Britton Colquitt 4,783 Denver Broncos 2012 Dave Zastudil 5,209 Arizona Cardinals 2013 Bryan Anger 4,338 Jacksonville Jaguars 2014 Marquette King 4,930 Oakland Raiders 2015 Johnny Hekker 4,601 St. Louis Rams 2016 Johnny Hekker (2) 4,343 Los Angeles Rams 2017 Shane Lechler (4) 4,507 Houston Texans 2018 Andy Lee (3) 4,568 Arizona Cardinals 2019 Lac Edwards 3,991 New York Jets 2020 Braden Mann 3,598 New York Jets 2021 Cameron Johnston 4,102 Houston Texans 2022 Ryan Stonehouse 4,779 Tennessee Titans 2023 Thomas Morstead 4,831 New York Jets 2024 Corey Bojorquez 4,387 Cleveland Browns 2025 Corey Bojorquez (2) 4,165 Cleveland BrownsStatistics gathered from Pro Football Reference.
American Football League (AFL)
Year Player Team 1960 Billy Atkins 3,468 Buffalo Bills 1961 Billy Atkins (2) 3,783 Buffalo Bills 1962 Paul Maguire 3,289 San Diego Chargers 1963 Jim Fraser 3,596 Denver Broncos 1964 Jerrel Wilson 3,326 Kansas City Chiefs 1965 Jim Norton 3,711 Houston Oilers 1966 Bob Scarpitto 3,480 Denver Broncos 1967 Bob Scarpitto (2)4,713 Denver Broncos 1968 Paul Maguire (2) 4,175 Buffalo Bills 1969 Paul Maguire (3) 3,471 Buffalo BillsStatistics gathered from Pro Football Reference.
All-America Football Conference (AAFC)
+ AAFC annual punting yards leaders by season Season Player Team 1946 3,826 Brooklyn Dodgers 1947 2,549 Chicago Rockets 1948 (2) 3,336 Los Angeles Dons 1949 2,249 New York Yankees
Most seasons leading the league Count Player Seasons Team(s) 4 John James , , , Atlanta Falcons Shane Lechler , , , Oakland Raiders (3) / Houston Texans (1) 3 Tom Landry 1949, , New York Yankees (1) / New York Giants (2) Andy Lee , , San Francisco 49ers (2) / Arizona Cardinals (1) Paul Maguire 1962, 1968, 1969 San Diego Chargers (1) / Buffalo Bills (2) Brad Maynard , , New York Giants (2) / Chicago Bears (1) 2 Jim Arnold , Kansas City Chiefs (1) / Detroit Lions (1) Billy Atkins 1960, 1961 Buffalo Bills Corey Bojorquez , Cleveland Browns Adrian Burk , Baltimore Colts (1) / Philadelphia Eagles (1) Rich Camarillo , New England Patriots (1) / Houston Oilers (1)Glenn Dobbs1946, 1948Brooklyn Dodgers (1) / Los Angeles Dons (1) Chris Gardocki , Cleveland Browns Bobby Joe Green , Pittsburgh Steelers (1) / Chicago Bears (1) Parker Hall , Cleveland Rams Brian Hansen , New England Patriots (1) / New York Jets (1) Johnny Hekker , St. Louis Rams (1) / Los Angeles Rams (1) Dave Jennings , New York Giants Billy Lothridge , Atlanta Falcons Max McGee , Green Bay Packers Jerry Norton , Philadelphia Eagles (1) / St. Louis Cardinals (1) Bob Parsons , Chicago Bears Todd Sauerbrun , Carolina Panthers Bob Scarpitto 1966, 1967 Denver Broncos Rick Tuten , Seattle Seahawks Danny Villanueva , Los Angeles Rams
Yards per punt leaders
The following is the season-by-season listing: + Key^ Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Denotes all-time NFL record Denotes former NFL record Year Player TeamRef(s) 1939Sid Luckman^ 44.4 Chicago Bears 1940Sammy Baugh^ 51.4 Washington Redskins 1941 Sammy Baugh^ (2) 48.7 Washington Redskins 1942Sammy Baugh^ (3) 48.2 Washington Redskins 1943Sammy Baugh^ (4) 45.9 Washington Redskins 1944 Jack Banta 44.2 Philadelphia Eagles 1945Sammy Baugh^ (5) 43.3 Washington Redskins 1946 Bob Cifers 45.6 Detroit Lions 1947 George