NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The NFL wanted to add excitement to the game.
As a result, on a list featuring top league players such as Sesame Robinson, Jonathan Taylor And Christian McCaffreyhis Tennessee Titans rookie Chimera Dam what sits on top.
Dike and Dallas Cowboys' KaVontae Turpin ranked among the NFL's top five all-purpose yards thanks to kickoff rule changes in 2024 before they were tweaked it a bit in 2025, an incentive to bring back the revenge game. This gave players such New York Jets come back dude Isaiah Williams more chances to get on the list. It's also helped boost the value of veterans like Turpin, who signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract extension in March.
The 2024 rule changes introduced a new dynamic formation to increase impact and improve safety (43% reduction in concussion rates) as players are positioned closer together to reduce high-speed collisions. The league also moved the touchback spot from the 20-yard line to the 30. However, the league-wide return rate of 32.8% was still the lowest in the league since at least 2000, and the 64.3% touchback rate was the highest in the league during the same period.
So in 2025, the league moved the touchback spot to the 35-yard line and the data changed. The teams decided to put the ball in play rather than kick it deep into the end zone for a touchback. In Week 14, kick return percentage rose to 77.4%, more than double last season's 32.8%, and the league was on a roll through the first four weeks. highest bid (78.3%) for 19 years at that time.
Players like Dike and Turpin are asked to handle kick and return duties as well as contribute to the offense. Such a responsible role requires any player.
Deke has had some time as a wide receiver, where he has 34 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Turpin did the same with 21 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown.
“Not many people can execute a kick return, a punt return and [play] and so does the receiver,” Titans special teams coordinator John Fassel said.[Dike] they throw the ball at him, hit him and kick him. He's an incredibly valuable weapon because he can do it all.”
Entering Week 15, Dike led the league in all-purpose yards (1,984), kick return yards (1,323) and punt return yards (19.9). He's on track to pass Lionel James (2,535 in 1985) for fourth place in single-season all-purpose yards since 1941, and he has the long-range throws to break the all-time record (2,696) set by Darren Sproles and pass former Titans wide receiver Derrick Mason's mark (2,690) for second all-time.
“All his all-purpose yards are earned,” Fassel said in surprise when told of Dicke's record pace.
While the kick return average is lower than last season (25.9 yards from 27.6), the change has resulted in an increase in kick return totals (42,613 yards from 25,385). The league also recorded 91.4% of kickoff returns going inside the 20-yard line, the highest in 25 years.
“[Dike']He's really excelled as a returner and I think he's done some really good things as a receiver,” Mason told ESPN. “He’s learning how to play the game from a special teams perspective, how to see the field as a returner. This way, he will be able to operate in places on offense that would be difficult for some other receivers to do. He is used to finding holes and is not afraid of contact.
“He's a strong runner. He handles tackles well, so he returns the ball well. All this is good for him. [Round 4, pick 103] because he acts as a receiver. With his kick return skills, he will be as much a weapon for me as Percy Harvin.”
As for WILLIAMS' way, he was signed with Cincinnati Bengals practice team September 10. Williams had a terrible game against Miami Dolphins in the fourth week. It was a Monday night game in which he failed to complete the kickoff and fielded a punt late in the game at his own 3-yard line, ending any chance of a long drive and comeback.
The Jets eliminated Williams. a few days later, but he was re-signed to the practice squad on October 6. He was rescued by first-year Jets coach Aaron Glenn, who crossed paths with Williams when he signed with the Jets. Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in April 2024 before the Bengals cut him from the practice squad in November of that year. Glenn always had a fondness for Williams, who was promoted to the active roster on October 18.
Glenn called Williams' return to the team “a great story of redemption.” Since his second chance with New York, Williams has scored two punt return touchdowns, becoming the third Jet in history to do so in the same season. He and Dike are the only two players to make 70-yard punt and kickoff returns.
“I feel like this whole thing has been a real blessing,” Williams told ESPN. “Looking back, I learned a lot and grew from it, but I learned that on Friday. [that I was cut]. You're going through it [Miami] game, and you practice for the next three days—Wednesday, Thursday, Friday—and you say, “Oh, I'm about to get a chance to redeem myself.” Then on Friday you come out of practice and realize you got cut.
“In my head I’m thinking, ‘Damn, I’ll probably be done for the year. Maybe I'll be on someone's training team.” When I came back, my biggest thought was, “I'm going to come back and just compete and work.” Whatever happens, happens.” Then I got the opportunity.”
Williams joined Deke, New England Patriots returning Marcus JonesAnd Jacksonville Jaguars returning Parker Washington as the only players to have at least two punt returns for touchdowns. This is the first year since 2019 that at least one player has returned the ball multiple times for a touchdown in a season.
TURPIN MADE HIM His breakthrough came in 2022 when he was named USFL MVP in his inaugural season.
“He came in and tried it out,” said Fassel, who was Turpin's special teams coordinator with the Cowboys at the time. “We signed him and he was in training that same day.”
Turpin scored two touchdowns in his second preseason game against Los Angeles Chargers. The first was on a 98-yard kickoff return in the first quarter and the second was on an 86-yard punt return in the second quarter.
“It was like, ‘Well, he’s a comebacker. Take him out of the game,” Fassel said. “He made the team in about two weeks.”
Fassel said Turpin's vision made him one of those returnees whom he gave the freedom to deviate from the direction the play was titled. For example, if there was a right turn and Turpin saw an open lane to his left, he had the green light to close it and play.
“I learned a lot from him: I had to make sure I never told the Terps where to run,” Fassel said with a smile.
The 5-foot-9, 173-pound Turpin had the toughness and courage of Fassel and his assistant special teams coach Rayna Stewart when they were in Dallas. Dike (6-1, 196 pounds) is bigger than Turpin, and Stewart sees the same traits in the Titans returner.
“It takes a lot of courage to go back out there and be ready to run through the smoke or into the ring of fire,” Stewart told ESPN.
Newcomer, returning Miles Pricehis 1,548 all-purpose yards rank seventh in the league, and his Minnesota Vikings They'll face Turpin and the Cowboys on Sunday.
Price will try to keep up with Dike and Turpin (1,620 yards) as those three are the only players whose top 10 all-purpose yards come on returns, but unlike Dike and Turpin, Price is strictly a kick returner at this point in his career.
“It's great to think about it [leading the NFL]but how [Fassel] says, “The statistics don't matter until the end of the year,” Dyck said. “It’s going to be a cool moment at the end of the year because when you come into the league, you’re trying to make an impact.”
NFL Nation reporters Rich Cimini and Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
