best punt return average in a 1980s season

Between the 1980 and 1989 seasons, Rick Upchurch averaged the most yards per punt return in a season, with 16.1 per return in 1982.

Interpreted as:
best punt return average with a minimum of 1.25 punt returns per team game by a player in a 1980s season
NAMEPR AVGSEASONTMGPKRKR YDSKR AVGKR YDS/GKR TDPRPR YDSPR YDS/GPR TD
1Rick Upchurch
R. Upchurch
16.1
1982
9
0
0
0.0
0
15
242
26.9
2
2Mike Martin
M. Martin
15.7
1984
15
19
386
20.3
25.7
0
24
376
25.1
0
3Mel Gray
M. Gray
14.7
1987
12
30
636
21.2
53.0
0
24
352
29.3
0
4J.T. Smith
J.T. Smith
14.5
1980
16
0
0
0.0
0
40
581
36.3
2
5Irving Fryar
I. Fryar
14.1
1985
16
3
39
13.0
2.4
0
37
520
32.5
2
6Walter Stanley
W. Stanley
13.8
1989
14
9
95
10.6
6.8
0
36
496
35.4
0
7Henry Ellard
H. Ellard
13.5
1985
16
0
0
0.0
0
37
501
31.3
1
8Henry Ellard
H. Ellard
13.4
1984
16
2
24
12.0
1.5
0
30
403
25.2
2
9LeRoy Irvin
L. Irvin
13.4
1981
16
0
0
0.0
0
46
615
38.4
3
10James Brooks
J. Brooks
13.2
1981
14
40
949
23.7
67.8
0
22
290
20.7
0
11Clarence Verdin
C. Verdin
12.9
1989
16
19
371
19.5
23.2
0
23
296
18.5
1
12Dave Meggett
D. Meggett
12.7
1989
16
27
577
21.4
36.1
0
46
582
36.4
1
13John Taylor
J. Taylor
12.6
1988
12
12
225
18.8
18.8
0
44
556
46.3
2
14Dana McLemore
D. McLemore
12.6
1987
12
1
23
23.0
1.9
0
21
265
22.1
1
15Bobby Joe Edmonds
B. Joe Edmonds
12.6
1987
11
27
564
20.9
51.3
0
20
251
22.8
0
16Lionel James
L. James
12.5
1987
12
2
41
20.5
3.4
0
32
400
33.3
1
17Leo Lewis
L. Lewis
12.5
1987
12
0
0
0.0
0
22
275
22.9
1
18Vai Sikahema
V. Sikahema
12.5
1987
15
34
761
22.4
50.7
0
44
550
36.7
1
19Kirk Springs
K. Springs
12.5
1983
16
16
364
22.8
22.8
0
23
287
17.9
1
20Louis Lipps
L. Lipps
12.4
1984
14
0
0
0.0
0
53
656
46.9
1
21Bobby Joe Edmonds
B. Joe Edmonds
12.3
1986
15
34
764
22.5
50.9
0
34
419
27.9
1
22Kenny Johnson
K. Johnson
12.2
1980
16
0
0
0.0
0
23
281
17.6
0
23Mel Gray
M. Gray
12.2
1988
14
32
670
20.9
47.9
0
25
305
21.8
1
24Vai Sikahema
V. Sikahema
12.1
1986
16
37
847
22.9
52.9
0
43
522
32.6
2
25Louis Lipps
L. Lipps
12.1
1985
16
13
237
18.2
14.8
0
36
437
27.3
2
StatMuse has season-level data for punt returns per team game and yards per punt return going back to the 1941 season.

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