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.
Johnny Hekker is the most recent player to lead the league in punting yards in consecutive seasons (2015–2016).Shane Lechler led the league in punting yards for a tied record-fourth time in 2017.Thomas Morstead is the most recent leader in punting yards.
Sammy Baugh was a 5-time league leader in yards per punt, which is still the most in NFL history, with only one other player ever reaching four seasons leading in yards per punt. His record for yards per punt for a season of 51.4 lasted 82 years.In 1963, Yale Lary became the second player to lead the league yards per punt for a third time.Ryan Stonehouse set the single-season record for yards per punt in 2022 and is the most recent yards per punt leader.
Andy Lee has three single-seasons of over 4,500 punting yards.Marquette King led the league in punting yards in 2014, with 4,930, the third-most ever in a single-season.
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 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).
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