Tag: Jerry Rice

Chiefs TD Travis Kelce passes Jerry Rice for new career postseason receptions record

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce just took a record that was held by a Raiders receiver for 40 of the past 50 years.

For most of the past 40 years a Raiders receiver held the NFL record for postseason receptions. First it was Fred Biletnikoff who took the record in 1977. Then he was surpassed by teammate Cliff Branch who set the new record in 1983. Branch held the record for ten years until it was surpassed by Jerry Rice in 1993.

Eight years later, in 2001, Rice would join the Raiders, thus bringing the postseason receptions record holder back to the Silver and Black.

Rice would grab that record and run with it. The final 27 of his postseason receptions came as a Raider, giving him 151 for his career. Upon his retirement in 2004, he had nearly twice as many postseason receptions as the next on the list — Michael Irvin with 87.

That also means that 40 of the last 50 years the NFL postseason receiving record belonged to a Raiders receiver.

When you have as sizable a lead in a category as Rice had, it seems like it may never be surpassed. Well, it took two decades, but the day has finally arrived. And it was a tight end who did it.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce came into the AFC Championship six catches shy of Rice’s record. He would get that in the first half. And we officially have a new all-time record for career postseason receptions.

Kelce would finish the game with 11 catches, putting him at 156 postseason receptions. And since the Chiefs won, he will have at least one more game — the Super Bowl — to add to it.

The closest active receiver to Kelce is former teammate Tyreek Hill who has 96 catches. The next three are Julio Jones (77), Davante Adams (72), and Stefon Diggs (69).

NFL fans were in awe of Travis Kelce passing Jerry Rice for the most playoff catches ever

Travis Kelce is the best tight end of all time and it’s not close.

Whenever Travis Kelce retires, he will one day strut into the Hall of Fame. Even before Sunday’s heated AFC title game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end was clearly one of the greatest playmakers in NFL history. And in the playoffs, Kelce really turns it up a notch.

So much so that he surpassed one of the finest receivers ever to wear shoulder pads and a helmet.

With nine first-half catches (for 96 yards and a touchdown), Kelce eclipsed San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice for the most playoff receptions in NFL history. The list is now Kelce at 154 (and counting) in first and the most productive receiver of all time in second.

It’s true, but it’s also bonkers to think about.

Kelce is getting up there in years at the age of 34. But who’s to say he can’t keep this magic going with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City? I have a feeling he’s about to really separate himself from Rice and cement himself as a beyond-iconic playoff performer.

Next up on the record list? Rice’s playoff record of touchdowns (22) and Kelce (19). We might even see it happen this postseason.

Jerry Rice wants to see Christian McCaffrey break single-season TD record

One person who wants to see Christian McCaffrey break Jerry Rice’s franchise record for touchdowns in a single season? Jerry Rice. (via @TheWarnerHouse_)

Legendary 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice’s list of records and accomplishments outshines perhaps every other player in NFL history. His sensational career earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and many still call him the greatest player in football history.

Most of his career records will probably never be touched. One of his 49ers franchise records, however, is on the verge of being broken by 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey.

McCaffrey in Week 15 punched in his 20th touchdown of the season, putting him just three behind Rice’s record 23 in the 1987 campaign. Four TDs in San Francisco’s final three games is a very real possibility, and one Rice wants to actually see come to fruition.

Rice on the Warner House podcast with 49ers LB Fred Warner said he’d like to see McCaffrey reach that 24 TD mark.

“Yes. Because I believe records are meant to be broken,” Rice said. “What he brings to the table – I’m talking about from scrimmage, from rushing the ball, from catching the ball, scoring touchdowns – he does it all, man.”

It’s worth noting that Rice’s 23 TDs came across just 12 games, but the records will count all the same. Rice also noted that he has enough records and wouldn’t mind seeing a current 49ers great snag one.

“Records are meant to be broken,” Rice told Warner. “I was very fortunate to have so many great players around me, and I think the same thing is happening with CMC. And he’s a complete ballplayer, very down to Earth, he works hard, so – it’s okay. It’s alright, you know, I got quite a few records now, okay? I don’t mind sharing some of those records.”

McCaffrey this season is averaging 1.3 TDs per game (rushing and receiving). That paces him to have 3.9 (4.0 if we’re rounding up) in the team’s final three contests vs. the Ravens, Commanders and Rams.

