List of NFL career punts leaders explained

In American football, a punt is a kick that is performed after a player (most often a punter) drops the ball from their hands and kicks it prior to it hitting the ground. Record keeping for punts in the National Football League (NFL) goes back to 1939.

To be eligible for career-long rankings, a player must have a minimum of 250 punts.[1] After his 22 seasons as an NFL punter, Jeff Feagles retired with 1,713 punts, the NFL's career record.[2] [3] Feagles is the only punter to eclipse 1,500 career punts; a total of 24 players have reached 1,000 punts during their career. Feagles set the career record for total punts while playing for the New York Giants in 2005, when he recorded his 1,368th, surpassing Sean Landeta.[4] With 1,168 punts for the Baltimore Ravens, Sam Koch has the most career punts for any individual franchise. The Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders are the only two franchises with two different players to record 1,000 punts for their teams.

Punting is a strategy in American football designed to put the opposing team at a disadvantage by dealing them with poor field position. As such, landing punts close to the receiving team's end zone is highly desired by the punting team. While techniques and strategies (such as the coffin corner punt) are utilized in this context, a punt that enters the end zone can result in a touchback if downed by the receiving team without the ball being advanced beyond their goal line. When a touchback occurs, the ball is placed at the 20-yard line.[5] As such, the ratio of inside-the-20 punts to touchbacks is of consideration.[6] The NFL began officially tracking punts landed inside the 20-yard line and those resulting in touchbacks in 1976.[7]

Feagles holds the record for punts landing inside opponents' 20-yard line with 554.[8] Shane Lechler holds the record for punting touchbacks with 178.[9]

Career punts leaders

style="text-align:center; background:#ffb;"
^Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Denotes player who is still active
RankPlayerTeam(s) by seasonPunts
1Jeff FeaglesNew England Patriots (19881989)
Philadelphia Eagles (19901993)
Arizona Cardinals (19941997)
Seattle Seahawks (19982002)
New York Giants (20032009)
1,713
2Andy LeeSan Francisco 49ers (20042014)
Cleveland Browns (2015)
Carolina Panthers (2016)
Arizona Cardinals (20172022)
1,466
3Shane LechlerOakland Raiders (20002012)
Houston Texans (20132017)
1,444
4Sean LandetaNew York Giants (19851993)
Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams (19931996, 20032004)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997)
Green Bay Packers (1998)
Philadelphia Eagles (19992002, 2005)
1,401
5Brad MaynardNew York Giants (19972000)
Chicago Bears (20012010)
Cleveland Browns (2011)
1,339
6Lee JohnsonHouston Oilers (19851987)
Cleveland Browns (19871988)
Cincinnati Bengals (19881998)
New England Patriots (19992001)
Minnesota Vikings (2001)
Philadelphia Eagles (2002)
1,226
7Dustin ColquittKansas City Chiefs (20052019)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2020)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2020)
Atlanta Falcons (2021)
Cleveland Browns (2021)
1,198
8Chris GardockiChicago Bears (19911994)
Indianapolis Colts (19951998)
Cleveland Browns (19992003)
Pittsburgh Steelers (20042006)
1,177
9Sam KochBaltimore Ravens (20062021)1,168
10Donnie JonesSeattle Seahawks (2004)
Miami Dolphins (20052006)
St. Louis Rams (20072011)
Houston Texans (2012)
Philadelphia Eagles (20132017)
Los Angeles Chargers (2018)
1,157
11Dave JenningsNew York Giants (19741984)
New York Jets (19851987)
1,154
12Chris MohrTampa Bay Buccaneers (1989)
Buffalo Bills (19912000)
Atlanta Falcons (20012004)
1,152
13Craig HentrichGreen Bay Packers (19941997)
Tennessee Oilers / Titans (19992009)
1,150
14Matt TurkWashington Redskins (19951999)
Miami Dolphins (20002001, 20032005)
New York Jets (2002)
St. Louis Rams (2006)
Houston Texans (20072011)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2011)
1,143
15Rohn StarkBaltimore Colts (19821983)
Indianapolis Colts (19841994)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1995)
Carolina Panthers (1996)
Seattle Seahawks (1997)
1,141
16Bryan BarkerKansas City Chiefs (19901993)
Philadelphia Eagles (1994)
Jacksonville Jaguars (19952000)
Washington Redskins (20012003)
Green Bay Packers (2004)
St. Louis Rams (2005)
1,132
17Mark RoyalsPhiladelphia Eagles (1987)
St. Louis Cardinals (1987)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19901991, 19992001)
Pittsburgh Steelers (19921994)
Detroit Lions (19951996)
New Orleans Saints (19971998)
Miami Dolphins (20022003)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2003)
1,116
18John JamesAtlanta Falcons (19721981)
Detroit Lions (1982)
Houston Oilers (19821984)
1,083
19Jerrel WilsonKansas City Chiefs (19631977)
New England Patriots (1978
1,072
20New Orleans Saints (19841988)
New England Patriots (1990)
Cleveland Browns (19911993)
New York Jets (19941998)
Washington Redskins (1999)
1,057
21Dan StryzinskiPittsburgh Steelers (19901991)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19921994)
Atlanta Falcons (19952000)
Kansas City Chiefs (20012002)
New York Jets (2003)
1,055
22Ray Guy^Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders (19731986)1,049
23Rich CamarilloNew England Patriots (19811987)
Los Angeles Rams (1988)
Phoenix Cardinals (19891993)
Houston Oilers (19941995)
Oakland Raiders (1996)
1,027
24Kevin HuberCincinnati Bengals (20092022)1,011
25Brett KernDenver Broncos (20082009)
Tennessee Titans (20092021)
Philadelphia Eagles (2022)
1,006
26Mike HoranPhiladelphia Eagles (19841985)
Denver Broncos (19861992)
New York Giants (19931996)
St. Louis Rams (1997, 1999)
Chicago Bears (1998)
1,003
Statistics accurate through the end of the 2022 NFL season
and gathered from Pro-Football-Reference.[10]

