50 Fun Facts About NFL Wide Receivers

Which 49ers great from tiny Mississippi Valley State retired with the NFL career receiving records?

Jerry Rice piled up 1,549 catches and 22,895 receiving yards across 20 NFL seasons. San Francisco took him 16th overall in the 1985 draft.

Roy Williams nicknamed fellow Lions receiver Calvin Johnson after which Transformers villain?

Megatron fit because Johnson's huge hands reminded Williams of the towering Decepticon. In 2012 he set a single-season record with 1,964 receiving yards, then walked away after only nine seasons.

Which football term took off after Roger Staubach's 1975 playoff throw to Drew Pearson?

Hail Mary stuck after Staubach, a devout Catholic, said he had closed his eyes and prayed as he let the ball go. Pearson's touchdown catch won the playoff game for Dallas over Minnesota.

Colts receiver Marvin Harrison set NFL duo records with which quarterback, the top pick of 1998?

Peyton Manning and Harrison connected for 953 completions, an NFL record for one quarterback and one wide receiver. In 2002 alone the pair hooked up 143 times.

Which receiver pulled a Sharpie from his sock to autograph a touchdown ball against Seattle in 2002?

Terrell Owens signed the ball and handed it to his financial adviser in the stands. The same adviser also worked for Shawn Springs, the Seattle cornerback he had just beaten for the score.

Which Giants rookie made a one-handed, three-finger touchdown catch against Dallas in November 2014?

Odell Beckham Jr. hauled the ball in while falling backwards and being fouled by a Dallas cornerback. Within weeks the Pro Football Hall of Fame had put his jersey from that night on display.

Which receiver caught a record 23 touchdown passes from Tom Brady for the 16-0 Patriots of 2007?

Randy Moss broke a mark of 22 that had stood since 1987. New England had landed him from Oakland that spring for nothing more than a fourth-round draft pick.

Which receiver nicknamed Cheetah won Super Bowl LIV with Kansas City before a 2022 trade?

Tyreek Hill earned the Cheetah tag for his speed after his rookie year. His 44-yard catch on third-and-15 sparked the Chiefs' fourth-quarter comeback against San Francisco in that Super Bowl.

Which Minnesota Vikings receiver from LSU turned the Griddy dance into an NFL touchdown celebration?

Justin Jefferson's Griddy caught on so fast that in April 2021 he became the first NFL player to have his dance added to Fortnite. A Louisiana high schooler, Allen Davis, had created it in 2018.

Which Bengals receiver legally changed his surname to Ochocinco in 2008 to match his jersey number?

Chad Johnson wore 85, and Ochocinco was his loose Spanish for eight five. He played with the new name on his jersey from 2009 to 2011, then went back to Johnson in 2012.

Which former Pittsburgh star spent all 17 of his NFL seasons as an Arizona Cardinals receiver?

Larry Fitzgerald went third overall in 2004 to a coach who already knew him: Dennis Green had met him years earlier as a Minnesota Vikings ball boy. He retired second in career catches and receiving yards.

Which receiver from FCS school Eastern Washington was named MVP of Super Bowl LVI?

Cooper Kupp ran for a first down on fourth-and-1, then caught the winning touchdown on the final drive against Cincinnati. As a teenager he got his first scholarship offer only after his senior season had ended.

Which Patriots receiver, a college quarterback at Kent State, was named MVP of Super Bowl LIII?

Julian Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards in the 13-3 win over Los Angeles. New England had drafted him in the seventh round in 2009 and remade him as a receiver and punt returner.

Texas receiver Xavier Worthy ran a record 4.21 seconds in which drill at the 2024 NFL Combine?

40-yard dash times can make a fast receiver's draft stock, and Worthy's 4.21 beat John Ross's old mark by one hundredth of a second. Kansas City picked him in the first round weeks later.

In 2005 Steve Smith led the NFL in catches, yards and touchdown catches, a feat known as what?

Triple crown is the label for leading all three receiving categories at once. Smith did it with 103 catches, 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns on a Carolina team that ranked 28th in pass attempts.

Which receiver position inside the widest wideout is often credited to Al Davis's 1960s Raiders?

