From NFL history, you have one receiver to put on your football team. element(); When he was on (as in 2007 when he caught a single-season record 23 TDs), he was the best in the league. Torry Holt played college football at North Carolina State University before being drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. Anquan Boldin stockpiled 13,779 receiving yards over 14 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Arizona Cardinals (joining the team in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft), the Baltimore Ravens (2010–2012), San Francisco 49ers (2013–2015) and Detroit Lions (2016). Holt underwent surgery and was subsequently released by the team with an injury settlement. There have been a lot of great wide receivers in the NFL. Raider,” Brown is the only receiver to retire ranked in the top five in career receiving and return yardage. (159 games – 750 rec., 11,904 yards, 65 TDs) (154 games – 631 rec., 9,275 yards, 68 TDs) Just about everybody thinks Jerry Rice is the greatest wide receiver in NFL history…..except for Randy Moss. His professional football career ended in 2000 due to a spinal cord injury sustained during a 1999 game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, when he caught a pass from Troy Aikman. Cris Carter, Pro Bowl star of the ’90s, retired with 1,101 catches for 13,899 yards and 130 touchdowns. Houston Oilers 1969-72; Cincinnati 1972-75; San Diego Chargers 1976-86 NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). * DFP requires multiple purposes listed below: Detroit 2007-15 It’s no secret that the wide receiver position in the NFL is dominated by African Americans. Harrison is responsible for almost a quarter of Peyton Manning’s 539 touchdown passes. So, in honor of Welker's birthday, we decided to rank him alongside some of the NFL's other best white wide receivers to provide an idea of where he stands in the history of the league. No surprise here. Mason was released before the 2011 season, which he spent with the New York Jets and Houston Texans. To date, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has 1,303 receptions for 16,279 yards and 116 touchdowns. His ranking has Terrell Owens listed second. Johnson was the most physically gifted receiver to ever play the game. Fitzgerald, Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri were the only active players named to the exclusive NFL 100 All-Time Team this year. * [ NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). The "Good Morning Football" crew breaks down the top wide receiver vs. defensive back matchups in NFL playoff history. (233 games – 764 rec., 14,004 yards, 75 TDs) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2018 ConsentManager.registerPurposeHandler(['storage', 'personalization', 'ad_selection', 'measurement'], function() { He retired abruptly in 2006 and 10 years later he was inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars (the franchise’s ring of honor). Randy Moss' list of the best wide receivers in NFL history features himself at the top, and Jerry Rice might not even make the first three. Jerry Rice is widely regarded as the greatest receiver of all time and holds pretty much every possible receiving record, including a total of 22,985 receiving yards (he’s the only player to have more than 17,000 yards). During his 11 seasons with the Rams, he went to three Pro Bowls, first as a punt returner before becoming a wide receiver in 1988. Former Minnesota Viking Randy Moss was the tallest, fastest, and most dangerous wide receiver in the history of the game. Indianapolis 2001-14 }); He clocked up a total of 14,004 receiving yards over his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. His entertainment career includes stints in the 2005 remake of “The Longest Yard” and season nine of “Dancing with the Stars.” He recently experienced a throat cancer scare. Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked on HBO’s “Inside the NFL,” ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown” and Yahoo! attachDfpMoreSlotEvent(jQuery); His career took a different direction in 1994 when he was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma, where he served until resigning in 2002 to run for governor (he lost the election). An eight-time Pro Bowler and one of the most private, hard-working, enigmatic NFL players, Marvin Harrison retired in 2009 with 14,580 receiving yards and 128 touchdowns, after 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts — most of them alongside quarterback Peyton Manning. Berry had the greatest hands of his era. Skip to main content. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2003. Since retiring from the NFL, Carter has worked on HBO’s “Inside the NFL,” ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown” and Yahoo! ​NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). No other wideout can touch the San Francisco 49ers legend's career numbers. attachDfpMoreSlotEvent(jQuery); > Los Angeles Rams 1994; St. Louis Rams 1995-2007; San Francisco 2008-09 /** Chris Gamble . The best receivers have played at the NFL’s highest level — setting and breaking records in the process. Nicknamed “Mr. ​NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Bruce topped 1,000 eight times, putting up a ridiculous 1,781 in his second season, a total that would have set a league record had it not occurred the same season that Jerry Rice totaled 1,848. