NFL Single-Season Punting Average Record Progression

Every season that raised the bar, and the leader in every season between.

The NFL single-season punting average record is 53.1, set by Ryan Stonehouse in 2022. It has stood for 4 years. The mark has been raised 2 times since 1939.

FGM FG%PTS LNG 50+FGA XPM P/A NET

Record Holders

3 marks since 1939

Year	Player	P/A	Stood for
2022	Ryan Stonehouse	53.1	still standing
1940	Sammy Baugh	51.4	82 years
1939	Johnny Pingel	42.8	1 year

The earliest marks here are records only in the sense that nobody had done better yet. Season length, schedule and the rules themselves have all changed, so a figure from the 1870s is not comparable with a modern one and is not offered as though it were.

Every Season

87 seasons

Year	Leader	P/A
2025	Daniel Whelan	51.7
2024	Jack Fox	51.0
2023	Ryan Stonehouse	53.1
2022	Ryan Stonehouse	53.1	new record
2021	Jack Fox	49.2
2020	Corey Bojorquez	50.8
2019	Tress Way	48.9
2018	Andy Lee	48.6
2017	Brett Kern	49.7
2016	Patrick McAfee	49.3
2015	Johnny Hekker	47.9
2014	Tress Way	47.5
2013	Marquette King	48.9
2012	Brandon Fields	50.2
2011	Andy Lee	50.9
2010	Mat McBriar	47.9
2009	Shane Lechler	51.1
2008	Donnie Jones	50.0
2007	Shane Lechler	49.1
2006	Mat McBriar	48.2
2005	Brian Moorman	45.7
2004	Shane Lechler	46.7
2003	Shane Lechler	46.3
2002	Todd Sauerbrun	45.5
2001	Todd Sauerbrun	47.5
2000	Shane Lechler	45.9
1999	Tom Rouen	46.5
1998	Craig Hentrich	47.2
1997	Mark Royals	45.9
1996	John Kidd	46.3
1995	Rick Tuten	45.0
1994	Sean Landeta	44.8
1993	Greg Montgomery	45.6
1992	Greg Montgomery	46.9
1991	Reggie Roby	45.7
1990	Mike Horan	44.4
1989	Rich Camarillo	43.4
1988	Harry Newsome	45.4
1987	Rick Donnelly	44.0
1986	Rohn Stark	45.2
1985	Rohn Stark	45.9
1984	Jim Arnold	44.9
1983	Rohn Stark	45.3
1982	Luke Prestridge	45.0
1981	Pat McInally	45.4
1980	Dave Jennings	44.8
1979	Bob Grupp	43.6
1978	Pat McInally	43.1
1977	Ray Guy	43.3
1976	Marv Bateman	42.8
1975	Ray Guy	43.8
1974	Ray Guy	42.2
1973	Jerrel Wilson	45.5
1972	Jerrel Wilson	44.8
1971	Dave Lewis	44.8
1970	Dave Lewis	46.2
1969	David Lee	45.3
1968	Billy Lothridge	44.3
1967	Pat Studstill	44.5
1966	David Lee	45.6
1965	Gary Collins	46.7
1964	Bobby Walden	46.4
1963	Yale Lary	48.9
1962	Tommy Davis	45.6
1961	Yale Lary	48.4
1960	Jerry Norton	45.6
1959	Yale Lary	47.1
1958	Sam Baker	45.4
1957	Don Chandler	44.6
1956	Norm Van Brocklin	43.1
1955	Norm Van Brocklin	44.6
1954	Pat Brady	43.2
1953	Pat Brady	46.9
1952	Horace Gillom	45.7
1951	Horace Gillom	45.5
1950	Fred Morrison	43.3
1949	Bob Waterfield	44.4
1948	Joe Muha	47.3
1947	Sammy Baugh	43.7
1946	Bob Cifers	45.6
1945	Sammy Baugh	43.3
1944	Frankie Sinkwich	41.0
1943	Sammy Baugh	45.9
1942	Sammy Baugh	48.2
1941	Sammy Baugh	48.7
1940	Sammy Baugh	51.4	new record
1939	Johnny Pingel	42.8	new record