Although many other players have been able to lead the league in two consecutive seasons,
John James is the only player to have the led the league in three consecutive seasons (
1976–
1978). James and
Shane Lechler share the record of most seasons leading the league in punting yards, with four each. James led the league in
1974, in addition to his aforementioned three-year stretch; he played with the
Atlanta Falcons in all four of those seasons. Meanwhile, Lechler lead the league in
2003,
2008, and
2009 (while with the
Oakland Raiders), and in
2017, while playing with the
Houston Texans.
Johnny Hekker was the most recent player to accomplish this feat, leading in
2015, while playing for the
St. Louis Rams, and again in
2016, when the team
relocated to Los Angeles.
Among punting yards performances that did not lead the league,
Chad Stanley has the most with 4,720 for the Texans in
2002.
Marquette King's 4,930 punting yards for the
Oakland Raiders in
2014 is the most punting yards a player has had without setting the single-season record.
Sammy Baugh led the league in yards per punt five times in his career (
1940–
1943,
1945). Lechler is the only other player to lead the league in yards per punt four times (2003,
2004,
2007, 2009). Baugh's four consecutive years leading the league (1940–1943) is also notable; no other player has led the league more than twice consecutively. The most recent player to do so was Lechler in 2003 and 2004. Baugh set the record for yards per punt at 51.4 in 1940. The 50.0 yards per punt mark would not be reached again until
Donnie Jones achieved the feat in
2008.
Ryan Stonehouse would surpass Baugh's yards per punt record, setting the new benchmark at 53.1 in
2022.
The following list displays the 25 highest single-season punting yards figures in NFL history. Unless otherwise noted, the listed players led the respective season with their performances.
^Pro-Football-Reference.com lists
Frankie Sinkwich of the
Detroit Lions as the 1943 yards per punt co-leader alongside Baugh. Sinkwich's 45.92 yards per punt is also slightly ahead of Baugh's 45.90 yards per punt, which would make him the sole leader. However, Sinkwich's 12 punts in 10 games does not meet the minimum requirement of 2.5 punts per team game that the NFL requires to qualify as a season statistical leader.[3]
^Both
Dave Lewis and
Jerrel Wilson averaged 44.8 yards per punt in 1971. However, Lewis' average (44.847 based on 72 punts for 3,229 yards) slightly edges Wilson's (44.75 based on 64 punts for 2,864 yards).
^Both
Brian Moorman and
Shane Lechler averaged 45.7 yards per punt. Moorman's 45.68 yards per punt (based on 68 punts for 3,242 yards) slightly edges Lechler's 45.66 average (based on 82 punts for 3,744 yards).
^Both
Tress Way and
Bryan Anger averaged 47.5 yards per punt. Way's 47.52 yards per punt (based on 77 punts for 3,659 yards) slightly edged Anger's 47.49 average (based on 94 punts for 4,464 yards).