Bow before your gods of football.

Behold the Pyramid of Kick 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 KICK RETURNERS

#1

Devin Hester (2006-2016)

University of Miami
2006 Draft Pick #57 (Round 2)
Chicago Bears (2006-13)
Atlanta Falcons (2014-15)
Baltimore Ravens (2016)
Seattle Seahawks (2016)
4x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
2x Kick Return Yards Leader
2x Punt Return Yards Leader
2000s All Decade Team
2010s All Decade Team
156 Career Reg. Games
295 Career Reg. Kick Returns
7,333 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
5 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
24.9 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return

#2

Gale Sayers | Dante Hall | Josh Cribbs | Cordarrelle Patterson

Gale Sayers (1965-71)
(“The Kansas Comet”)
University of Kansas
1965 Draft Pick #4 (NFL), 1965 Draft Pick #5 (AFL)
Chicago Bears
4x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
2x Rushing Yards Leader
1x Scoring Leader
1960s All Decade Team
68 Career Reg. Games
91 Career Reg. Kick Returns
2,781 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
30.6 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Dante Hall (2000-08)
(“The X-Factor”)
Texas A&M University
2000 Draft Pick #153 (Round 5)
Kansas City Chiefs (2000-06)
St. Louis Rams (2007-08)
2x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1x Kickoff Return Yards Leader
2000s All Decade Team
112 Career Reg. Games
426 Career Reg. Kick Returns
10,136 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
23.8 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Josh Cribbs (2005-14)
Kent State University
Undrafted
Cleveland Browns (2005-12)
New York Jets (2013)
Indianapolis Colts (2014)
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1x Kickoff Return Yards Leader
2000s All Decade Team
136 Career Reg. Games
426 Career Reg. Kick Returns
11,113 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
8 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
26.1 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Cordarrelle Patterson (2013-Present)
(“Flash”)
University of Tennessee
2013 Draft Pick #29 (Round 1)
Minnesota Vikings (2013-16)
Oakland Raiders (2017)
New England Patriots (2018)
Chicago Bears (2019-20)
Atlanta Falcons (2021-Present)
1x Super Bowl Champion
4x Pro Bowl
4x All Pro #1
3x All Pro #2
2x Kick Return Yards Leader
2010s All Decade Team
167 Career Reg. Games…
273 Career Reg. Kick Returns…
7,989 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards…
9 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns…
29.3 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return…

#3

Ollie Matson | Abe Woodson | Timmy Brown | Mel Gray | Michael Bates

Ollie Matson (1952-66)
University of San Francisco
1952 Draft Pick #3 (Round 1)
Chicago Cardinals (1952-58)
Los Angeles Rams (1959-62)
Detroit Lions (1963)
Philadelphia Eagles (1964-66)
6x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1x Punt Return Yards Leader
1950s All Decade Team
171 Career Reg. Games
143 Career Reg. Kick Returns
3,746 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
26.6 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Abe Woodson (1958-66)
University of Illinois
1957 Draft Pick #15 (Round 2)
San Francisco 49ers (1958-64)
St. Louis Cardinals (1965-66)
5x Pro Bowl
2x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1x Kick Return Yards Leader
116 Career Reg. Games
193 Career Reg. Kick Returns
5,538 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
5 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
28.7 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Timmy Brown (1959-68)
Ball State University
1959 Draft Pick #313 (Round 27)
Green Bay Packers (1959)
Philadelphia Eagles (1960-67)
Baltimore Colts (1968)
2x NFL Champion
3x Pro Bowl
1x All Pro #2
2x Kick Return Yards Leader
108 Career Reg. Games
184 Career Reg. Kick Returns
4,781 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
5 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
26 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Mel Gray (1986-97)
Purdue University
1984 Supplemental Draft Pick #42 (Round 2)
New Orleans Saints (1986-88)
Detroit Lions (1989-94)
Houston Oilers (1995-96)
Tennessee Oilers (1996)
Philadelphia Eagles (1996)
4x Pro Bowl
3x All Pro #1
1x All Pro #2
1990s All Decade Team
169 Career Reg. Games
421 Career Reg. Kick Returns
10,250 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
6 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
24.3 Career Reg. Avg. Yards per Kick Return
—

Michael Bates (1993-2003)
University of Arizona
1992 Draft Pick #150 (Round 6)
Seattle Seahawks (1993-95)
Cleveland Browns (1995)
Carolina Panthers (1996-2000, 2002-03)
Washington Redskins (2001)
New York Jets (2003)
Dallas Cowboys (2003)
5x Pro Bowl
5x All Pro
1990s All Decade Team
145 Career Reg. Games
373 Career Reg. Kick Returns
9,110 Career Reg. Kick Return Yards
5 Career Reg. Kick Return Touchdowns
24.4 Career Reg. Yards per Kick Return