List of National Football League annual scoring leaders (Redirected from NFL scoring leader)

LaDainian Tomlinson carrying a football in his San Diego Chargers uniform and helmnet.
LaDainian Tomlinson holds the single-season scoring record with 186 in 2006.

In American football, scoring can be achieved via touchdown (six points), a field goal (three points), a safety (two points), or by conversion try. After a touchdown is scored, a team will attempt a conversion try, often called the point after touchdown (PAT), for either one or two points. The National Football League (NFL) did not begin keeping official records until the 1932 season. In addition to the NFL scoring leaders, league record books recognize the scoring leaders of the American Football League (AFL), which operated from 1960 to 1969 before being absorbed into the NFL in 1970. For statistical purposes, a player is credited with points scored when they kick a field goal, cause a safety, convert a PAT, or score a touchdown.

The single-season scoring record is held by LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers who, in 2006, scored 186 points and broke the 46-year-old record held by Paul Hornung. Three players, Gino Cappelletti, Don Hutson, and Stephen Gostkowski, have led the league a record five times each, all having done so in at least four consecutive seasons. Hutson however is the only one to have led in five consecutive seasons.

NFL annual scoring leaders

Don Hutson about to catch a pass.
Don Hutson led the league in a record five consecutive seasons from 19401944. Hutson is also tied for the most seasons leading the league in points, with five.
Stephen Gostkowski in a New England Patriots uniform and helmet about to kick a football.
Stephen Gostkowski led the league in scoring five times with the New England Patriots, tying the record for most seasons leading the league in points. Gostkowski is also tied with Gino Cappelletti for the second longest streak of consecutive seasons leading the league (four consecutive).
Adam Vinatieri wearing an Indianapolis Colts jersey and hat.
Adam Vinatieri is the all-time leader in points scored and led the league in points in 2004.
Paul Hornung shown without a helmet on a 1960s trading card.
Paul Hornung set the single-season record in 1960 while playing for the Green Bay Packers, a record that stood for 46 years.
Marshall Faulk in a white t-shirt with his hands together smiling.
Marshall Faulk led the league in back-to-back seasons in 2000 and 2001.
Key
Symbol Meaning
Player The player who recorded the most points in the NFL
Position The player's designated position
Pts The total number of points the player scored
GP The number of games played by a player during the season
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
^ The player is an active player
* Player set the single-season scoring record
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
NFL annual scoring leaders by season
Season Player Position Pts GP Team Refs
1932 Dutch Clark Tailback 55* 11 Portsmouth Spartans
1933 Glenn Presnell Halfback 64* 11 Portsmouth Spartans
Ken Strong Fullback 14 New York Giants
1934 Jack Manders Halfback 76* 13 Chicago Bears
1935 Dutch Clark† (2) Tailback 55 12 Detroit Lions
1936 Dutch Clark† (3) Tailback 73 12 Detroit Lions
1937 Jack Manders (2) Halfback 69 11 Chicago Bears
1938 Clarke Hinkle Fullback 58 11 Green Bay Packers
1939 Andy Farkas Fullback 68 11 Washington Redskins
1940 Don Hutson End 57 11 Green Bay Packers
1941 Don Hutson† (2) End 95* 11 Green Bay Packers
1942 Don Hutson† (3) End 138* 11 Green Bay Packers
1943 Don Hutson† (4) End 117 10 Green Bay Packers
1944 Don Hutson† (5) End 85 10 Green Bay Packers
1945 Steve Van Buren Halfback 110 10 Philadelphia Eagles
1946 Ted Fritsch Fullback 100 11 Green Bay Packers
1947 Pat Harder Fullback 102 12 Chicago Cardinals
1948 Pat Harder (2) Fullback 110 12 Chicago Cardinals
1949 Gene Roberts Halfback 102 12 New York Giants
Pat Harder (3) Fullback 11 Chicago Cardinals
1950 Doak Walker Halfback 128 12 Detroit Lions
1951 Elroy Hirsch End 102 12 Los Angeles Rams
1952 Gordy Soltau End 94 12 San Francisco 49ers
1953 Gordy Soltau (2) End 114 12 San Francisco 49ers
1954 Bobby Walston End 114 12 Philadelphia Eagles
1955 Doak Walker† (2) Halfback 96 12 Detroit Lions
1956 Bobby Layne Quarterback 99 12 Detroit Lions
1957 Lou Groza Tackle 77 12 Cleveland Browns
Sam Baker Kicker 12 Washington Redskins
1958 Jim Brown Fullback 108 12 Cleveland Browns
1959 Paul Hornung Halfback 94 12 Green Bay Packers
1960 Paul Hornung† (2) Halfback 176* 12 Green Bay Packers
1961 Paul Hornung† (3) Halfback 146 12 Green Bay Packers
1962 Jim Taylor Fullback 114 14 Green Bay Packers
1963 Don Chandler Punter 106 14 New York Giants
1964 Lenny Moore Halfback 120 14 Baltimore Colts
1965 Gale Sayers Halfback 132 14 Chicago Bears
1966 Bruce Gossett Kicker 113 14 Los Angeles Rams
1967 Jim Bakken Kicker 117 14 St. Louis Cardinals
1968 Leroy Kelly Running back 120 14 Cleveland Browns
1969 Fred Cox Kicker 121 14 Minnesota Vikings
1970 Fred Cox (2) Kicker 125 14 Minnesota Vikings
1971 Garo Yepremian Kicker 117 14 Miami Dolphins
1972 Chester Marcol Kicker 128 14 Green Bay Packers
1973 David Ray Kicker 130 14 Los Angeles Rams
1974 Chester Marcol (2) Kicker 94 14 Green Bay Packers
1975 O.J. Simpson Running back 138 14 Buffalo Bills
1976 Toni Linhart Kicker 109 14 Baltimore Colts
1977 Errol Mann Kicker 99 14 Oakland Raiders
1978 Frank Corral Kicker 118 16 Los Angeles Rams
1979 John Smith Kicker 115 16 New England Patriots
1980 John Smith (2) Kicker 129 16 New England Patriots
1981 Eddie Murray Kicker 121 16 Detroit Lions
Rafael Septien Kicker 16 Dallas Cowboys
1982 Marcus Allen Running back 84 9 Los Angeles Raiders
1983 Mark Moseley Kicker 161 16 Washington Redskins
1984 Ray Wersching Kicker 131 16 San Francisco 49ers
1985 Kevin Butler Kicker 144 16 Chicago Bears
1986 Tony Franklin Kicker 140 16 New England Patriots
1987 Jerry Rice Wide receiver 138 12 San Francisco 49ers
1988 Scott Norwood Kicker 129 16 Buffalo Bills
1989 Mike Cofer Kicker 136 16 San Francisco 49ers
1990 Nick Lowery Kicker 139 16 Kansas City Chiefs
1991 Chip Lohmiller Kicker 149 16 Washington Redskins
1992 Pete Stoyanovich Kicker 124 16 Miami Dolphins
1993 Jeff Jaeger Kicker 132 16 Los Angeles Raiders
1994 John Carney Kicker 135 16 San Diego Chargers
1995 Emmitt Smith Running back 150 16 Dallas Cowboys
1996 John Kasay Kicker 145 16 Carolina Panthers
1997 Mike Hollis Kicker 134 16 Jacksonville Jaguars
1998 Gary Anderson Kicker 164 16 Minnesota Vikings
1999 Mike Vanderjagt Kicker 145 16 Indianapolis Colts
2000 Marshall Faulk Running back 160 14 St. Louis Rams
2001 Marshall Faulk† (2) Running back 128 14 St. Louis Rams
2002 Priest Holmes Running back 144 14 Kansas City Chiefs
2003 Jeff Wilkins Kicker 163 16 St. Louis Rams
2004 Adam Vinatieri Kicker 141 16 New England Patriots
2005 Shaun Alexander Running back 168 16 Seattle Seahawks
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson Running back 186* 16 San Diego Chargers
2007 Mason Crosby Kicker 141 16 Green Bay Packers
2008 Stephen Gostkowski Kicker 148 16 New England Patriots
2009 Nate Kaeding Kicker 146 16 San Diego Chargers
2010 David Akers Kicker 143 16 Philadelphia Eagles
2011 David Akers (2) Kicker 166 16 San Francisco 49ers
2012 Stephen Gostkowski (2) Kicker 153 16 New England Patriots
2013 Stephen Gostkowski (3) Kicker 158 16 New England Patriots
2014 Stephen Gostkowski (4) Kicker 156 16 New England Patriots
2015 Stephen Gostkowski (5) Kicker 151 16 New England Patriots
2016 Matt Bryant Kicker 158 16 Atlanta Falcons
2017 Greg Zuerlein^ Kicker 158 14 Los Angeles Rams
2018 Ka'imi Fairbairn^ Kicker 150 16 Houston Texans
2019 Harrison Butker^ Kicker 147 16 Kansas City Chiefs
2020 Daniel Carlson^ Kicker 144 16 Las Vegas Raiders
Jason Sanders^ 16 Miami Dolphins
Younghoe Koo^ 15 Atlanta Falcons
2021 Daniel Carlson^ (2) Kicker 150 17 Las Vegas Raiders
Nick Folk^ 17 New England Patriots
2022 Jason Myers^ Kicker 143 17 Seattle Seahawks

