What Punt Returns is

Punt returns taken, as opposed to fair catches and touchbacks. Opportunity as much as ability — a team whose defense forces many punts gets more chances.

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

In 2018 the Texans led at 2.38; the league average was 1.77.

League snapshot — 2018

League leader

HOU · 2.38

League average

1.77

Best to worst

1.31

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	HOU	2.38	16
2	NYG	2.31	16
3	ARI	2.25	16
4	BAL	2.19	16
5	JAX	2.13	16
6	LAC	2.13	16
7	CHI	2.06	16
8	PHI	2.06	16
9	CLE	2	16
10	BUF	1.94	16
11	PIT	1.94	16
12	SF	1.94	16
13	DEN	1.88	16
14	GB	1.88	16
15	LAR	1.88	16
16	MIN	1.81	16
17	MIA	1.75	16
18	DET	1.69	16
19	TEN	1.69	16
20	NE	1.63	16
21	TB	1.63	16
22	LV	1.56	16
23	NYJ	1.56	16
24	SEA	1.56	16
25	CAR	1.50	16
26	IND	1.50	16
27	NO	1.50	16
28	CIN	1.38	16
29	KC	1.38	16
30	ATL	1.31	16
31	DAL	1.31	16
32	WAS	1.06	16

At a glance — 2018

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

HOU · 2.38

League laggard

WAS · 1.06

League average

1.77

Spread (max − min)

1.31

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	HOU	2.38	0.60	100%
2	NYG	2.31	0.54	96.8%
3	ARI	2.25	0.48	93.5%
4	BAL	2.19	0.41	90.3%
5	JAX	2.13	0.35	87.1%
6	LAC	2.13	0.35	83.9%
7	CHI	2.06	0.29	80.6%
8	PHI	2.06	0.29	77.4%
9	CLE	2	0.23	74.2%
10	BUF	1.94	0.16	71%
11	PIT	1.94	0.16	67.7%
12	SF	1.94	0.16	64.5%
13	DEN	1.88	0.10	61.3%
14	GB	1.88	0.10	58.1%
15	LAR	1.88	0.10	54.8%
16	MIN	1.81	0.04	51.6%
17	MIA	1.75	-0.02	48.4%
18	DET	1.69	-0.09	45.2%
19	TEN	1.69	-0.09	41.9%
20	NE	1.63	-0.15	38.7%
21	TB	1.63	-0.15	35.5%
22	LV	1.56	-0.21	32.3%
23	NYJ	1.56	-0.21	29%
24	SEA	1.56	-0.21	25.8%
25	CAR	1.50	-0.27	22.6%
26	IND	1.50	-0.27	19.4%
27	NO	1.50	-0.27	16.1%
28	CIN	1.38	-0.40	12.9%
29	KC	1.38	-0.40	9.7%
30	ATL	1.31	-0.46	6.5%
31	DAL	1.31	-0.46	3.2%
32	WAS	1.06	-0.71	0%