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2008. }); (193 games – 1,062 rec., 14,185 yards, 70 TDs). */ Andre Johnson played for the Houston Texans for the first 12 seasons of his NFL career, joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, then spent his final season in 2016 with the Tennessee Titans. NOW PLAYING (200 games – 819 rec., 13,089 yards, 100 TDs) Ultimately, this earned him 15,594 all-purpose yards. Published: Jan 29, 2013 at 02:18 PM. Whether they’re unbelievable physical specimens or simply phenomenal route runners, wideouts are visible, engaging, and capable of developing a unique chemistry with their quarterbacks, emerging as go-to-guys in the clutch. He played a total of 255 games in his career — the most ever for a New Jersey-born player — and made the Pro Bowl five times (1985, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997). Michael “The Playmaker” Irvin won three Super Bowls during his 11-year run with the Dallas Cowboys and tallied 11,904 receiving yards. (255 games – 1,094 rec., 14,934 yards, 100 TDs) A wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987–89), the Minnesota Vikings (1990–2001) and the Miami Dolphins (2002), Carter was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. (239 games – 750 rec., 12,146 yards, 65 TDs) He had 99 touchdown receptions… in the 1930s and '40s. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He held every major receiving record when he retired and was the first player to catch 100 touchdown passes. }); If you looked at stats alone, every one of the greatest wide receivers would have played in the NFL after 1985, but pro football has had exceptional wideouts since the '30s. (116 games – 336 rec., 5,462 yards, 51 TDs) Carolina 2001-13; Baltimore 2014-16 * 'measurement': 5 By Ross Kelly Aug 02, 2017. Regarded as one of the greatest receivers in NFL postseason history (with 88 receptions for 1,181 yards and 10 touchdowns in playoff competition) and the greatest blocking receiver in NFL history, Ward now has a media career and acts as the Player Relations Executive for the Alliance of American Football. The wide receiver position at the NFL level tends to be dominated by African Americans, but here are some notable caucasian players, both good and bad . He spent 16 years with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wide receivers have to be fast to help move the ball down the field, and some cover more ground than others. He remains the Panthers’ all-time leader in total touchdowns (67), receptions (836) and receiving yards (12,197). window.attachEvent('onload', function () { (211 games – 1,070 rec., 14,345 yards, 82 TDs). Carter would have been the most dominant receiver of the 1990s, if not for Jerry Rice. (219 games – 1,031 rec., 14,731 yards, 81 TDs). * @see sites/all/modules/athlon/amg_consent_management/assets/config/config.json He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as a free agent in November 2018 but got released a month later without appearing in a single game for the team. His career peaked in 2000 when he posted 15 receptions, 291 receiving yards (fifth in NFL history) and three touchdowns for the Jaguars against the eventual Super Bowl champion the Baltimore Ravens. Philadelphia 1987-89; Minnesota 1990-2001; Miami 2002 Johnson is the only player to record 60 or more receptions in his first eight seasons. Follow him on Twitter at @AaronTallent. Smith and the Jags fell to Baltimore, 39-36, but the team still had a huge day through the air. Read “Randy Moss Proclaims Himself As The Best WR In NFL History, Puts Jerry Rice At 3rd or 4th (VIDEO) ” and other NFL articles from Total Pro Sports. Hutson is the only receiver to be enshrined with the first Hall of Fame class. Sports online. In his six games with the Raiders, he … “I’ll put myself first, I’ll put T.O. Reed is a Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) Ambassador and leads a literacy program for underprivileged youth in the BGCA, called the Read with Reed 83 Challenge. (218 games – 982 rec., 15,292 yards, 156 TDs) Pittsburgh 1998-2011 Fitzgerald is the youngest player in NFL history to catch 1,000 passes in a career, and is now second all-time in yards and receptions. Randy Moss made a bold claim this week, stating that he is the best wide receiver ever to play in the NFL. Share Share Tweet Email Comment. Isaac Bruce put up extraordinary numbers during his playing career, finishing with the fourth-most receiving yards at his position (15,208) in NFL history. (112 games – 595 rec., 8,134 yards, 65 TDs). His play showed offensive coordinators what could be accomplished with a wide-open passing attack. Johnson made headlines around the world in 2012 when his foundation, the Andre Johnson Charitable Foundation, spent over $19,000 for kids from a local Family Protective Services branch to have a shopping spree at Toys ‘R’ Us. Henry Ellard started his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams after being picked in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. Dallas 1988-99 Rice retired in 2006 with three Super Bowl rings, 1,549 passes and 197 touchdowns. After playing college football for the University of Memphis, Isaac Bruce was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Baltimore Colts 1955-67 Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2018. $.each(dfpMoreSlots, function (index, element) { He played 224 games and was the first player to record a touchdown reception in 15 consecutive seasons. Amari Cooper: Getting traded from Oakland to Dallas might be the best thing to happen to Cooper in his NFL career. Commonly known as T.O., Terrell Owens finished his career with 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. Arizona 2004-current (234 games – 1,378 rec., 17,083 yards, 120 TDs) NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019) Fitzgerald is the youngest player in NFL history … (219 games – 1,078 rec., 15,934 yards, 153 TDs) Mark Duper & Mark Clayton, Miami Dolphins (224 games – 940 rec., 12,721 yards, 68 TDs) (137 games – 542 rec., 10,266 yards, 85 TDs) Throughout the course of the NFL, there have been many great players whose off field issues cut their what could’ve been great careers short. 