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 52.0, set by Ted Fritsch in 1946. It has stood for 79 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
1946	Ted Fritsch	52.0	still standing
1940	Ralph Kercheval	46.1	6 years
1939	Clarke Hinkle	40.7	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

80 seasons

Year	Leader	P/A
2025	Daniel Carlson	30.0
2024	Chris Boswell	43.0
2023	Nick Folk	40.5
2022	Jake Elliott	35.0
2021	Matt Ammendola	48.5
2020	Jake Elliott	38.5
2019	Zane Gonzalez	42.0
2018	Caleb Sturgis	24.0
2017	Matt Prater	34.8
2016	Graham Gano	45.0
2015	Phil Dawson	48.0
2014	Nick Novak	40.0
2013	Mike Nugent	40.0
2012	Jason Hanson	39.3
2011	Dan Bailey	39.5
2010	Connor Barth	39.0
2009	Connor Barth	46.0
2008	Phil Dawson	33.0
2007	Jason Elam	31.0
2006	Phil Dawson	39.5
2005	John Kasay	45.5
2004	Rian Lindell	37.0
2003	Jason Hanson	37.7
2002	James Tuthill	40.0
2001	Bill Gramatica	41.0
2000	Ryan Longwell	30.0
1999	John Carney	44.2
1998	Olindo Mare	38.3
1997	John Hall	48.0
1996	Scott Blanton	42.0
1995	Chris Boniol	38.5
1994	Michael Husted	26.5
1993	John Carney	38.8
1992	Pete Stoyanovich	45.0
1991	Pete Stoyanovich	42.5
1990	Jim Breech	34.0
1989	Jim Breech	29.0
1988	Chip Lohmiller	34.7
1987	Eddie Murray	38.8
1986	Eddie Murray	37.0
1985	Jim Breech	30.6
1981	Frank Corral	42.0
1980	Frank Corral	39.5
1979	Steve Little	38.7
1978	Jim Bakken	36.8
1977	Chris Bahr	44.0
1976	Dave Green	39.3
1975	Don Cockroft	40.5
1974	Don Cockroft	40.5
1973	Don Cockroft	40.5
1972	Don Cockroft	43.2
1971	Dennis Partee	43.5
1970	Don Cockroft	42.6
1969	Pete Gogolak	40.9
1968	Sam Baker	40.9
1967	Danny Villanueva	40.4
1966	Tommy Davis	41.4
1965	Tommy Davis	45.8
1964	Don Chandler	45.6
1963	Danny Villanueva	45.4
1962	Tommy Davis	45.6
1961	Tommy Davis	45.4
1960	Tommy Davis	44.1
1959	Tommy Davis	45.7
1958	Sam Baker	45.4
1957	Sam Baker	42.8
1956	Sam Baker	42.5
1955	Doak Walker	40.2
1952	Bob Waterfield	42.5
1951	Bob Waterfield	41.5
1950	Bill Dudley	41.8
1949	Bob Waterfield	44.4
1948	Bob Waterfield	42.6
1947	Roy Zimmerman	42.4
1946	Ted Fritsch	52.0	new record
1945	Ken Strong	44.7
1944	Ken Strong	44.0
1941	Clarke Hinkle	44.5
1940	Ralph Kercheval	46.1	new record
1939	Clarke Hinkle	40.7	new record