What Punt Return Yds is

Punt return yards. Field position won before the offense takes the field.

Higher is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

In 2022 the Patriots led at 24.59; the league average was 15.64.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

NE · 24.59

League average

15.64

Best to worst

18.18

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NE	24.59	17
2	TB	23	17
3	HOU	21.41	17
4	CIN	21.25	16
5	SF	20.94	17
6	LAC	19.94	17
7	WAS	19.76	17
8	PHI	19	17
9	GB	18.59	17
10	DEN	18.12	17
11	DAL	18	17
12	TEN	17.82	17
13	CLE	17.53	17
14	BUF	17.25	16
15	ATL	17.18	17
16	ARI	17.06	17
17	IND	17	17
18	DET	15.53	17
19	NO	14.65	17
20	KC	14.18	17
21	NYJ	14.12	17
22	JAX	13.53	17
23	CAR	12.88	17
24	BAL	12.59	17
25	CHI	11.76	17
26	LAR	10.82	17
27	NYG	10.53	17
28	MIN	9.82	17
29	PIT	9.41	17
30	LV	9.18	17
31	MIA	6.65	17
32	SEA	6.41	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NE · 24.59

League laggard

SEA · 6.41

League average

15.64

Spread (max − min)

18.18

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NE	24.59	8.95	100%
2	TB	23	7.36	96.8%
3	HOU	21.41	5.77	93.5%
4	CIN	21.25	5.61	90.3%
5	SF	20.94	5.30	87.1%
6	LAC	19.94	4.30	83.9%
7	WAS	19.76	4.12	80.6%
8	PHI	19	3.36	77.4%
9	GB	18.59	2.95	74.2%
10	DEN	18.12	2.48	71%
11	DAL	18	2.36	67.7%
12	TEN	17.82	2.18	64.5%
13	CLE	17.53	1.89	61.3%
14	BUF	17.25	1.61	58.1%
15	ATL	17.18	1.54	54.8%
16	ARI	17.06	1.42	51.6%
17	IND	17	1.36	48.4%
18	DET	15.53	-0.11	45.2%
19	NO	14.65	-0.99	41.9%
20	KC	14.18	-1.46	38.7%
21	NYJ	14.12	-1.52	35.5%
22	JAX	13.53	-2.11	32.3%
23	CAR	12.88	-2.76	29%
24	BAL	12.59	-3.05	25.8%
25	CHI	11.76	-3.88	22.6%
26	LAR	10.82	-4.82	19.4%
27	NYG	10.53	-5.11	16.1%
28	MIN	9.82	-5.82	12.9%
29	PIT	9.41	-6.23	9.7%
30	LV	9.18	-6.46	6.5%
31	MIA	6.65	-8.99	3.2%
32	SEA	6.41	-9.23	0%

Punt Return Yds in 2022 vs 2021

Patriots lead at 24.59 — they ranked #7 last year. Seahawks are last at 6.41 — #25 last year.

The league average is 15.64, up 1.45 from 14.19 last year.

Biggest riser: Chargers, #32 → #6. Biggest faller: Steelers, #1 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 18.18; 20 teams are within 4.62 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LAC · +13.59

Biggest faller

PIT · −12.35

Most consistent

CAR · +0.35

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▲ 1.45

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	LAC	19.94	6.35	+13.59
2	WAS	19.76	7.88	+11.88
3	HOU	21.41	11.29	+10.12
4	TB	23	14.71	+8.29
5	DAL	18	10.94	+7.06
6	IND	17	10.06	+6.94
7	GB	18.59	11.71	+6.88
8	ATL	17.18	11.12	+6.06
9	NE	24.59	18.59	+6
10	CIN	21.25	15.35	+5.90
11	PHI	19	14.18	+4.82
12	DEN	18.12	13.53	+4.59
13	SF	20.94	16.41	+4.53
14	JAX	13.53	9.35	+4.18
15	ARI	17.06	14.29	+2.76
16	NYJ	14.12	12.12	+2
17	DET	15.53	14.12	+1.41
18	KC	14.18	13.41	+0.76
19	TEN	17.82	17.24	+0.59
20	CAR	12.88	12.53	+0.35
21	NYG	10.53	11.59	−1.06
22	BUF	17.25	18.59	−1.34
23	LAR	10.82	12.65	−1.82
24	MIN	9.82	12.18	−2.35
25	CLE	17.53	20	−2.47
26	MIA	6.65	11.18	−4.53
27	SEA	6.41	11.29	−4.88
28	NO	14.65	20.53	−5.88
29	CHI	11.76	19.88	−8.12
30	BAL	12.59	21.18	−8.59
31	LV	9.18	18.18	−9
32	PIT	9.41	21.76	−12.35