8) Mike Evans, Buccaneers In four NFL … The definitive ranking of every NFL team's best WR. (190 games – 1,102 rec., 14,580 yards, 128 TDs) But having a receiver like Holt on the other side of the field only opened things up even more. (116 games – 488 rec., 7,991 yards, 99 TDs) You pick Randy Moss. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1996. Wes Chandler (1978-1988) Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2007. Posted on September 15, 2017 at 7:26 pm. He played for the University of Pittsburgh football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers, under head coach Walt Harris and was widely considered one of the best wide receivers in college football from 2002 to 2003. When he retired he held several receiving records. Harrison earned a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XLI, when the Colts beat the Chicago Bears. Just ask anyone who played with him. Former wide receiver Randy Moss (aka “The Freak”) played 14 seasons in the NFL before retiring in 2012 (after one season with the San Francisco 49ers) with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns. A neck injury cut his brilliant career short. San Francisco 1985-2000; Oakland 200-04; Seattle 2004 4. He began his career with the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Contributor. The 10 Worst And 10 Best White NFL Wide Receivers Of All Time. Sports online. * 'storage': 1, Monk was the only constant in the wide receiver corps as the Washington Redskins won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. His performances in big games have reached an almost legendary aura. } else if (document.attachEvent) { Seattle 1976-89 Overall Receiving statistical leaders for the 2020 season. In their nine seasons together, Bruce and Holt combined for 1,435 catches for 21,310 yards and 126 touchdowns. In 2010 he signed a one-year, $1.7 million contract with the New England Patriots but was placed on injured reserve that August as a result of a knee injury. Dave Dameshek. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1995 Andre Reed played wide receiver in the NFL for 16 seasons, 15 of them with the Buffalo Bills (1985–1999) and the final one with the Washington Redskins in 2000. If any receiver playing today wants to break one of his career records in receptions, touchdowns or yards, he will have to be awesome and he will have to play for at least 15 seasons. Top 10 of the greatest wide receiver groups in NFL history. Pittsburgh 1974-82 Ward is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ all-time leading receiver. The Top 25 Wide Receivers in the History of the NFL. One of only three players to earn receiving’s triple crown since 1966. Packers’ Davante Adams is making history and stating his case for NFL’s best WR By Matt Schneidman Dec 10, 2020 53 The Packers have a running joke that Davante Adams is one of the 12 best … Jerry Rice and Sterling Sharpe are the other two. He was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014 and 2015 before being elected in 2016. 'GMFB': Best WR-DB matchups in playoff history January 15, 2021, 6:56 AM The "Good Morning Football" crew breaks down the top wide receiver vs. defensive back matchups in NFL playoff history. The greatest receiver in Packers history, Don Hutson was the first great receiver in NFL history. Currently working as an analyst for NFL Network, Irvin was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. (190 games – 589 rec., 8,974 yards, 76 TDs) He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 and tallied 14,934 receiving yards during his career. Brandon Marshall played college football at UCF and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Smith had 15 catches for 291 yards and three scores. (234 games – 1,101 rec., 13,899 yards, 130 TDs) Tallent is a writer whose articles have appeared in The Sweet Science, FOX Sports’ Outkick the Coverage, Liberty Island and The Washington Post. Former college quarterback Hines Ward retired as the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time leader in receptions (1,000), yards (12,083) and touchdowns (85). He had 40 or more receptions in 10 straight seasons, which is amazing when you consider the era in which he played. He’s also responsible for one of the boldest performances in Super Bowl history. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2010 (223 games – 1,024 rec., 15,208 yards, 91 TDs) When he retired in 1986, he was the career leader in receptions and receiving yards. Perhaps the strongest receiver of all time, Irvin’s physical play fit the Cowboys’ offense like a glove. Buffalo 1985-99, Washington 2000 Bruce played two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers before retiring in 2009. He caught nine passes for 122 yards in Super Bowl XXXIX for the Philadelphia Eagles — defying the advice of his doctors by playing a mere seven weeks after breaking a leg bone and tearing a ligament in his right ankle. A relative of jazz pioneer Thelonious Monk, the record-breaking receiver was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. He also had the best target separation in the NFL. Did your personal favorite make the list? His 93 career playoff receptions are second only to Jerry Rice. Brandin Cooks is coming off of a down season. 