Most punts inside the 20-yard line

style="text-align:center; background:#cfecec;"
Denotes player who is still active
RankPlayerTeam(s) by season
1Jeff FeaglesNew England Patriots (19881989)
Philadelphia Eagles (19901993)
Arizona Cardinals (19941997)
Seattle Seahawks (19982002)
New York Giants (20032009)
554
2Dustin ColquittKansas City Chiefs (20052019)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2020)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2020)
Atlanta Falcons (2021)
Cleveland Browns (2021)
483
3Andy LeeSan Francisco 49ers (20042014)
Cleveland Browns (2015)
Carolina Panthers (2016)
Arizona Cardinals (20172022)
476
4Shane LechlerOakland Raiders (20002012)
Houston Texans (20132017)
469
5Sam KochBaltimore Ravens (20062021)453
6Brad MaynardNew York Giants (19972000)
Chicago Bears (20012010)
Cleveland Browns (2011)
439
7Craig HentrichGreen Bay Packers (19941997)
Tennessee Oilers / Titans (19992009)
399
8Brett KernDenver Broncos (20082009)
Tennessee Titans (20092021)
Philadelphia Eagles (2022)
396
9Sean LandetaNew York Giants (19851993)
Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams (19931996, 20032004)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997)
Green Bay Packers (1998)
Philadelphia Eagles (19992002, 2005)
381
10Donnie JonesSeattle Seahawks (2004)
Miami Dolphins (20052006)
St. Louis Rams (20072011)
Houston Texans (2012)
Philadelphia Eagles (20132017)
Los Angeles Chargers (2018)
379
Statistics accurate through the end of the 2022 NFL season
and gathered from The Football Database.[11]

Career punting touchbacks leaders

style="text-align:center; background:#ffb;"
^Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Denotes player who is still active
RankPlayerTeam(s) by season
1Shane LechlerOakland Raiders (20002012)
Houston Texans (20132017)
178
2Sean LandetaNew York Giants (19851993)
Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams (19931996, 20032004)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997)
Green Bay Packers (1998)
Philadelphia Eagles (19992002, 2005)
166
3Craig HentrichGreen Bay Packers (19941997)
Tennessee Oilers / Titans (19992009)
142
Lee JohnsonHouston Oilers (19851987)
Cleveland Browns (19871988)
Cincinnati Bengals (19881998)
New England Patriots (19992001)
Minnesota Vikings (2001)
Philadelphia Eagles (2002)
142
5Rohn StarkBaltimore Colts (19821983)
Indianapolis Colts (19841994)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1995)
Carolina Panthers (1996)
Seattle Seahawks (1997)
133
6Andy LeeSan Francisco 49ers (20042014)
Cleveland Browns (2015)
Carolina Panthers (2016)
Arizona Cardinals (20172022)
132
7Matt TurkWashington Redskins (19951999)
Miami Dolphins (20002001, 20032005)
New York Jets (2002)
St. Louis Rams (2006)
Houston Texans (20072011)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2011)
129
8Ray Guy^Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders (19731986)128
9Jeff FeaglesNew England Patriots (19881989)
Philadelphia Eagles (19901993)
Arizona Cardinals (19941997)
Seattle Seahawks (19982002)
New York Giants (20032009)
127
10Reggie RobyMiami Dolphins (19831992)
Washington Redskins (19931994)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1995)
Houston / Tennessee Oilers (19961997)
San Francisco 49ers (1998)
112
Statistics accurate through the end of the 2022 NFL season
and gathered from The Football Database.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Minimum Requirements For Football Leaderboards. Pro-Football-Reference.com. August 29, 2022.
  2. Web site: Branch. John. Jeff Feagles Retires After 1,713 Punts. The New York Times. May 1, 2010. August 26, 2022.
  3. Web site: Giants' Feagles retires; NFL mark intact. ESPN. April 30, 2010. August 27, 2022.
  4. Web site: Giants' Feagles sets career punts record. New England Patriots. September 11, 2005. August 26, 2022.
  5. News: Maske. Mark. NFL owners approve 25-yard line touchback rule change, double unsportsmanlike conduct ejections. The Washington Post. March 23, 2016. August 29, 2022.
  6. Web site: Carter. Jayceon. NFL: To Touchback or Not to Touchback, That Is the Question. Bleacher Report. January 16, 2011. August 29, 2022.
  7. Web site: Shpigel. Ben. The N.F.L.'s Most Valuable Player Might Be ... a Punter?. The New York Times. November 2, 2017. August 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20171104023724/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/sports/football/johnny-hekker-rams-punter.html. November 4, 2017.
  8. Web site: Giants' Feagles retires; NFL mark intact. ESPN. April 30, 2010. August 27, 2022.
  9. Web site: NFL Career Leaders – Punting Touchbacks. The Football Database. August 29, 2022.
  10. Web site: NFL Punts Career Leaders (since 1939). Pro-Football-Reference.com. August 26, 2022.
  11. Web site: NFL Career Leaders – Punting Net Average. The Football Database. August 29, 2022.
  12. Web site: NFL Career Leaders – Punting Touchbacks. The Football Database. December 27, 2022.