Who Has The Most Return Touchdowns In NFL History?
Contents
Who has the most return touchdowns in NFL history? That would be Devin Hester, with a grand total of 20.
Introduction
In the National Football League, there have been a number of players who have had success returning kicks and punts for touchdowns. This includes some of the game’s all-time greats, like Deion Sanders and Devin Hester, as well as active players like Tyreek Hill and Cordarrelle Patterson.
But who has the most return touchdowns in NFL history? That distinction belongs to Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell, who had 13 return touchdowns during his 14-year career.
Mitchell was a Pro Bowl selection five times during his career and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s. He also holds the NFL records for most kickoff return yards (14,014) and most combined kick return yards (19, 163).
Most Touchdowns
Most Touchdowns:
1. Devin Hester – 20
2. Deion Sanders – 19
3. Brian Mitchell – 13
4. Rick Upchurch – 12
5. Jacoby Jones – 11
6. Leon Washington – 10
7. Randall Cobb – 9
8. Ollie Matson – 9
Most Receiving Touchdowns
The NFL record for the most receiving touchdowns in a career is held by Jerry Rice, who caught 197 touchdown passes over his 20 seasons in the league. Rice played for the San Francisco 49ers for 16 seasons, the Oakland Raiders for three seasons, and he finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2004. He was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2010.
Most Rushing Touchdowns
Most Rushing Touchdowns:
Emmitt Smith – 164
Walter Payton – 110
Barry Sanders – 109
Most Receiving Touchdowns:
Jerry Rice – 208
Larry Fitzgerald – 160
Marvin Harrison – 128
Most Interception Touchdowns:
Deion Sanders – 22
Rod Woodson – 20
Ken Riley – 17
Most Punt/Kickoff Return Touchdowns
1. Devin Hester – 20
2. Joshua Cribbs – 16
3. Leon Washington – 15
4. Deion Sanders – 14
5. Jacoby Jones – 13
6. Brian Mitchell – 12
7. Ted Ginn, Jr. – 12
8. Eric Metcalf – 11
Among active players, Devin Hester and Jacoby Jones are tied for the most punt/kickoff return touchdowns with 13 apiece.
Most Interception Return Touchdowns
The record for the most interception return touchdowns is held by Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who had nine in his career.
Sanders, who played for the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens, is also tied for the most punt return touchdowns in NFL history with eight.
He is one of only four players in NFL history with at least eight interception return touchdowns and eight punt return touchdowns. The other three are Hall of Famers Rod Woodson, Rick Upchurch and Charlie Joiner.
Most Fumble Return Touchdowns
Most Fumble Return Touchdowns:
1. Angelo Coia – 8
2. Jack Christiansen – 7
3. Dwight Clark – 5
4. Gary Anderson – 4
5. Aeneas Williams – 4
Most Touchdown Returns In A Season
The NFL record for the most touchdown returns in a season is held by Devin Hester, who had six in 2007.
Hester, a wide receiver and return specialist who played for the Chicago Bears from 2006 to 2013, is widely considered one of the best return specialists in NFL history. In his career, he returned 19 kickoffs and 14 punts for touchdowns, both of which are NFL records. He was also a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All-Pro four times.
Other players who have returned five kickoffs or punts for touchdowns in a season include Rick Upchurch (1975), Ollie Matson (1959), Gale Sayers (1965), and Deion Sanders (1994).
Most Touchdown Returns In A Career
Deion Sanders holds the record for the most career return touchdowns in NFL history. He played for four teams over the course of his 14-year career, and retired with 19 return touchdowns (eight interceptions, six punt returns, and five kick returns).
Conclusion
The answer to this question is Jerry Rice, with an impressive 20 return touchdowns over the course of his illustrious career. He is closely followed by Devin Hester with 19, and then Deion Sanders with 18. These three players are well ahead of the pack, and it is unlikely that anyone will catch them any time soon.
