2026 NFL Onside Kicks Attempted Leaders
Onside kicks are short kickoffs meant to be recovered by the kicking team. Teams try them when behind late.
Only specialists with at least one appear. In 2026, Matt Gay (3) led NFL kickoff specialists in onside kicks attempted, ahead of Dominic Zvada (2) and Joey Slye (2). 10 kickoff specialists qualify. This season is in progress (through Week 7), so the numbers change each week.
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.
Data through Week 7 of the 2026 season, updated October 24, 2026.
| Rk | Player | Team | Onside | Kickoffs | Avg dist | TB% | Returns | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Gay | Las Vegas Raiders | 3 | 31 | 59.5 | 13% | 26 | −2.1 |
| 2 | Dominic Zvada | New York Giants | 2 | 29 | 61.9 | 10% | 26 | +6.5 |
| 3 | Joey Slye | Tennessee Titans | 2 | 20 | 56.4 | 35% | 12 | −3.6 |
| 4 | Brandon Aubrey | Dallas Cowboys | 1 | 32 | 56.9 | 16% | 25 | +5.3 |
| 5 | Cameron Dicker | Los Angeles Chargers | 1 | 22 | 61.9 | 23% | 17 | −2.6 |
| 6 | Chad Ryland | Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 28 | 62.2 | 25% | 20 | −2.7 |
| 7 | Drew Stevens | Washington Commanders | 1 | 30 | 60.7 | 17% | 24 | −3.5 |
| 8 | Jake Bates | Detroit Lions | 1 | 30 | 61.2 | 13% | 26 | +2.2 |
| 9 | Jason Sanders | New York Jets | 1 | 28 | 61.0 | 21% | 22 | +1.9 |
| 10 | Riley Patterson | Miami Dolphins | 1 | 16 | 60.3 | 25% | 12 | −7.4 |
All 2026 NFL kickoff specialist rankings
Onside Kicks Attempted in other seasons: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
More 2026 NFL kickoff specialist leaderboards
- Kickoffs
- Kickoff Touchbacks
- Kickoff Touchback Percentage
- Kickoff Returns Allowed
- Kickoff Return Yards Allowed
- Average Kickoff Return Allowed
- Kickoffs Out of Bounds
- Onside Kicks Recovered
- Kickoff Points Added
- Average Kickoff Distance
- Kickoff Out of Bounds Percentage
- 30+ Yard Return Percentage Allowed
- Kickoff Points per 100 Kickoffs
Other 2026 NFL rankings
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