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2020 NFL Kickoff Specialist Rankings

Every NFL kickoff specialist with enough work in the 2020 regular season (at least 30), ranked by kickoff points added. Each kickoff's expected-points result compared with the league-average kickoff, added up over the season. Onside kicks are left out. It credits the kicker and the coverage team together.

NFL rule from 2016 to 2023: a kickoff touchback started the receiving team at its 25 (from 2023 a fair catch inside the 25 did too), so a deep kick into the end zone was the safe, standard result. Kickoff Points Added accounts for the rule, so it is the fair way to compare kickoff specialists across leagues and seasons.

Final 2020 regular-season numbers, updated October 23, 2026.

2020 NFL Leaders

Kickoff Touchback Percentage

  1. Joey Slye (Carolina Panthers): 91% 71 of 78
  2. Dustin Hopkins (Washington Commanders): 88% 65 of 74
  3. Bradley Pinion (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 85% 85 of 100
  4. Matt Gay (Los Angeles Rams): 80% 28 of 35
  5. Brandon McManus (Denver Broncos): 78% 54 of 69

Full Kickoff Touchback Percentage leaderboard

Average Kickoff Return Allowed

  1. Jason Sanders (Miami Dolphins): 16.4 22 returns
  2. Tyler Bass (Buffalo Bills): 17.9 30 returns
  3. Matt Prater (Detroit Lions): 17.9 10 returns
  4. Wil Lutz (New Orleans Saints): 18.0 21 returns
  5. J.K. Scott (Green Bay Packers): 18.4 12 returns

Full Average Kickoff Return Allowed leaderboard

Kickoff Points Added

  1. Rigoberto Sanchez (Indianapolis Colts): +11.8 76 kickoffs
  2. Jason Myers (Seattle Seahawks): +11.1 90 kickoffs
  3. Zane Gonzalez (Arizona Cardinals): +7.6 64 kickoffs
  4. Tyler Bass (Buffalo Bills): +7.1 101 kickoffs
  5. Wil Lutz (New Orleans Saints): +6.0 92 kickoffs

Full Kickoff Points Added leaderboard

Average Kickoff Distance

  1. Joey Slye (Carolina Panthers): 65.0 78 kickoffs
  2. Brandon McManus (Denver Broncos): 64.9 69 kickoffs
  3. Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco 49ers): 64.8 65 kickoffs
  4. Bradley Pinion (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): 64.8 100 kickoffs
  5. Ty Long (Los Angeles Chargers): 64.7 80 kickoffs

Full Average Kickoff Distance leaderboard

Kickoff Out of Bounds Percentage

  1. Tyler Bass (Buffalo Bills): 0.0% 0 of 101
  2. Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens): 0.0% 0 of 95
  3. Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas Raiders): 0.0% 0 of 93
  4. Wil Lutz (New Orleans Saints): 0.0% 0 of 92
  5. Jason Myers (Seattle Seahawks): 0.0% 0 of 90

Full Kickoff Out of Bounds Percentage leaderboard

30+ Yard Return Percentage Allowed

  1. Mike Nugent (Arizona Cardinals): 0.0% 0 of 16
  2. Tyler Bass (Buffalo Bills): 3.3% 1 of 30
  3. Greg Zuerlein (Dallas Cowboys): 3.7% 1 of 27
  4. Matthew Wright (Pittsburgh Steelers): 7.7% 1 of 13
  5. Younghoe Koo (Atlanta Falcons): 8.3% 3 of 36

Full 30+ Yard Return Percentage Allowed leaderboard

All 2020 NFL Kickoff Specialist Leaderboards

Kickoffs by Points Added

33 kickoff specialists qualify.

RkPlayerTeamKickoffsAvg distTB%ReturnsPoints
1Rigoberto SanchezIndianapolis Colts7663.143%43+11.8
2Jason MyersSeattle Seahawks9064.058%38+11.1
3Zane GonzalezArizona Cardinals6464.256%28+7.6
4Tyler BassBuffalo Bills10164.070%30+7.1
5Wil LutzNew Orleans Saints9264.377%21+6.0
6Ka'imi FairbairnHouston Texans8364.063%31+5.9
7Jason SandersMiami Dolphins8763.074%22+5.7
8Justin TuckerBaltimore Ravens9564.168%30+4.6
9Daniel CarlsonLas Vegas Raiders9364.066%32+4.2
10Jake BaileyNew England Patriots7164.459%29+3.8
11Cairo SantosChicago Bears8362.851%41+3.6
12Stephen GostkowskiTennessee Titans8463.461%32+2.9
13Ty LongLos Angeles Chargers8064.761%31+2.5
14Jack FoxDetroit Lions5862.933%38+2.3
15Younghoe KooAtlanta Falcons6464.644%36+1.7
16Chris BoswellPittsburgh Steelers7363.360%28+1.2
17Jake ElliottPhiladelphia Eagles7063.866%24+1.0
18Joey SlyeCarolina Panthers7865.091%7+0.8
19Greg ZuerleinDallas Cowboys8763.769%27+0.5
20Randy BullockCincinnati Bengals5763.375%13+0.3
21Logan CookeJacksonville Jaguars4561.656%18+0.2
22Sam FickenNew York Jets3163.358%12+0.1
23Sam SlomanLos Angeles Rams4463.455%19−0.5
24Mitch WishnowskySan Francisco 49ers6564.865%23−1.6
25Matt GayLos Angeles Rams3563.880%6−3.2
26Dustin HopkinsWashington Commanders7464.388%9−4.9
27Graham GanoNew York Giants7061.843%40−5.8
28Mason CrosbyGreen Bay Packers8263.959%33−5.9
29Brandon McManusDenver Broncos6964.978%15−6.1
30Harrison ButkerKansas City Chiefs9563.476%21−7.1
31Cody ParkeyCleveland Browns8163.556%35−7.3
32Bradley PinionTampa Bay Buccaneers10064.885%14−9.3
33Dan BaileyMinnesota Vikings7862.768%25−10.1

Points compare each kickoff's expected-points result with the league-average kickoff. Onside kicks are listed separately and left out of points. Average distance is measured from the kicking spot to where the ball was caught or reached the goal line; a touchback counts the full distance. Returns exclude touchbacks, out-of-bounds kicks and fair catches. Minimum 30 kickoffs.

Kickoff Specialist Rankings in Other Seasons

2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2019 · 2018 · 2017 · 2016

Other 2020 NFL Rankings

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