The 10 Greatest Kick Returners in the History of the Dallas Cowboys

Over the years the Dallas Cowboys have had their fair share of gifted kick returners. Though some of them held the position for only a brief period of time, they nevertheless contributed to the overall success of one of the NFL's best franchises. Here then are the top 10 kick returners in Dallas Cowboys history.

Deion Sanders (1995-1999)

Love him or hate him Deion Sanders was one of the greatest kick returners in NFL history. During his tenure with the Cowboys, Sanders was mostly limited to returning punts (though he did return a kick off or two), which he did in spectacular fashion.

In 63 games for Dallas, Sanders returned 89 punts for 1,184 yards and 4 TDs. His career average of 13.3 yards per punt return is the highest in club history (minimum of 25 returns), and in 1998 he led the NFL in punt return average (15.6) and punt return touchdowns (2).

Mel Renfro (1964-1977)

A Hall of Fame cornerback who picked off 52 passes in his stellar career, Mel Renfro was also an outstanding kick returner early on in his career, leading the NFL in both kick-off (1,017 yards) and punt (418 yards) return yardage during his rookie season in 1964. The following season he returned a kick-off 100 yards for a touchdown and ended the season averaging 30.0 yards a return. Renfro's lifetime kick return average of 26.4 is the highest in team history (minimum of 25 returns), and he finished his career in Dallas with 3,086 total return yards and 3 TDs.

Bob Hayes (1965-1974)

Bob Hayes, the gold medalist Olympic sprinter, made his mark in the NFL primarily as a receiver, though Hayes was also an electrifying kick returner. Hayes finished his career in Dallas with 104 punt returns for 1158 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the league in punt return average in 1968 (20.0) and in touchdowns in 1967 -1968. Hayes also added 581 kick-off return yards to his total, averaging an impressive 25.3 yards a return in the process.

Kevin Williams (1993-1996)

Williams was the Cowboys premier kick returner during the team's glory years in the mid 90's. Seeing duty as both a kick and punt returner, he amassed a Cowboy's career best of 4,329 return yards and 4 career touchdowns. In 1993 Williams led the NFL with 2 punt return TDs. The following year Williams scored on both a punt and a kick return.

Kelvin Martin (1987-1992, 1996)

A prolific kick returner during his career, Martin holds the Cowboy's record for most career punt returns (179) and punt return yards (1,803) yards. In 1992 he led the NFL in punt return yards (532) and touchdowns (2). The versatile receiver also added 1,453 kick-off return yards during his career in Dallas.

Butch Johnson (1976-1985)

Despite being on the receiving end of a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXII, Butch Johnson spent his first three season's in Dallas being used primarily as a kick and punt returner. Over the course of those three seasons, Johnson amassed a total of 3,145 yards in returns, placing him second on the Cowboy's all-time list.

Herschel Walker (1986-1988, 1996-1997)

An elite running back during his first tenure with the Cowboys, Herschel Walker returned to Dallas in 1996 and for the next two seasons served as the team's premier kick-off return specialist. In 1996, Walker finished second in the NFL with a 28.9 kick-off return average, and followed that up by returning kicks for 1,167 yards in 1997.

Cliff Harris (1970-1979)

Better known as a Pro Bowl safety throughout his 10 year career in Dallas, Harris doubled as a kick and punt returner earlier in the 70's for the Cowboys. As a kick-off returner, his 25.7 yards per return during his career rank second to Mel Renfro's team record, and in 1971 Harris' 952 yards kick-off returning ranked second in the NFL.

Dennis Morgan (1974)

A 10^th round draft pick out of Western Illinois, Morgan played only one season for the Cowboys, serving as the team's kick and punt return specialist in 1974. That year Morgan would cement his place in Cowboy football history with an NFL record setting 98 yard punt return for a touchdown. The return helped him finished 3^rd in the league in punt return average (15.1). Morgan added 823 yards in kick-off returns for good measure.

Ike Thomas (1971)

Despite being taken in the 2^nd round of the 1971 NFL Draft, Ike Thomas' career in Dallas lasted all of 7 games. In those 7 games, Thomas proved to be a tremendous kick returner scoring twice on only 7 kick returns. As a result, Thomas kick return average for the season was an eye popping 42.1.

Statistical References:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/