Longest return record: a crock of hoooey?

[kaiser]

It seems to me like two or three times a year, we hear about some kickoff returned from the endzone for a touchdown as being the "LONGEST KICKOFF RETURN IN NFL HISTORY!!!!" We heard it again with the returned filed goal by SD lat weekend. Is it me, or does it seem highly unlikely that no one has ever returned a kickoff 109 yard for a score before?

Just a random thought, but one that has been on my mind each time I hear another "longest return" record being "broken."

Comments?

[mikus]

Every time someone returns a kickoff, missed field goal, interception, etc. for 109 yards they are going to call it the record. But basically, the guy is just tying all the other people that had 109-yard returns.

[beanoX3]

The last three years, I just assumed a lot of hooplah was raised because they were missed FGs that were returned for TDs. That doesn't happen all that often, not as much as punt and kick returns for TDs.

Anyways, I don't think analysts go overboard with the "broken record" announcements. Players have been breaking them, so its not like they're lying about it.

[CC]

Every time someone returns a kickoff, missed field goal, interception, etc. for 109 yards they are going to call it the record. But basically, the guy is just tying all the other people that had 109-yard returns.

I am fairly confident this is the first 109 yard return of all time.

[Azrael]

I don't think anyone has ever returned any type of kick that far. If you are returning a punt, you never go into the endzone. If you are returning a kickoff you are probably just letting the kick go out the back of the endzone.

[kaiser]

So now the record can be tied but never broken. If no one has ever run a ball from the very back of the endzone out for a TD, that is suprising to me.

[kaiser]

Okay, so here is the record book, acording to NFL.com. I guess they haven't added Cromartie to the top yet:

Longest Kickoff Return (All TDs)
108 Ellis Hobbs, New England vs. N.Y. Jets, Sept. 9, 2007
106 Al Carmichael, Green Bay vs. Chi. Bears, Oct. 7, 1956
Noland Smith, Kansas City vs. Denver, Dec. 17, 1967
Roy Green, St. Louis vs. Dallas, Oct. 21, 1979
105 Frank Seno, Chi. Cardinals vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 20, 1946
Ollie Matson, Chi. Cardinals vs. Washington, Oct. 14, 1956
Abe Woodson, San Francisco vs. Los Angeles, Nov. 8, 1959
Timmy Brown, Philadelphia vs. Cleveland, Sept. 17, 1961
Jon Arnett, Los Angeles vs. Detroit, Oct. 29, 1961
Eugene (Mercury) Morris, Miami vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 14, 1969
Travis Williams, Los Angeles vs. New Orleans, Dec. 5, 1971
Terry Fair, Detroit vs. Tampa Bay, Sept. 28, 1998
104 By many players

[beanoX3]

That's just kickoff returns, right?

[mikus]

Every time someone returns a kickoff, missed field goal, interception, etc. for 109 yards they are going to call it the record. But basically, the guy is just tying all the other people that had 109-yard returns.

I am fairly confident this is the first 109 yard return of all time.

Well if that is the case (likely), then that just about negates anything I was trying to say.

[WickedSmaat]

Yeah those are just kickoff returns. Hester had a 108 last year off of a field goal and I believe Vasher's in '05 against the 49ers was 108 off of a FG. They're still considered returns and yesterday is the longest return in the history of the NFL.