Bow before your gods of football.

Behold the Pyramid of Punt Returners – the greatest who ever played the game.

The rules of the pyramid are simple. There is one spot at the very top, four spots on the second level, and five spots on the third. If you are on the second level, you are tied for second place; same goes for the third.

Players on each level are ordered chronologically.

THE PUNT RETURNERS

#1

Brian Mitchell (1990-2003)

(“B-Mitch”)
Southwestern Louisiana Institute
1990 Draft Pick #130 (Round 5)
Washington Redskins (1990-99)
Philadelphia Eagles (2000-02)
New York Giants (2003)
1x Super Bowl Champion
1x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
223 Career Reg. Games
463 Career Reg. Punt Returns
4,999 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
9 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
10.8 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return

#2

Rick Upchurch | Tim Brown | Dave Meggett | Jermaine Lewis

Rick Upchurch (1975-83)
University of Minnesota
1975 Draft Pick #95 (Round 4)
Denver Broncos
4x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
1970s All Decade Team
1980s All Decade Team
119 Career Reg. Games
248 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,008 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
8 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
12.1 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Tim Brown (1988-2004)
(“Touchdown Timmy”)
University of Notre Dame
1988 Draft Pick #6 (Round 1)
Los Angeles Raiders (1988-94)
Oakland Raiders (1994-2003)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004)
9x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #2
1990s All Decade Team
255 Career Reg. Games
326 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,320 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
3 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
10.6 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Dave Meggett (1989-98)
Towson University
1989 Draft Pick #132 (Round 5)
New York Giants (1989-94)
New England Patriots (1995-97)
New York Jets (1998)
1x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
2x All Pro #2
146 Career Reg. Games
349 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,708 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
7 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
10.6 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Jermaine Lewis (1996-2004)
University of Maryland
1996 Draft Pick #153 (Round 5)
Baltimore Ravens (1996-2001)
Houston Texans (2002)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-04)
1x Super Bowl Champion
2x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
111 Career Reg. Games
295 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,282 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
11.1 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return

#3

Bill Dudley | Lemar Parrish | Eric Metcalf | Desmond Howard | Darren Sproles

Bill Dudley (1942-53)
University of Virginia
1942 Draft Pick #1 (Round 1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1942, 1945-46)
Detroit Lions (1947-79)
Washington Redskins (1950-51, 1953)
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1x MVP
2x Rushing Yards Leader
1x Interceptions Leader
2x Punt Return Yards Leader
1940s All Decade Team
90 Career Reg. Games
124 Career Reg. Punt Returns
1,515 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
3 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
12.2 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Lemar Parrish (1970-82)
Lincoln University
1970 Draft Pick #163 (Round 7)
Cincinnati Bengals (1970-77)
Washington Redskins (1978-81)
Buffalo Bills (1982)
8x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
166 Career Reg. Games
131 Career Reg. Punt Returns
1,205 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
4 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
9.2 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Billy Johnson (1974-80, 1982-88)
(“White Shoes”)
Widener University
1974 Draft Pick #365 (Round 15)
Houston Oilers (1974-80)
Atlanta Falcons (1982-87)
Washington Redskins (1988)
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1970s All Decade Team
1980s All Decade Team
143 Career Reg. Games
282 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,317 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
11.8 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Eric Metcalf (1989-99, 2001-02)
University of Texas-Austin
1989 Draft Pick #13 (Round 1)
Cleveland Browns (1989-94)
Atlanta Falcons (1995-96)
San Diego Chargers (1997)
Arizona Cardinals (1998)
Carolina Panthers (1999)
Washington Redskins (2001)
Green Bay Packers (2002)
3x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro
179 Career Reg. Games
351 Career Reg. Punt Returns
3,453 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
10 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
9.8 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return
—

Darren Sproles (2005-19)
Kansas State University
2005 Draft Pick #130 (Round 4)
San Diego Chargers (2005-10)
New Orleans Saints (2011-13)
Philadelphia Eagles (2014-19)
1x Super Bowl Champion
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #2
2010s All Decade Team
183 Career Reg. Games
311 Career Reg. Punt Returns
2,961 Career Reg. Punt Return Yards
7 Career Reg. Punt Return Touchdowns
9.5 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Punt Return