Slot is the name for the open space inside the outermost receiver. Charlie Joiner of the Air Coryell Chargers became the first man to be his team's top target from that position.

Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy were all college receivers at which school?

Alabama sent all three to the NFL as first-round draft picks. Cooper and Jeudy each won the Biletnikoff Award there as the best receiver in college football.

Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt starred at receiver for which team's Greatest Show on Turf offense?

St. Louis Rams fans saw that offense win Super Bowl XXXIV on a 73-yard touchdown catch by Bruce. Quarterback Kurt Warner threw for a then-record 414 yards in the game.

Which Vikings receiver scored the Minneapolis Miracle touchdown to beat the Saints as time expired?

Stefon Diggs caught a 27-yard pass, stayed on his feet when a Saints safety missed the tackle, and ran in a 61-yard score. No NFL playoff game had ever ended on a touchdown as time ran out.

Which 49ers receiver made The Catch, a leaping fingertip grab that beat Dallas in January 1982?

Dwight Clark was only the second option on the play, thrown to after Freddie Solomon slipped running his route. The win is remembered as the start of San Francisco's 1980s dynasty.

Which Dallas Cowboys receiver joined Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith in the trio known as The Triplets?

Michael Irvin, nicknamed the Playmaker, won three Super Bowls with them in the 1990s. A spinal injury suffered against Philadelphia in 1999 ended his career.

Which New York Giants receiver pinned a pass against his helmet late in Super Bowl XLII?

David Tyree had caught just four passes all season and played mostly on special teams. The 32-yard grab set up the score that beat unbeaten New England, and it was the last catch of his NFL career.

Which Giants receiver accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a New York nightclub in 2008?

Plaxico Burress fired the pistol by accident as it slid down his trouser leg. Earlier that year he had caught the touchdown that beat unbeaten New England in Super Bowl XLII.

Which rookie receiver rejoined his college quarterback Joe Burrow at the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021?

Ja'Marr Chase went fifth overall and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Along the way he set a rookie record for receiving yards in a single game and reached the Super Bowl.

Which receiver did the Pittsburgh Steelers draft in the sixth round out of Central Michigan in 2010?

Antonio Brown lasted until the 195th pick, yet went on to four straight first-team All-Pro selections. In college he had been an All-American as a punt returner, not as a receiver.

Which undrafted Texas Tech receiver led the NFL in catches three times as a New England Patriot?

Wes Welker was cut by San Diego after one game as a rookie, yet retired with 903 catches. He owns a racehorse named Undrafted, which won a top race at Ascot in England in 2015.

Which Steelers star was the first wide receiver to be named Super Bowl MVP, in Super Bowl X?

Lynn Swann caught four passes for 161 yards against Dallas. His passion for ballet later inspired an old basketball teammate to write High School Musical, with Swann a model for Troy Bolton.

Which Seoul-born receiver was named MVP of Super Bowl XL and later won Dancing with the Stars?

Hines Ward won the dance contest in 2011 with partner Kym Johnson. His birthplace made him an honorary citizen for his work against discrimination toward mixed-race Koreans.

Which receiver was Super Bowl XLIII MVP after his touchdown catch with 35 seconds left beat Arizona?

Santonio Holmes caught nine passes for 131 yards, four of them on the final drive. His six-yard grab from Ben Roethlisberger gave Pittsburgh its sixth Super Bowl title.

Which Cowboys receiver had a leaping catch overturned on replay in a 2015 playoff game at Green Bay?

Dez Bryant was first ruled down at the 1-yard line before officials decided he had not completed the catch. In the following years the NFL rewrote its rule on catches made while falling to the ground.

Which Hall of Fame Seahawks receiver later served four terms in Congress representing Oklahoma?

Steve Largent retired holding every major NFL receiving record, including 100 touchdown catches. Seattle made his number 80 the first player's number the club ever retired.

Which receiver did the Vikings claim for a $100 waiver fee after Eagles coach Buddy Ryan cut him?

Cris Carter later said the release, prompted by his drug and alcohol abuse, helped him turn his life around. He went on to play in eight straight Pro Bowls for Minnesota.

Which Cowboys receiver won two sprint golds at the 1964 Olympics before earning a Super Bowl ring?

