2025 NFL Kickoff Touchbacks Leaders

Kickoffs that reached the end zone and were kept there, giving the receiving team the ball at its own 25, 30 or 35, depending on the league and the rule that season. A touchback avoids a return but gives up field position.

Fewer is better: since 2024 an NFL touchback gives the receiving team the ball at its 30 (its 35 from 2025), so kickers aim short of the goal line and let the play be returned. Read with touchback percentage. In 2025, Mike Badgley (1) topped NFL kickoff specialists in kickoff touchbacks, ahead of Austin McNamara (4) and Jamie Gillan (5). 36 kickoff specialists qualify (minimum 30 kickoffs).

NFL rule since 2025: a kickoff touchback starts the receiving team at its 35, so kickers aim for the landing zone short of the goal line and fewer touchbacks is better. Kickoff Points Added accounts for the rule, so it is the fair way to compare kickoff specialists across leagues and seasons.

Final 2025 regular-season numbers, updated October 23, 2026.

Rk	Player	Team	TB	Kickoffs	Avg dist	TB%	Returns	Points
1	Mike Badgley	Indianapolis Colts	1	45	59.0	2%	44	+3.1
2	Austin McNamara	New York Jets	4	43	59.3	9%	38	−0.9
3	Jamie Gillan	New York Giants	5	38	58.5	13%	32	+3.8
4	Chris Boswell	Pittsburgh Steelers	7	86	60.3	8%	78	+11.0
5	Tyler Loop	Baltimore Ravens	10	93	57.1	11%	79	−1.0
6	Ryan Fitzgerald	Carolina Panthers	10	71	58.6	14%	61	+11.8
7	Blake Grupe	New Orleans Saints	10	70	60.9	14%	60	−4.3
8	Jake Moody	Washington Commanders	10	42	60.8	24%	31	+5.8
9	Bradley Pinion	Atlanta Falcons	10	40	62.8	25%	30	−4.9
10	Evan McPherson	Cincinnati Bengals	11	86	62.0	13%	75	+0.3
11	Matt Prater	Buffalo Bills	11	84	60.6	13%	72	−3.5
12	Daniel Carlson	Las Vegas Raiders	11	60	60.6	18%	49	−8.0
13	Joshua Karty	Los Angeles Rams	11	36	59.5	31%	25	+9.6
14	Zane Gonzalez	Atlanta Falcons	12	38	59.2	32%	25	−11.4
15	Harrison Butker	Kansas City Chiefs	13	86	61.1	15%	72	+5.1
16	Jake Elliott	Philadelphia Eagles	13	81	60.1	16%	68	+4.0
17	Andre Szmyt	Cleveland Browns	13	65	61.0	20%	52	−5.2
18	Matt Gay	Washington Commanders	13	55	60.5	24%	40	+6.9
19	Riley Patterson	Miami Dolphins	14	77	60.4	18%	62	−0.9
20	Will Reichard	Minnesota Vikings	15	82	60.8	18%	66	−0.9
21	Brandon McManus	Green Bay Packers	15	69	62.3	22%	53	+2.0
22	Cameron Dicker	Los Angeles Chargers	16	90	61.2	18%	72	−2.8
23	Eddy Pineiro	San Francisco 49ers	16	79	60.8	20%	62	−1.1
24	Charlie Smyth	New Orleans Saints	16	31	61.2	52%	15	−3.8
25	Brandon Aubrey	Dallas Cowboys	17	100	59.9	17%	81	−2.7
26	Jake Bates	Detroit Lions	17	98	60.7	17%	78	−0.1
27	Joey Slye	Tennessee Titans	17	67	60.4	25%	46	+2.2
28	Jason Myers	Seattle Seahawks	18	103	61.1	17%	84	+25.7
29	Cairo Santos	Chicago Bears	18	79	60.7	23%	59	−1.0
30	Chad Ryland	Arizona Cardinals	20	79	60.7	25%	59	−12.2
31	Wil Lutz	Denver Broncos	21	88	62.0	24%	65	−2.2
32	Chase McLaughlin	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	21	82	61.3	26%	61	−13.9
33	Ka'imi Fairbairn	Houston Texans	22	86	62.8	26%	64	+6.1
34	Andy Borregales	New England Patriots	25	95	60.5	26%	70	−5.7
35	Cam Little	Jacksonville Jaguars	37	96	61.6	39%	57	+2.7
36	Ethan Evans	Los Angeles Rams	46	61	64.2	75%	15	−4.4

All 2025 NFL kickoff specialist rankings

Kickoff Touchbacks in other seasons: 2026 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

More 2025 NFL kickoff specialist leaderboards

Other 2025 NFL rankings

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