What’ll be fascinating is what happens if McCaffrey doesn’t have the record by Week 18, but the 49ers have the No. 1 seed in the NFC sewn up. Would they just rest McCaffrey, or would they give him an opportunity to break Rice’s 23-TD mark? That choice will come down to a slew of factors entering the final week, but we know which way Rice would lean.

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Jerry Rice thinks Brock Purdy is genuinely comparable to Joe Montana in the most important ways

Jerry Rice says Brock Purdy is just like Joe Montana. Yes, really.

In his first full season as the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback, Brock Purdy has turned a lot of heads. He’s played like a legitimate MVP candidate and might be the reason why San Francisco eventually wins its first Super Bowl championship in roughly three decades.

And according to Jerry Rice — unquestionably the greatest receiver ever to play football — Purdy is so good that he deserves to be compared to former 49ers’ Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. I mean … wow.

During the latest episode of The Warner House, a podcast hosted by 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, Rice discussed what makes Purdy so special. The NFL’s all-time leading receiver went as far as to say that Purdy has the same exact nerves of steel that Montana once did en route to winning four Super Bowls with the 49ers in the 1980s.

You can find this glowing endorsement starting at 22:42 in the video below:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DSfBA-glLLo%3Fsi%3DHDtWqmIpvF-ykzlA

Rice probably isn’t wrong in his assessment. Even on a loaded team rife with star players, Purdy already has a 42-11 career touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’s already got two playoff wins. And he’s one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks. Full stop.

At this stage, all that’s probably left for Purdy to accomplish is capturing a Super Bowl crown, which admittedly feels inevitable on the best team in professional football.

Christian McCaffrey ties an NFL record with big day vs. Cardinals

Christian McCaffrey’s scoring binge on Sunday tied an NFL record, and put him on the verge of breaking a Jerry Rice franchise record.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey had a huge Week 15 in Arizona. McCaffrey led the club with 115 rushing yards, while also notching a team-high five receptions for a team-high 72 receiving yards. He also tallied three total TDs, including two in the air and one on the ground.

His multifaceted scoring attack helped him climb to the top of the NFL history books. Sunday marked McCaffrey’s 15th career game with at least one rushing and one receiving touchdown. That ties him with former Colts and Rams running back Marshall Faulk for the most such games all time.

Of those 15 games, four have come this year and another two came last season after he joined the 49ers. That means six of his 15 have come in the 25 games he’s played in San Francisco. There’s a very real chance McCaffrey breaks that record this season.

McCaffrey on Sunday also notched his 18th, 19th and 20th touchdowns of the season. He’s only the second player in 49ers franchise history to eclipse the 20 TD mark. Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice set the franchise record with 23 total TDs in the 1987 season (in only 12 games!!!).

There’s a very real chance McCaffrey breaks both Faulk’s NFL record and Rice’s 49ers franchise record this season.

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Son of NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice declares for the 2024 NFL Draft

Son of NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice declares for the 2024 NFL Draft

Following a string of recent NFL bloodlines entering the last handful of drafts, yet another son of a legend is set to try to make his own mark in the league, and it may be the biggest name yet.

Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice has decided to take his services to the next level as he recently declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. Rice is capitalizing on what was a career year as one of quarterback Caleb Williams’ top targets with the Trojans. Rice was able to haul in 45 catches for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns during his final college season.

Not only a big name thanks to his father, Brenden Rice is expected to be one of the better receivers in his upcoming draft class. Though not quite at the level as Marvin Harrison Jr., the other son of a Hall of Fame wide receiver in this class, Rice should certainly hear his name called within the first four or so rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Anthony Carter’s 1987 playoff bonanza

Anthony Carter had one of the best playoff runs in team history

Welcome to the 25 SKOL’s of Christmas!

In a similar vein to how Freeform has done the 25 days of Christmas, we will look back at different moments in Vikings history to bring a little extra joy to you this holiday season.

It’s that simple. The holidays can be a trying time for some people and we want to put a smile on people’s faces by reminiscing about some truly joyous times in Vikings’ history.

On the ninth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Anthony Carter delivering an all-time performance in the 1987 playoffs.

The 1987 season was an interesting one. The players went on strike and, not only was a game canceled due to the strike, the first three games in October were played with replacement players.

It arguably impacted the Vikings the most, as they went 0-3 with replacement players and 8-4 with their normal roster. In his second season as the head coach, Jerry Burns had the Vikings playing really good football. They snuck into the playoffs with a wild card berth and they went on a run thanks to star wide receiver Anthony Carter.