Bob Hayes, known as Bullet Bob, became the first athlete to own both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring when Dallas won Super Bowl VI. He gave up track for football at just 21.

Which Heisman-winning Michigan receiver was Super Bowl XXXI MVP after a 99-yard kickoff return?

Desmond Howard's touchdown for Green Bay was the longest return in Super Bowl history at the time. In 1991 he had won the Heisman Trophy with 85 percent of the first-place votes.

Which receiver rejoined college teammate Derek Carr when Green Bay traded him to the Raiders in 2022?

Davante Adams and Carr had starred together at Fresno State in 2012 and 2013. Las Vegas gave up first-round and second-round draft picks to bring the pair back together.

Which adhesive, popularized by Raiders receiver Fred Biletnikoff, did the NFL ban in 1981?

Stickum was smeared on players' hands to help them catch and grip the ball. Biletnikoff was named MVP of Super Bowl XI after his four catches set up three Oakland scores.

Which name is given to a fly route when an NFL receiver runs it down the sideline?

Fade is the sideline version of the fly, the straight sprint upfield also known as a go or streak. A fly tends to pull both a cornerback and a safety deep, clearing space for other receivers.

Which 49ers receiver, born Tyshun, takes his nickname from the bully in the 1995 film Friday?

Deebo Samuel was given the name by his father, after the neighborhood menace played by Tiny Lister Jr. He later added Sr. to his jersey in honor of his own son, Tyshun Jr.

Which Packers receiver, older brother of tight end Shannon, had his career ended by a neck injury?

Sterling Sharpe missed Green Bay's 1996 title, so Shannon gave him the first of his own three Super Bowl rings. Sterling joined his brother in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

Which Packers star of the 1930s and 1940s is credited with creating many modern NFL pass routes?

Don Hutson retired with 99 touchdown catches, a record that stood for 44 years. He doubled as a safety on defense and led the NFL in interceptions in 1940.

Which San Diego receiver nicknamed Bambi became the first AFL star in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Lance Alworth got the name from teammates because of his baby face and deer-like running. He put together seven straight 1,000-yard seasons at a time when the record was three.

Which Colts receiver, a favorite of Johnny Unitas, caught 12 passes in the 1958 NFL title game?

Raymond Berry turned those catches into 178 yards and a touchdown in what became known as the Greatest Game Ever Played. Famous for his sure hands, he fumbled only once in his whole career.

Which Broncos receiver set an NFL record with 21 catches in a single 2009 game against Indianapolis?

Brandon Marshall did it in a losing cause, as Denver fell 28-16 on the road. He finished his career with six seasons of at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards.

Which offense, popularized by coach Mouse Davis, swaps the tight end for a fourth wide receiver?

Run and shoot teams line up one running back and four wide receivers, which pushes defenses to trade a linebacker for a smaller defensive back. Several NFL teams ran it in the early 1990s.

Which Saints receiver pulled a hidden cell phone from the goalpost padding after a 2003 touchdown?

Joe Horn pretended to make a call, then paid for it with a 15-yard penalty and a $30,000 fine from the NFL. He scored four touchdowns against the Giants that night.

Which Hall of Fame receiver nicknamed Crazylegs played himself in a 1953 film about his own life?

Elroy Hirsch got the name because his legs seemed to twist in every direction as he ran. He later sued a company that sold a women's shaving gel under his nickname.

Which 1970s Eagles receiver, at 6 feet 8, is believed to be the tallest wideout in NFL history?

Harold Carmichael used that reach to catch passes in 127 straight games, an NFL record when he set it in 1980. In college he had also played center on the basketball team.

Before a 2004 rule change added 10 to 19, NFL wide receivers wore which block of jersey numbers?

80–89 had belonged to pass catchers since the days of the split end. The NFL opened up the teens because teams were retiring numbers in the eighties and carrying more receivers and tight ends.

Which Saints receiver, a nephew of Keyshawn Johnson, caught an NFL-record 149 passes in 2019?

Michael Thomas broke a record that had stood since 2002 and was voted the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year for that season.

Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders formed a 1989 receiving trio called The Posse for which team?

Washington Redskins fans saw The Posse become the first trio of wide receivers in NFL history to each top 1,000 yards in the same season. Monk was also the first player to pass 900 career catches.