A sudden long kick return can electrify the field and change the dynamic of a football game in an instant. It’s one of the most exciting moments in sports, when a return specialist works hard to guide kicks across the field, reducing deficits in a heartbeat.
One such player is Devin Hester, who made his name in the Hall of Fame mainly as a return specialist. In his impressive 11-season career, he had an NFL record 20 return touchdowns, including 14 punts, five kickoffs, and one missed field goal. Hester stands alone as the only player to return a Super Bowl kickoff for a touchdown, starting Super Bowl XLI in 2007 with a spectacular 92-yard kickoff return. Despite Hester’s feats, they don’t rank among the longest in NFL history. Let’s take a look at the longest kick returns the NFL has ever seen.
Longest Kickoff Return in NFL History
109 meters
Cordarrelle Patterson of the Minnesota Vikings made this record-breaking comeback on Oct. 27, 2013, against the Green Bay Packers.
108 meters
The players who won this are:
– David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals – September 20, 2015, against the Chicago Bears
– Jacoby Jones, Baltimore Ravens – Twice; Oct. 14, 2012, against the Dallas Cowboys and Nov. 2, 2014, against the Pittsburgh Steelers
– Knile Davis, Kansas City Chiefs – Dec. 1, 2013, against the Denver Broncos
– Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers – September 8, 2011, against the New Orleans Saints
– Ellis Hobbs, New England Patriots – September 9, 2007, against the New York Jets
107 meters
Josh Huff, Philadelphia Eagles – Nov. 23, 2014, against the Tennessee Titans
Joe McKnight, New York Jets – Oct. 2, 2011, against the Baltimore Ravens
Returning Record Breaks in Super Bowl History
Not only did Jacoby Jones boast two 108-yard kickoff returns in the regular season, but he also opened the second half of Super Bowl XLVII with a 108-yard punt return against the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 3, 2013. This record reset earned Jones the title for the longest kickoff return in Super Bowl history.
Longest Punt Return in NFL history
On October 23, 2024, Robert Bailey, quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, made a record-breaking 103-yard punt return against the Saints. This return remains the longest punt return in NFL history.
Longest Field Goal Return in NFL History
Jamal Agnew and Antonio Cromartie jointly hold the record for the longest missed field goal return in NFL history, at 109 yards. Agnew achieved this against the Cardinals on September 26, 2021, while Cromartie achieved his against the Vikings on November 4, 2007.
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