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CLE · 2.00

Multi-year laggard

LAC · 1.23

Biggest improver

NYJ · +0.22/yr

Biggest decliner

IND · −0.19/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CLE	2.00	−0.09	1.50	2.76	1.82	2.41	2.65	1.88	1
2	PHI	1.87	+0.06	1.63	1.94	2.06	1.71	1.65	1.29	2.80
3	PIT	1.84	−0.12	2.31	2.35	1.59	1.76	1.65	1.65	1.60
4	BUF	1.84	−0.05	1.94	2.18	1.81	1.82	1.59	1.76	1.80
5	TEN	1.83	−0.01	1.44	1.76	2.12	2.47	2	1.41	1.60
6	HOU	1.83	+0.08	1.25	1.53	2.18	1.76	2.47	2	1.60
7	KC	1.80	+0.02	1.75	1.12	2.12	2.41	1.82	1.88	1.50
8	CIN	1.80	−0.04	1.44	2.12	2.06	2	2	1.35	1.60
9	NO	1.77	−0.14	2.44	2.06	1.59	1.88	1.41	1.41	1.60
10	NE	1.76	+0.01	1.44	1.65	2.29	1.94	1.76	1.24	2
11	SF	1.75	−0.06	1.56	2	1.94	2	1.88	1.47	1.40
12	WAS	1.73	−0.03	1.94	0.94	2.59	2.06	1.47	1.53	1.60
13	TB	1.71	−0.10	1.88	2.06	2.24	1.47	1.24	1.53	1.60
14	NYG	1.69	+0.08	1.25	1.53	1.71	2.06	1.76	1.53	2
15	DEN	1.68	+0.08	1.25	1.65	2.18	1.18	1.53	2	2
16	MIN	1.68	+0.15	1	1.53	1.53	2.18	1.41	1.88	2.20
17	LAR	1.61	+0.03	2.13	1.12	1.47	1.65	1.06	1.65	2.20
18	CAR	1.59	+0.01	1.25	1.41	2	2.18	1.41	1.41	1.50
19	DET	1.58	+0.15	1.06	1.29	1.18	1.71	2.18	2.06	1.60
20	LV	1.55	−0.04	1.44	1.88	1.59	1.47	1.59	1.71	1.20
21	NYJ	1.51	+0.22	0.63	1	1.24	1.94	1.94	2	1.80
22	CHI	1.49	−0.01	1.56	1.71	1.35	1.35	1.41	1.24	1.80
23	GB	1.48	+0.11	0.69	1.47	2.06	1.53	1.12	1.53	2
24	IND	1.46	−0.19	1.94	1.35	2	1.71	1.53	1.29	0.40
25	JAX	1.45	+0.05	1.13	1.12	1.71	1.71	1.59	1.53	1.40
26	ARI	1.45	−0.14	1.56	1.53	2.06	1.82	1.24	1.12	0.80
27	SEA	1.45	+0.09	1.38	1.35	0.94	1.47	1.47	1.71	1.80
28	MIA	1.44	−0.14	2	1.71	1.12	1.59	1.65	1.24	0.80
29	BAL	1.42	−0.05	1.69	1.53	1.18	1.71	1.29	0.94	1.60
30	ATL	1.41	+0.09	1.06	1.35	1.06	1.94	1.24	1.41	1.80
31	DAL	1.41	−0.09	1.81	1.65	1.71	1.06	1.12	0.71	1.80
32	LAC	1.23	−0.04	1.13	1.06	1.71	1.41	1.29	1.24	0.80

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
PHI	1.63	1.94	2.06	1.71	1.65	1.29	2.80
LAR	2.13	1.12	1.47	1.65	1.06	1.65	2.20
MIN	1	1.53	1.53	2.18	1.41	1.88	2.20
DEN	1.25	1.65	2.18	1.18	1.53	2	2
GB	0.69	1.47	2.06	1.53	1.12	1.53	2
NE	1.44	1.65	2.29	1.94	1.76	1.24	2
NYG	1.25	1.53	1.71	2.06	1.76	1.53	2
ATL	1.06	1.35	1.06	1.94	1.24	1.41	1.80
BUF	1.94	2.18	1.81	1.82	1.59	1.76	1.80
CHI	1.56	1.71	1.35	1.35	1.41	1.24	1.80
DAL	1.81	1.65	1.71	1.06	1.12	0.71	1.80
NYJ	0.63	1	1.24	1.94	1.94	2	1.80
SEA	1.38	1.35	0.94	1.47	1.47	1.71	1.80
BAL	1.69	1.53	1.18	1.71	1.29	0.94	1.60
CIN	1.44	2.12	2.06	2	2	1.35	1.60
DET	1.06	1.29	1.18	1.71	2.18	2.06	1.60
HOU	1.25	1.53	2.18	1.76	2.47	2	1.60
NO	2.44	2.06	1.59	1.88	1.41	1.41	1.60
PIT	2.31	2.35	1.59	1.76	1.65	1.65	1.60
TB	1.88	2.06	2.24	1.47	1.24	1.53	1.60
TEN	1.44	1.76	2.12	2.47	2	1.41	1.60
WAS	1.94	0.94	2.59	2.06	1.47	1.53	1.60
CAR	1.25	1.41	2	2.18	1.41	1.41	1.50
KC	1.75	1.12	2.12	2.41	1.82	1.88	1.50
JAX	1.13	1.12	1.71	1.71	1.59	1.53	1.40
SF	1.56	2	1.94	2	1.88	1.47	1.40
LV	1.44	1.88	1.59	1.47	1.59	1.71	1.20
CLE	1.50	2.76	1.82	2.41	2.65	1.88	1
ARI	1.56	1.53	2.06	1.82	1.24	1.12	0.80
LAC	1.13	1.06	1.71	1.41	1.29	1.24	0.80
MIA	2	1.71	1.12	1.59	1.65	1.24	0.80
IND	1.94	1.35	2	1.71	1.53	1.29	0.40

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2018.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_special_teams_st_punt_returns
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.