This list shows the top National Football League kickoff returners based on their career kickoff return yards within 5,000 yards.
Brian Mitchell is the all-time leader with 14,014 kickoff return yards over 14 seasons. He also holds the record for most kickoff returns with 607. For returners with at least 5,000 yards, Cordarrelle Patterson holds the record for most yards per return with 29.0; Gale Sayers holds the all-time record for all kickoff returners with 30.6. Patterson also holds the record for most kickoff return touchdowns with 9.
In comparison, no punt returner has ever logged 5,000 yards, with the all-time leader in punt return yards being Mitchell with 4,999 yards.
Career leaders
+ Key^ Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame* Denotes player who is still active Based on 5,000 career kickoff return yards
Through season RankPlayerTeam(s) by seasonReturnsRef 1 Brian Mitchell RB Washington Redskins (–)Philadelphia Eagles (–) New York Giants () 607 14,014 23.1 2 Allen Rossum DB Philadelphia Eagles (–)Green Bay Packers (–)Atlanta Falcons (–)Pittsburgh Steelers ()San Francisco 49ers (–)Dallas Cowboys () 514 11,947 23.2 3 Josh Cribbs WR Cleveland Browns (–)New York Jets ()Indianapolis Colts () 426 11,113 26.1 4 Mel Gray RB/WR New Orleans Saints (–)Detroit Lions (–)Houston / Tennessee Oilers (–)Philadelphia Eagles () 421 10,250 24.3 5 Dante Hall WR Kansas City Chiefs (–)St. Louis Rams (–) 426 10,136 23.8 6 Glyn Milburn RB/WR Denver Broncos (–)Detroit Lions (–)Chicago Bears (–)San Diego Chargers () 407 9,788 24 7 Michael Bates RB/WR Seattle Seahawks (–)Carolina Panthers (, –)Cleveland Browns ()Washington Redskins ()Carolina Panthers (–)New York Jets ()Dallas Cowboys () 373 9,110 24.4 8 Darren Sproles RB San Diego Chargers (–)New Orleans Saints (–)Philadelphia Eagles (–) 332 8,352 25.2 9 Cordarrelle Patterson RB/WR Minnesota Vikings ()Oakland Raiders ()New England Patriots ()Chicago Bears ()Atlanta Falcons ()Pittsburgh Steelers () 284 8,229 29.0 10 Desmond Howard WR Washington Redskins ()Jacksonville Jaguars ()Green Bay Packers (, )Oakland Raiders ()Detroit Lions () 359 7,959 22.2 11 Leon Washington RB New York Jets (–)Seattle Seahawks (–)New England Patriots ()Tennessee Titans (–) 292 7,553 25.9 12 Devin Hester^ WR Chicago Bears (–)Atlanta Falcons (–)Baltimore Ravens ()Seattle Seahawks () 295 7,333 24.9 13 Kevin Williams WR Dallas Cowboys (–)Arizona Cardinals ()Buffalo Bills (–)San Francisco 49ers () 322 7,309 22.7 14 Tyrone Hughes DB New Orleans Saints (–))Chicago Bears ()Dallas Cowboys () 283 6,999 24.7 15 Ron Smith DB Chicago Bears (, ()Atlanta Falcons ()Los Angeles Rams ()San Diego Chargers ()Oakland Raiders () 275 6,922 25.2 16 Ted Ginn Jr. WR Miami Dolphins (–)San Francisco 49ers (–)Carolina Panthers (, –)Arizona Cardinals ()New Orleans Saints (–)Chicago Bears () 307 6,899 22.5 17 Andre Roberts WR Arizona Cardinals (–)Washington Redskins (–)Detroit Lions ()Atlanta Falcons ()New York Jets ()Buffalo Bills (–)Houston Texans ()Los Angeles Chargers ()Carolina Panthers () 260 6,751 26 18 Chris Carr DB Oakland Raiders (–)Tennessee Titans ()Baltimore Ravens (–)San Diego Chargers ()New Orleans Saints () 256 6,276 24.5 19 Michael Lewis WR New Orleans Saints (–)San Francisco 49ers () 248 5,989 24.1 20 Brandon Tate WR New England Patriots (–)Cincinnati Bengals (–)Buffalo Bills (–)New Orleans Saints () 247 5,890 23.8 21 Eric Metcalf RB/WR Cleveland Browns (–)Atlanta Falcons (–)San Diego Chargers ()Arizona Cardinals ()Carolina Panthers ()Washington Redskins ()Green Bay Packers () 280 5,813 20.8 22 Eddie Drummond WR Detroit Lions (2002–2006)Kansas City Chiefs (2007) 250 5,811 23.2 23 Dave Meggett RB New York Giants (1989–1994)New England Patriots (1995–1997)New York Jets (1998) 252 5,566 22.1 24 Abe Woodson DB San Francisco 49ers (–)St. Louis Cardinals (–) 193 5,538 28.7 25 Corey Harris DB Houston Oilers (1992)Green Bay Packers (1992–1994)Seattle Seahawks (1995–1996)Miami Dolphins (1997)Baltimore Ravens (1998–2001)Detroit Lions (2002–2003) 238 5,528 23.2 26 Rock Cartwright RB Washington Redskins (–)Oakland Raiders (–) 231 5,450 23.6 27 Terrence McGee CB/RS Buffalo Bills () 207 5,450 26.3 28 Tamarick Vanover WR Kansas City Chiefs ()San Diego Chargers () 226 5,422 24.0 29 Dexter Carter RB San Francisco 49ers ()New York Jets (1995) San Francisco 49ers () 250 5,412 21.6 30 Bruce Harper RB/RS New York Jets () 243 5,407 22.3 31 Chad Morton RB New Orleans Saints ()New York Jets (–)Washington Redskins (–)New York Giants (–) 229 5,401 23.6 32 Terrence Wilkins WR/KR Indianapolis Colts (–)St. Louis Rams ()Indianapolis Colts () 223 5,091 22.8 33 Herschel Walker RB Dallas Cowboys ()Minnesota Vikings (–)Philadelphia Eagles ()New York Giants ()Dallas Cowboys () 215 5,084 23.6
See also NFL records (individual) List of NFL annual kickoff return yards leaders List of NFL annual punt return yards leaders
References