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 2021 the Browns led at 2.76; the league average was 1.62.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

CLE · 2.76

League average

1.62

Best to worst

1.82

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CLE	2.76	17
2	PIT	2.35	17
3	BUF	2.18	17
4	CIN	2.12	17
5	NO	2.06	17
6	TB	2.06	17
7	SF	2	17
8	PHI	1.94	17
9	LV	1.88	17
10	TEN	1.76	17
11	CHI	1.71	17
12	MIA	1.71	17
13	DAL	1.65	17
14	DEN	1.65	17
15	NE	1.65	17
16	ARI	1.53	17
17	BAL	1.53	17
18	HOU	1.53	17
19	MIN	1.53	17
20	NYG	1.53	17
21	GB	1.47	17
22	CAR	1.41	17
23	ATL	1.35	17
24	IND	1.35	17
25	SEA	1.35	17
26	DET	1.29	17
27	JAX	1.12	17
28	KC	1.12	17
29	LAR	1.12	17
30	LAC	1.06	17
31	NYJ	1	17
32	WAS	0.94	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CLE · 2.76

League laggard

WAS · 0.94

League average

1.62

Spread (max − min)

1.82

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CLE	2.76	1.15	100%
2	PIT	2.35	0.74	96.8%
3	BUF	2.18	0.56	93.5%
4	CIN	2.12	0.50	90.3%
5	NO	2.06	0.44	87.1%
6	TB	2.06	0.44	83.9%
7	SF	2	0.38	80.6%
8	PHI	1.94	0.33	77.4%
9	LV	1.88	0.27	74.2%
10	TEN	1.76	0.15	71%
11	CHI	1.71	0.09	67.7%
12	MIA	1.71	0.09	64.5%
13	DAL	1.65	0.03	61.3%
14	DEN	1.65	0.03	58.1%
15	NE	1.65	0.03	54.8%
16	ARI	1.53	-0.09	51.6%
17	BAL	1.53	-0.09	48.4%
18	HOU	1.53	-0.09	45.2%
19	MIN	1.53	-0.09	41.9%
20	NYG	1.53	-0.09	38.7%
21	GB	1.47	-0.15	35.5%
22	CAR	1.41	-0.20	32.3%
23	ATL	1.35	-0.26	29%
24	IND	1.35	-0.26	25.8%
25	SEA	1.35	-0.26	22.6%
26	DET	1.29	-0.32	19.4%
27	JAX	1.12	-0.50	16.1%
28	KC	1.12	-0.50	12.9%
29	LAR	1.12	-0.50	9.7%
30	LAC	1.06	-0.56	6.5%
31	NYJ	1	-0.62	3.2%
32	WAS	0.94	-0.67	0%

Punt Returns in 2021 vs 2020

Browns lead at 2.76 — they ranked #16 last year. Commanders are last at 0.94 — #7 last year.

The league average is 1.62, up 0.10 from 1.51 last year.

Biggest riser: Browns, #16 → #1. Biggest faller: Rams, #3 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 1.82; 20 teams are within 0.41 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CLE · +1.26

Biggest faller

LAR · −1.01

Most consistent

JAX · −0.01

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▲ 0.10

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	CLE	2.76	1.50	+1.26
2	GB	1.47	0.69	+0.78
3	CIN	2.12	1.44	+0.68
4	MIN	1.53	1	+0.53
5	LV	1.88	1.44	+0.44
6	SF	2	1.56	+0.44
7	DEN	1.65	1.25	+0.40
8	NYJ	1	0.63	+0.38
9	TEN	1.76	1.44	+0.33
10	PHI	1.94	1.63	+0.32
11	ATL	1.35	1.06	+0.29
12	HOU	1.53	1.25	+0.28
13	NYG	1.53	1.25	+0.28
14	BUF	2.18	1.94	+0.24
15	DET	1.29	1.06	+0.23
16	NE	1.65	1.44	+0.21
17	TB	2.06	1.88	+0.18
18	CAR	1.41	1.25	+0.16
19	CHI	1.71	1.56	+0.14
20	PIT	2.35	2.31	+0.04
21	JAX	1.12	1.13	−0.01
22	SEA	1.35	1.38	−0.02
23	ARI	1.53	1.56	−0.03
24	LAC	1.06	1.13	−0.07
25	BAL	1.53	1.69	−0.16
26	DAL	1.65	1.81	−0.17
27	MIA	1.71	2	−0.29
28	NO	2.06	2.44	−0.38
29	IND	1.35	1.94	−0.58
30	KC	1.12	1.75	−0.63
31	WAS	0.94	1.94	−1.00
32	LAR	1.12	2.13	−1.01

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

Punt Returns since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Texans (2.38), 2019 Saints (2.50), 2020 Saints (2.44), 2021 Browns (2.76).

Saints have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Browns 2021 at 2.76; the worst Jets 2020 at 0.63.

The league average has fallen from 1.77 in 2018 to 1.62 in 2021.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.