After being a star in the USFL, Carter signed with the Minnesota Vikings and had himself a really nice career in the NFL. His biggest moment came in the 1987 playoffs when he took over.

Against the New Orleans Saints, Carter did his damage on punt returns. He had only returned three punts all season, but he did so six times in this game, including an 84-yard touchdown. He returned six punts for 143 yards and a touchdown along with six catches for 79 yards and another score.

The divisional round was where he did even more damage. The Vikings dominated the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park by a score of 36-24 and were up 20-3 at the half. Carter was the dominant force in the game, catching 10 passes for a then-playoff-record 227 yards from quarterback Wade Wilson. The Vikings set themselves up for a chance to make the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade.

The 49ers at this time were true powerhouses. Joe Montana to Jerry Rice was the connection of the decade but they weren’t able to get it done on this day.

Things stopped in the NFC Championship Game when Carter caught seven passes for 85 yards but it wasn’t his fault. Running back Darrin Nelson fumbled the ball inside the 10-yard line.

It’s a shame that his tremendous playoff run ended with a dud but it is one of the most impressive playoff performances in team history. If he had been able to play until 1995, the trio of him, Cris Carter and Jake Reed would have been incredible.

 

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

Drafting Randy Moss
Vikings 1997 Wild Card Comeback
Jarius Wright Walks Off the Jets
Jared Allen traded to Vikings
Adrian Peterson Sets Rushing Record
Brett Favre Revenge Tour
Bud Grant Rocks a Polo in Freezing Temperatures
Adrian Peterson Stiff Arms Defender to Oblivion

Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill names Washington legend among his top 5 receivers ever

Tyreek Hill was a big fan of Santana Moss.

Santana Moss will forever be beloved by Washington fans. Acquired in 2005 in a trade for fellow wide receiver Laveraneus Coles, Moss spent 10 seasons in Washington, ending his 14-year NFL career after the 2014 season.

Moss now works for the Commanders as an analyst, along with some of his former teammates, such as Logan Paulsen, London Fletcher and Fred Smoot.

While Moss’ career numbers will never rival some of the all-time greats, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today — Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins — has Moss among his personal top five of all-time.

In a recent appearance with former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III on the “RG3 and the Ones” podcast, Hill named his personal top five wide receivers of all time, and it was quite the list.

Here’s Hill’s five:

  • Jerry Rice
  • Steve Largent
  • Antonio Brown
  • Terrell Owens
  • Santana Moss

Three of the top four are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brown isn’t eligible yet, but should be a lock, regardless of how his career ended. Moss is the only one who will not likely make it to Canton. Unfortunately for Moss, he played with multiple quarterbacks during his NFL career, which lessened his opportunities.

Hill defined his top five as players who changed the position.

Griffin praised Hill’s inclusion of Moss, who he played with for three seasons in Washington. Griffin said he was forever grateful for what Moss did for him in Washington, with Hill responding, “I love Santana.”

 

Former Washington wide receiver DeSean Jackson retires from NFL

Jackson played 15 seasons in the NFL, including three excellent years in Washington. He ends his career as one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history.

Longtime NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson announced his retirement on Wednesday after 15 seasons.

Jackson is best known for his two stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, but after Philadelphia cut him in March 2014, Jackson signed a three-year deal with the then-Washington Redskins. During his three seasons in Washington, Jackson caught 142 passes for 2,702 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Jackson went over 1,000 yards receiving in two of his three Washington seasons.

After Washington, Jackson played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before returning to the Eagles. He finished his career with stints in Las Vegas, Los Angeles (Rams) and Baltimore. In total, Jackson spent eight seasons with Philadelphia.

For his career, Jackson finished with 641 receptions, 11,263 yards, 58 receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns and four punts returned for touchdowns. Jackson averaged a remarkable 17.6 yards per reception over the course of his lengthy career.

His greatest successes came against the Dallas Cowboys. He had 1,330 receiving yards vs. Dallas. He also had over 1,000 yards against the Giants. However, he had seven career receiving touchdowns against Washington, his most against any team.

During his time with the Redskins, Jackson made Philly pay as he had some big games against his former team.

How good was Jackson? Check out this statistic, courtesy of Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports.

Jackson should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as he’s the best deep-ball receiver of his era and arguably the greatest ever.

Congratulations on an outstanding career.

Dolphins duo of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill pacing for a first in NFL history

Miami’s QB-WR tandem on historic, potentially record-setting paces.

In NFL history, there’s never been a wide receiver named Most Valuable Player.