1999 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA) Ambassador, broke Jerry Rice’s single-season touchdown record, The Greatest College Football Programs Of All Time—ranked, Grilling Hacks That’ll Make Everyone Think You’re A Barbecue Expert, Ridiculously Easy Home Repair Tips You Need If You’re Not Handy, What Historic Battlefields Look Like Today, Recent NFL Draft Picks That Already Look Like Busts. Early Big Ten Football Predictions for 2021, Way-Too-Early Top 25 College Football Rankings for 2021, NFL Predictions: Picks for Every Divisional Playoff Game, Athlon Sports' College Basketball Top 25 for 2020-21, Athlon Sports' 2020-21 NCAA Tournament Projections, Athlon Sports 2020-21 Preseason All-America Team, March Madness: 2021 Dates for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Athlon Sports' 2021 NASCAR Preview Magazine is Available Now, 75 Funny Fantasy NASCAR Team Names for 2021, How to Watch and Live Stream NASCAR Online (some for free). In 2007, Moss broke Jerry Rice’s single-season touchdown record with 23 touchdowns in 16 games. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2001. His retirement after only nine seasons will always leave us wondering what might have been. Lofton was the first player to reach 14,000 career receiving yards. Is Calvin Johnson the second-best WR in NFL history? In 2015, he received the honor of Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his community service. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2018 and is now a studio analyst for ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Countdown” programs. Before coaching for the San Diego Chargers from 2002 to 2008, James Lofton was a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers (1978–1986), Los Angeles Raiders (1987–1988), Buffalo Bills (1989–1992), Los Angeles Rams (1993) and Philadelphia Eagles (1993). Like Harrison, he was part of the Colts’  Super Bowl XLI championship team that triumphed over the Chicago Bears. After playing college football at Syracuse University, where he was a four-year Orangemen letter winner, James Arthur “Art” Monk played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins (1980-1993), New York Jets (1994) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1995), tallying a total of 12,721 receiving yards. For some of those players though, their on field play was g But after him, … Charlie Joiner played professional football in the AFL before joining the NFL, where he remained for 18 seasons — the majority of that with the San Diego Chargers. }); Considered to be one of Seattle Seahawks’ all-time best players, Steve Largent tallied 13,089 yards and 100 touchdowns while earning seven Pro Bowl selections during his career. }); (135 games – 731 rec., 11,619 yards, 83 TDs). Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1973 He’s been selected for the Pro Bowl 11 times, and was named First-team All-Pro in 2008 and Second-team All-Pro in 2009 and again in 2011. His career total for receiving yards is 14,731. Open menu button Primary nav TEAM NEWS ... 2000 Rams wide receivers named greatest WR group in NFL history Nov 19, 2020 Top 10 of the greatest wide receiver groups in NFL history. San Francisco 49ers coaching great Bill Walsh reportedly described Joiner as “the most intelligent, the smartest, the most calculating receiver the game has ever known.”. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1988. Arizona 2004-current Copyright © The Delite, All Rights Reserved. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005, becoming their all-time leading receiver with 5,777 yards from 2005 to 2010. After retiring from professional football with a total of 14,345 receiving yards, Wayne became a volunteer receivers coach for the Colts, and in November 2018 he became the 15th player to be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor. Irving Fryar clocked 12,785 receiving yards during a total of 17 NFL seasons, playing for the New England Patriots (1984-1992), Miami Dolphins (1993-1995), Philadelphia Eagles (1996-1998) and Washington Redskins (1999-2000). Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, If the Rams had not drafted him in the second round in 1994, there may have been no “Greatest Show on Turf.”, Houston 2003-14; Indianapolis 2015; Tennessee 2016 A wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987–89), the Minnesota Vikings (1990–2001) and the Miami Dolphins (2002), Carter was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Ranking the thousands of wide receivers who pass through the NFL is daunti Along with an impressive career total of 14,185 receiving yards, Johnson holds nearly every Texans receiving record. Joiner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. 0 of 25. That’s saying something. second,” Moss said. ​NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Over the next few years, personal issues overshadowed his game and earned him a four-game suspension in 2003 for an undisclosed substance abuse violation. $(document).on('dfpMoreSlotAdded', function () { He also had a career-low in touchdowns. Think your teams' first two options at wide receiver stack up anywhere close to the list of these duos? To date, he has 12,351 receiving runs under his belt. Reggie Wayne also spent his entire career — 211 games over 14 years — with the Indianapolis Colts after playing college football for the University of Miami. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 1978 In addition to his prolific receiving statistics, Reed also rushed 75 times for 500 yards in his career. When he retired after the 1986 season, he had the most career receptions (750), receiving yards (12,146), and games played (239) of any wide receiver in NFL history. He spent eight seasons with the Oilers and then the Titans, including two Pro Bowl selections (2000 and 2003). , who drafted him in the NFL single-season touchdown record with 23 touchdowns in games. Signed a best wr in nfl history contract with the Dallas Cowboys and tallied 11,904 receiving yards single-season touchdown record with touchdowns... 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