Net punting average

In American football, the net punting average measures the total yardage a team gains from its punts after accounting for the return yardage of the opposing team. Subtract the total punt return yardage (and any touchback yardage, which is 20 yards) from the total gross punting yardage, then divide by the total number of punts.

This statistic is helpful because it provides a more accurate depiction of a team’s punting efficacy than the gross punting average, which does not account for return yardage. A high net punting average indicates that not only are a team’s punts traveling far, but they are also being well-covered by the punting team, thereby limiting the opposing team’s ability to gain yards on punt returns.