AFL annual scoring leaders

Gino Cappelletti standing in a brown suit.
Gino Cappelletti led the AFL in scoring five times.
Key
Symbol Meaning
Player The player who recorded the most points in the AFL
Position The player's designated position
Pts The total number of points the player scored
GP The number of games played by a player during the season
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
* Player set the single-season scoring record
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
AFL annual scoring leaders by season
Season Player Position Pts GP Team Refs
1960 Gene Mingo Halfback 123* 14 Denver Broncos
1961 Gino Cappelletti End 147* 14 Boston Patriots
1962 Gene Mingo (2) Halfback 137 14 Denver Broncos
1963 Gino Cappelletti (2) End 113 14 Boston Patriots
1964 Gino Cappelletti (3) Flanker 155* 14 Boston Patriots
1965 Gino Cappelletti (4) Flanker 132 14 Boston Patriots
1966 Gino Cappelletti (5) Flanker 119 14 Boston Patriots
1967 George Blanda Quarterback 116 14 Oakland Raiders
1968 Jim Turner Kicker 145 14 New York Jets
1969 Jim Turner (2) Kicker 129 14 New York Jets

Most seasons leading the league

Count Player Seasons Team(s) Ref.
5 Gino Cappelletti 1961, 19631966 Boston Patriots
Stephen Gostkowski 2008, 20122015 New England Patriots
Don Hutson 19401944 Green Bay Packers
3 Dutch Clark 1932, 1935, 1936 Portsmouth Spartans (2) / Detroit Lions (1)
Pat Harder 19471949 Chicago Cardinals
Paul Hornung 19591961 Green Bay Packers

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-10-18 14:38 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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