Alabama Roots: Top 10 in NFL punt-return yards

In 2022, former Enterprise High School and Troy standout Marcus Jones topped the NFL in punt-return yards with 362 for the New England Patriots and earned first-team All-Pro recognition as a rookie.

But a torn labrum limited Jones to two games in 2023, and the injury might have kept him from joining the top 10 players from Alabama high schools and colleges with the most NFL punt-return yards.

Instead, Captain Munnerlyn (Murphy) kept the 10th spot with 677 career punt-return yards.

For the second season in a row, a rookie had the most punt-return yards among players with Alabama football roots. Tennessee Titans cornerback Eric Garror (McGill-Toolen) had 159 yards on 21 punt returns in 2023.

For more than 40 years, safety Mike Fuller (Shaw, Auburn) has had the most punt-return yards for a player from an Alabama high school or college with 2,660 accumulated across eight NFL seasons.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama) has averaged 11.4 yards on 88 punt returns, the best for any player with Alabama football roots who has at least 75 returns, the minimum for the NFL record book.

Hill also has the most punt-return yards in one season among players from Alabama high schools and colleges with 592 in 2016. But he has minus-4 punt-return yards in the past five seasons.

The best punt-return average in one season for a player with Alabama football roots belongs Red Cochran (Hueytown). In 1949, Cochran averaged 20.9 yards on 15 punt returns for the Chicago Cardinals – the third-best single-season mark in NFL history. He had touchdown punt returns of 50 and 71 yards that season against the Green Bay Packers, although not in the same game.

Hill and Speedy Duncan (Druid) are tied for the most career punt-return touchdowns for players with Alabama football roots with four apiece. Only 20 players in NFL history have had more than four punt-return TDs in their careers. Duncan and Hill also are among the 22 players in NFL history who have had a punt return of at least 95 yards.

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The 10 players from Alabama high schools and colleges who have the most punt-return yards in the NFL:

1. Mike Fuller, Shaw High School in Mobile, Auburn: 2,660 punt-return yards

San Diego Chargers 1975-1980, Cincinnati Bengals 1981-1982: The safety averaged 10.6 yards on 252 punt returns. Fuller had touchdown punt returns of 42 yards against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 30, 1975, and 88 yards against the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 9, 1977.

2. Speedy Duncan, Druid High School in Tuscaloosa: 2,201 punt-return yards

San Diego Chargers 1964-1970, Washington Redskins 1971-1974: The cornerback averaged 10.9 yards on 202 punt returns. Duncan led the AFL in punt-return yards with 464 in 1965 and in punt-return average at 15.5 yards in 1965 and 13.2 yards in 1966, and he led the NFL in punt-return average at 10.6 yards in 1971. He had touchdown punt returns of 64 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 26, 1965, 63 yards against the Houston Oilers on Dec. 12, 1965, 81 yards against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 4, 1966, and 95 yards against the New York Jets on Nov. 24, 1968. Duncan was a Pro Bowler four times, including three years when he was a starting cornerback.

3. Reggie Barlow, Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama State: 1,855 punt-return yards

Jacksonville Jaguars 1996-2000, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002-2003: The wide receiver averaged 10.4 yards on 158 punt returns. Barlow led the NFL with 555 punt-return yards in 1998. He had touchdown punt returns of 85 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 13, 1998, and 74 yards against the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 21, 1999.

4. David Palmer, Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, Alabama: 1,610 punt-return yards

Minnesota Vikings 1994-2000: The wide receiver averaged 9.9 yards on 162 punt returns. Palmer led the NFL in punt-return average at 13.2 yards in 1995. He had touchdown punt returns of 74 yards against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 23, 1995, and 69 yards against the New York Giants on Sept. 29, 1996.

5. Lionel James, Auburn: 1,193 punt-return yards

San Diego Chargers 1984-1988: The running back averaged 9.6 yards on 124 punt returns. “Little Train” had touchdown punt returns of 59 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 25, 1984, and 81 yards against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 20, 1987.

6. Javier Arenas, Alabama: 1,029 punt-return yards

Kansas City Chiefs 2010-2012, Arizona Cardinals 2013, Atlanta Falcons 2014: The cornerback averaged 9.7 yards on 106 punt returns.

7. Leodis McKelvin, Troy: 1,021 punt-return yards

Buffalo Bills 2008-2015, Philadelphia Eagles 2016: The cornerback averaged 10.3 yards on 99 punt returns. McKelvin led the NFL in punt-return average at 18.7 yards in 2012, the ninth-best single-season mark in league history. He had touchdown returns of 80 yards against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 24, 2011, 88 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 16, 2012, and 79 yards against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 15, 2012.

8. Tyreek Hill, West Alabama: 1,005 punt-return yards

Kansas City Chiefs 2016-2021, Miami Dolphins 2022-2023: The wide receiver has averaged 11.4 yards on 88 punt returns, the 13th-best career average in NFL history. Hill led the NFL with 592 punt-return yards and an average of 15.2 yards per return in 2016. He has touchdown punt returns of 78 yards against the Oakland Raiders on Dec. 8, 2016, 95 yards against the San Diego Chargers on Jan. 1, 2017, 82 yards against the Houston Texans on Oct. 8, 2017, and 91 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 9, 2018. Hill was the All-Pro punt returner in 2016 (and an All-Pro again in the flex spot in 2018 and as a wide receiver in 2020 and 2022) and has been a Pro Bowler in all eight of his NFL seasons.

9. Chester Rogers, Lee High School in Huntsville: 844 punt-return yards

Indianapolis Colts 2016-2019, Tennessee Titans 2021: The wide receiver averaged 9.4 yards on 90 punt returns.

10. Captain Munnerlyn, Murphy High School in Mobile: 677 punt-return yards

Carolina Panthers 2009-2013, 2017-2018, Minnesota Vikings 2014-2016: The cornerback averaged 9.0 yards on 75 punt returns.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.