The Dallas Cowboys have had their share of highs and lows this season, but few moments stood out quite like KaVontae Turpin’s electric kickoff return against the Washington Commanders in 2024. It was the kind of play that flips momentum, injects life into a sideline, and reminds everyone just how dangerous Turpin can be with the ball in his hands. That return sparked a comeback that felt improbable in the moment-and unforgettable in hindsight.
Fast forward to the present, and things feel a bit more grounded. The Cowboys had built up a solid wave of momentum with a three-game win streak, only to see it stall after a tough Thursday night loss to the Detroit Lions.
The playoff picture is still technically in reach, but it’s a narrow path-one that’s hard to navigate when you’re sitting at 3-5-1. And while the team has shown flashes, they haven’t quite delivered that game-breaking spark like Turpin’s return last year.
Not yet, anyway.
Which brings us back to Turpin. Specifically, his role as a kickoff returner.
That Washington return was his first-and still only-kickoff return touchdown in the NFL. It was a signature moment, one that helped cement his reputation as one of the league’s top return men.
The Cowboys clearly saw the value in his explosiveness, rewarding him with a three-year, $18 million deal in the offseason. And to be fair, Turpin’s role has expanded beyond just special teams.
He’s been more involved on offense, adding another layer to his workload.
But for now, let’s zero in on the kickoff return game.
Through the Cowboys’ most recent game against the Lions, the team has had 78 possessions that started after a kickoff. That includes touchbacks, returns, and everything in between-but it doesn’t count punts, turnovers, or other change-of-possession scenarios.
Here’s the big takeaway: out of those 78 kickoffs, only three possessions began across midfield. Just three. And those came against the Jets and Raiders-two teams that haven’t exactly been juggernauts this year.
If we adjust the bar just a bit and consider a “difference-making” return to be one that gets the offense to at least its own 40-yard line, the number improves only slightly. Dallas has started just eight drives at their own 40 or better following a kickoff. That’s barely 10% of the time.
Now, it's important to acknowledge the nuance here. Not every kickoff is returnable.
Some kicks are designed to force touchbacks. Others come with hang time and coverage units that make it smarter to take the ball at the 25.
But when you have a returner like Turpin-someone who’s supposed to tilt the field-you expect a little more juice.
This season, though, the juice has been a bit diluted.
Turpin returned 27 kickoffs in 2024, which was already a career high. That came during the first year of the NFL’s new “dynamic kickoff” format, which was designed to encourage more returns and reduce the monotony of touchbacks.
So far in 2025, Turpin has already returned 47 kickoffs through just 11 games. The volume has skyrocketed.
But with increased volume hasn’t come increased production. His average is down to 25.8 yards per return-well off the 33.5-yard clip he posted last season when he led the league.
Some of that decline is understandable. More returns mean more chances for coverage teams to key in, and more opportunities for mistakes.
But it also raises a fair question: are the Cowboys making the right calls on which kicks to bring out?
It’s also worth noting that the Cowboys’ defense has been giving up more scores than they’d like. And every time the opponent finds the end zone, it means another kickoff-and another opportunity (or burden) for Turpin and the return unit. At a certain point, the wear and tear adds up, and even the most dynamic returners can start to look average when they’re being asked to do too much.
This isn’t to say Turpin has lost his spark. We’ve seen what he’s capable of.
But the numbers this year suggest the Cowboys haven’t been getting the kind of consistent field position boost they were hoping for. Whether that’s on Turpin, the blocking unit, the decision-making, or a combination of all three, it’s something the team will need to take a hard look at this offseason.
Because in a league where margins are razor-thin, special teams can be the difference between a playoff push and an early offseason. And right now, the Cowboys are still searching for that next game-changing return.