Since the league created the MVP award in 1957, a quarterback was given the top honor 44 times, a running back or fullback was named league MVP 18 times and a defensive player won the award twice (defensive tackle Alan Page of the Minnesota Vikings in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986 for the New York Giants).

Mark Moseley of the Washington Redskins won the award in a strike-shortened 1982 season and was the only placekicker in NFL history to win MVP. The last non-quarterback winner was Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who took the award home in 2012, along with Offensive Player of the Year that season.

In 28 seasons, the same player won both the league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, and the last to do so was Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2018. Segueing nicely from Mahomes and his next opponent, the Miami Dolphins are in the middle of a potential historical run for a pair of players.

Tua Tagovailoa is playing remarkable football and is arguably the league leader in the MVP race thus far. While others like Mahomes himself, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have their candidacy as well, a non-quarterback is having a season for the ages and could shatter records come season’s end.

Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is currently on pace to exceed 2,000 receiving yards, something never done in the history of football. The closest anyone ever got was Calvin Johnson in 2012 when he was painfully close with 1,964 yards. As good of a season Johnson had, he was awardless and didn’t even take home the OPOY, as Peterson took home both top awards. A wide receiver has taken home the OPOY just five times, and only four individuals have won it, as Jerry Rice won the award twice in 1987 and 1993.

Recently, Cooper Kupp made a run for 2,000 in 2021 and fell short of breaking Johnson’s mark by just 18 yards. Kupp did receive the OPOY that season, and last season, Justin Jefferson was given the prestigious honor. Michael Thomas won the award in 2019 and was the first receiver since Rice to claim the title.

Hill is on pace for 2,152 receiving yards, heading into Week 9, ironically against Mahomes and his other former Chiefs teammates. Hill is leading the NFL in yards and touchdown receptions, and he’s just four receptions from overtaking Stefon Diggs as the league’s leader in receptions, so a huge effort on Sunday in Germany could place Hill in the “triple-crown” at the receiver position.

There’s an exclusive fraternity of “triple-crown” receivers that have finished a season leading the NFL in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions.

The fictitious yet formidable frat was started in 1932 when New York Giant Ray Flaherty ran off a season unseen at that point in pro football. He led the league in all main categories, recording 21 catches, 350 receptions, and five touchdowns.

The next five times the “triple-crown” was won it was by the same man – Don Hutson. The Green Bay Packers legend first accomplished the feat in 1936, then rattled off four straight seasons from 1941-44 as the game’s top-receiving thoroughbred.

The following decade was the next time the crown was placed on the metaphorical helmet of a wideout when Los Angeles Ram Elroy Hirsch ran the receiver’s table in stats in 1951. That was followed by Philadephia Eagle Pete Pihos in 1953 and in 1959 by Baltimore Colt Raymond Berry.

Entering the dawn of the Super Bowl era, a pair of receivers in Chicago Bear Johnny Morris and San Fransisco 49er Dave Parks punched their ticket to this “frat” in 1964 and 1965 respectively. In 1966 Lance Alworth led the NFL in receptions (73), yards (1,383) and receiving touchdowns (13).

To put into scale how difficult this task has become, the first person in this Super Bowl era to claim this was, in fact, Rice in 1990; in a non-OPOY season for him. In that season, Warren Moon was the Offensive Player of the Year, and the MVP was Rice’s quarterback, Joe Montana.

Three other receivers have made this club since Rice – they’re Sterling Sharpe (1992), Steve Smith Sr. (2005) and Kupp (2021). That makes 12 men in the history of football who can say they’ve won the NFL’s “triple crown.”

Hill is looking to be the league’s 13th to do so, and if this comes with a 2,000-yard campaign, it’d be extremely hard to not call him the MVP. If history is any guide, it’d take the most prolific year in all of history to potentially break that seal.

As impressive as the stat line is for Hill, and when one looks at his games from last season without Tagovailoa, it’s the combo of these two that’s creating this remarkable dual campaign for another potential first in NFL history.

No quarterback-wide receiver tandem has ever won the MVP and OPOY as teammates in the same season. The only teammates to do so, did the feat twice, in 1999 and 2001. They were “The Greatest Show of Turf’s” quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk. Faulk took both awards in the middle of this in 2000.

Yet, what’s more coincidental is the fact that “The Greatest Show on Surf” could produce the next pair of teammates and the first-ever passer-receiver duo to claim this dual honor.

One last thing: in 1999 as well as 2001, the Rams went to the Super Bowl.