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

NE · 20.80

Multi-year laggard

LAC · 11.78

Biggest improver

MIN · +5.01/yr

Biggest decliner

NO · −2.12/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	NE	20.80	+0.10	22.31	18.59	24.59	12.47	25.12	21.35	21.20
2	DEN	20.34	+1.87	16.81	13.53	18.12	19.18	24	28.35	22.40
3	PHI	19.52	+2.11	14.38	14.18	19	24.53	15.12	14.06	35.40
4	DET	18.72	+1.67	13.63	14.12	15.53	19.47	28.18	17.12	23
5	BUF	18.12	−1.16	23.19	18.59	17.25	21.18	18.41	11.41	16.80
6	NO	17.61	−2.12	25.06	20.53	14.65	23.06	17.71	12.88	9.40
7	MIN	16.94	+5.01	4.50	12.18	9.82	17	9.65	17.82	47.60
8	TEN	16.91	+0.28	13	17.24	17.82	19.41	14.88	23.59	12.40
9	HOU	16.48	+1.14	9.88	11.29	21.41	17.18	20	21.18	14.40
10	PIT	16.27	−1.15	22.25	21.76	9.41	15.12	17	14.53	13.80
11	BAL	16.13	−0.69	15.25	21.18	12.59	24.53	12.53	11.65	15.20
12	NYJ	16.06	+2.63	5.38	12.12	14.12	18.76	15.65	26.82	19.60
13	CLE	15.97	−0.18	7.19	20	17.53	20.18	26.47	13.65	6.80
14	CIN	15.36	−1.07	14.50	15.35	21.25	20.35	14.82	13.06	8.20
15	TB	15.34	+0.48	11	14.71	23	13.76	9.35	17.18	18.40
16	SF	15.28	−1.06	14.13	16.41	20.94	16.06	17.29	17.12	5
17	WAS	15.18	+1.24	11.25	7.88	19.76	16.35	15.29	18.53	17.20
18	KC	15.04	+0.21	11.13	13.41	14.18	22.53	18.29	15.24	10.50
19	CHI	14.95	+0.49	11.88	19.88	11.76	11.06	17.88	13.59	18.60
20	LV	14.50	−0.27	16.56	18.18	9.18	14.65	15.59	10.18	17.20
21	NYG	14.20	+0.64	14.25	11.59	10.53	18.29	13.41	13.12	18.20
22	MIA	14.05	−0.57	22.31	11.18	6.65	15.59	15.82	16.41	10.40
23	SEA	14.03	+1.66	11.81	11.29	6.41	15.59	10.94	26.35	15.80
24	JAX	14.01	+0.20	12.81	9.35	13.53	17.47	18.71	21	5.20
25	LAR	13.57	+0.68	14.69	12.65	10.82	12.29	9.47	15.24	19.80
26	IND	13.45	−1.50	19.50	10.06	17	15.71	15.06	11.82	5
27	GB	13.37	+2.41	3.31	11.71	18.59	11.12	9.29	8.59	31
28	CAR	13.27	+1.09	7.56	12.53	12.88	19.12	10.41	10.35	20
29	ATL	12.99	+0.57	9.50	11.12	17.18	14.06	11.76	9.94	17.40
30	ARI	12.81	−0.38	8.81	14.29	17.06	16.82	11.88	12.76	8
31	DAL	12.50	−0.32	16.69	10.94	18	5.76	11.29	4.82	20
32	LAC	11.78	−0.34	6.25	6.35	19.94	22.65	15.47	8.76	3

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
NE	22.31	18.59	24.59	12.47	25.12	21.35	21.20
TB	11	14.71	23	13.76	9.35	17.18	18.40
HOU	9.88	11.29	21.41	17.18	20	21.18	14.40
CIN	14.50	15.35	21.25	20.35	14.82	13.06	8.20
SF	14.13	16.41	20.94	16.06	17.29	17.12	5
LAC	6.25	6.35	19.94	22.65	15.47	8.76	3
WAS	11.25	7.88	19.76	16.35	15.29	18.53	17.20
PHI	14.38	14.18	19	24.53	15.12	14.06	35.40
GB	3.31	11.71	18.59	11.12	9.29	8.59	31
DEN	16.81	13.53	18.12	19.18	24	28.35	22.40
DAL	16.69	10.94	18	5.76	11.29	4.82	20
TEN	13	17.24	17.82	19.41	14.88	23.59	12.40
CLE	7.19	20	17.53	20.18	26.47	13.65	6.80
BUF	23.19	18.59	17.25	21.18	18.41	11.41	16.80
ATL	9.50	11.12	17.18	14.06	11.76	9.94	17.40
ARI	8.81	14.29	17.06	16.82	11.88	12.76	8
IND	19.50	10.06	17	15.71	15.06	11.82	5
DET	13.63	14.12	15.53	19.47	28.18	17.12	23
NO	25.06	20.53	14.65	23.06	17.71	12.88	9.40
KC	11.13	13.41	14.18	22.53	18.29	15.24	10.50
NYJ	5.38	12.12	14.12	18.76	15.65	26.82	19.60
JAX	12.81	9.35	13.53	17.47	18.71	21	5.20
CAR	7.56	12.53	12.88	19.12	10.41	10.35	20
BAL	15.25	21.18	12.59	24.53	12.53	11.65	15.20
CHI	11.88	19.88	11.76	11.06	17.88	13.59	18.60
LAR	14.69	12.65	10.82	12.29	9.47	15.24	19.80
NYG	14.25	11.59	10.53	18.29	13.41	13.12	18.20
MIN	4.50	12.18	9.82	17	9.65	17.82	47.60
PIT	22.25	21.76	9.41	15.12	17	14.53	13.80
LV	16.56	18.18	9.18	14.65	15.59	10.18	17.20
MIA	22.31	11.18	6.65	15.59	15.82	16.41	10.40
SEA	11.81	11.29	6.41	15.59	10.94	26.35	15.80

Punt Return Yds since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (25.81), 2019 Colts (26.13), 2020 Saints (25.06), 2021 Steelers (21.76), 2022 Patriots (24.59).

The best season on record is Colts 2019 at 26.13; the worst Packers 2020 at 3.31.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2022.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_special_teams_st_punt_return_yards
Side: offensive
Family: Special Teams
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Stat-page only: this stat is not available in the Algorithm Builder.