Gulyanics 44.8 Chicago Bears 1948 Joe Muha 47.3 Philadelphia Eagles 1949 George Gulyanics (2) 47.2 Chicago Bears 1950 Fred Morrison 43.3 Chicago Bears 1951 Horace Gillom 45.5 Cleveland Browns 1952 Horace Gillom (2) 45.7 Cleveland Browns 1953 Pat Brady 46.9 Pittsburgh Steelers 1954 Pat Brady (2) 43.2 Pittsburgh Steelers 1955Norm Van Brocklin^ 44.6 Los Angeles Rams 1956 Horace Gillom (3) 44.7 Cleveland Browns 1957 Larry Barnes 47.1 San Francisco 49ers 1958 Sam Baker 45.4 Washington Redskins 1959Yale Lary^ 47.1 Detroit Lions 1960 Jerry Norton 45.6 St. Louis Cardinals 1961Yale Lary^ (2) 48.4 Detroit Lions 1962 Tommy Davis 45.6 San Francisco 49ers 1963Yale Lary^ (3) 48.9 Detroit Lions 1964 Bobby Walden 46.4 Minnesota Vikings 1965 Gary Collins 46.7 Cleveland Browns 1966 David Lee 45.6 Baltimore Colts 1967 Pat Studstill 44.5 Detroit Lions 1968 Billy Lothridge 44.3 Atlanta Falcons 1969 David Lee 45.3 Baltimore Colts 1970 Dave Lewis 46.2 Cincinnati Bengals 1971 Dave Lewis (2) 44.8 Cincinnati Bengals 1972 Jerrel Wilson 44.8 Kansas City Chiefs 1973 Jerrel Wilson (2) 45.5 Kansas City Chiefs 1974Ray Guy^ 42.2 Oakland Raiders 1975 Ray Guy^ (2) 43.8 Oakland Raiders 1976 Marv Bateman 42.8 Buffalo Bills 1977Ray Guy^ (3) 43.3 Oakland Raiders 1978 Pat McInally 43.1 Cincinnati Bengals 1979 Bob Grupp 43.6 Kansas City Chiefs 1980 Dave Jennings 44.8 New York Giants 1981 Pat McInally (2) 45.4 Cincinnati Bengals 1982 Luke Prestridge 45.0 Denver Broncos 1983 Rohn Stark 45.3 Baltimore Colts 1984 Jim Arnold 44.9 Kansas City Chiefs 1985 Rohn Stark (2) 45.9 Indianapolis Colts 1986 Rohn Stark (3) 45.2 Indianapolis Colts 1987 Rick Donnelly 44.0 Atlanta Falcons 1988 Harry Newsome 45.4 Pittsburgh Steelers 1989 Rich Camarillo 43.4 Phoenix Cardinals 1990 Greg Montgomery 45.0 Houston Oilers 1991 Reggie Roby 45.7 Miami Dolphins 1992 Greg Montgomery (2) 46.9 Houston Oilers 1993 Greg Montgomery (3) 45.6 Houston Oilers 1994 Sean Landeta 44.8 Los Angeles Rams 1995 Rick Tuten 45.0 Seattle Seahawks 1996 John Kidd 46.3 Miami Dolphins 1997 Mark Royals 45.9 New Orleans Saints 1998 Craig Hentrich 47.2 Tennessee Oilers 1999 Tom Rouen 46.5 Denver Broncos 2000 Darren Bennett 46.2 San Diego Chargers 2001 Todd Sauerbrun 47.5 Carolina Panthers 2002 Todd Sauerbrun (2) 45.5 Carolina Panthers 2003 Shane Lechler 46.9 Oakland Raiders 2004 Shane Lechler (2) 46.7 Oakland Raiders 2005 Brian Moorman 45.7 Buffalo Bills 2006 Mat McBriar 48.2 Dallas Cowboys 2007 Shane Lechler (3) 49.1 Oakland Raiders 2008 Donnie Jones 50.0 St. Louis Rams 2009 Shane Lechler (4) 51.1 Oakland Raiders 2010 Mat McBriar (2) 48.2 Dallas Cowboys 2011 Andy Lee 50.9 San Francisco 49ers 2012 Brandon Fields 50.2 Miami Dolphins 2013 Marquette King 48.9 Oakland Raiders 2014 Tress Way 47.5 Washington Redskins 2015 Johnny Hekker 47.9 St. Louis Rams 2016 Pat McAfee 49.3 Indianapolis Colts 2017 Brett Kern 49.7 Tennessee Titans 2018 Andy Lee (2) 48.6 Arizona Cardinals 2019 Tress Way (2) 49.6 Washington Redskins 2020 Corey Bojorquez 50.8 Buffalo Bills 2021 A. J. Cole III 50.0 Las Vegas Raiders 2022 Ryan Stonehouse 53.1 Tennessee Titans 2023 Ryan Stonehouse (2) 53.1 Tennessee Titans 2024 51.0 Detroit Lions 2025 Blake Gillikin 51.7 Arizona Cardinals Daniel Whelan Green Bay Packers
Most seasons leading the league