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Top 8 Wide Receivers of All-Time - Who Is The GOAT?

Top 8 Wide Receivers of All-Time - Who Is The GOAT?
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James C.J.
 @ August 22nd, 2022

American football has a long history, having first been played in 1869. However, it would be half a century before the NFL was founded on September 17th, 1920. Since then, many players have played for teams around the country, and some of them went on to be considered the greatest wide receivers of all time. But, we all know how ‘GOAT’ status works: there can only be one GOAT. So who is it? We’re going to take a look at the top 8 wide receivers of all time to eventually determine the GOAT amongst them. 

Larry Fitzgerald

We’re starting this list off strong. Larry Fitzgerald recently retired in 2020, and his career was nothing short of spectacular. He was drafted at the age of 21 to the Arizona Cardinals, the team he stuck with his entire career. In the end, he managed to have one of the most consistent 17 seasons in the game. When all was said and done, Fitzgerald achieved nine seasons with 1000+ yards, with three going about 1400 yards. Beyond that, he had five seasons with 100+ receptions and five seasons with more than 10 touchdowns. 

It’s unclear if Fitzgerald is out of the game for good or not, but many are hoping this is just a hiatus and that he’ll grace the field yet again. In time, Fitzgerald might end up climbing the ranks as time settles in, and we reflect on his long worthwhile career. 

Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson’s career was spent exclusively playing for the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2015. Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson was considered to be a rare wide receiver, and that’s entirely based on his impressive build. The 6’5”, the 237-pound machine was a player everyone kept their eyes on.

His career didn’t launch quickly. He was drafted in 2007 but only really got the recognition he deserved in 2998 after tallying an impressive 1331 yards, 78 catches, and 12 touchdowns. He took a breather in 2009, and that paid off because once he returned, he had six-straight 1000+ yard seasons! After retiring in 2015, he finished his career with 11619 yards, 731 receptions, and 83 touchdowns. To this day, he holds the record for most yards (1964) in a single season. In 2021, Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Terrel Owens

All around, Terrel Owens was a beloved player for the NFL. For most of his career, Owens was with the San Francisco 49ers. He’d later leave and bounce around several teams, starting with the Philadelphia Eagles, then the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Over the course of his 15-year career, he tallied an impressive nine 1000+ yard seasons. Eight of the nine also ended with 10+ touchdowns. 

He still ranks relatively high for receptions with 1078 total (eighth all-time), yards with 15934 (third all-time), and touchdowns with 153 total (third all-time). It took a long time, but in 2018, Owens finally made it into the Football Hall of Fame.

Steve Largent

Steve Largent joined the NFL and took it by storm shortly after our next amazing wide receiver’s career ended. From 1976 to 1989, Largent played for the Seattle Seahawks and spent his 14-year-long career as a consistent performer on the field. That performance? Well, it was pretty spectacular. In his tenure as the wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, Largent achieved 814 receptions, 100 receiving touchdowns, and 13089 reception yards over the course of 200 games.

In 1989, when Largent retired, he held several all-time records, including yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Of course, it’s been over three decades since then, and those records have been surpassed. However, it doesn’t diminish the achievement or his legacy. To celebrate a fantastic career, Steve Largent was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Lance Alworth

In 1962, a young 22-year-old boy from Houston, Texas, would begin playing for the San Diego Chargers. Little did anyone know he’d one day be considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. During his college days, many teams wanted Alworth, including the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders. Ultimately he chose the Chargers, which he’d call his team for nine years before moving to the Dallas Cowboys for two years. 

During his time playing football, Alworth racked up impressive stats. He tallied up 542 receptions, 85 touchdowns, and 10266 yards throughout his decades-long career. His career was immortalized in 1978 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Alworth played in the Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys in 1971 and scored the game’s first touchdown. They’d win the game beating the Miami Dolphins 24-3, with Alworth calling his two receptions in the game the most important in his career. 

Randy Moss

Randy Moss was often touted as one of the NFL’s best players in its history. Many pointed to his speed and leaping abilities as the source of his major appeal and success. Besides Jerry Rice (more on him in a minute), Moss is the only receiver to achieve 10 seasons of 1000+ yards. 

From 1998 to 2012, Moss played for several teams as a receiver achieving many impressive career highlights and awards. He remains one of the all-time greats in receiving yards, 15292, and touchdowns, 156. During his time as an NFL player, he played in two Super Bowls, one with the New England Patriots and another with the San Francisco 49ers.

Don Hutson

From 1935 to 1945, Don Hutson’s career was spent as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers. During his decade as an NFL player, he became the first elite receiver. Hutson was the only player before 1945 to achieve a recorded 3500 yards. Which he eventually went on to double. 

Upon completing his 11 years as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, the ‘Alabama Antelope’ achieved countless then-records, such as 99 touchdowns, 7991 yards, and 488 receptions. In 1941 and 1942, Hutson was the MVP of the season. Additionally, he won three championships and earned his spot on eight All-Pro teams during his time with the Packers. He retired from playing in 1945 and became an assistant coach in 1944 before leaving entirely in 1948. 

Jerry Rice

It was never even a question. So when we set out to draft this list, we knew exactly who would be in the top spot, ultimately earning the title of the GOAT…that honor goes to Jerry Rice. During his 20-season run as a wide receiver, Rice decimated countless records that came before him. He brought in 1549 catches for 22895 yards and 197 touchdowns throughout the years. His career was filled with achievements and incredible highs. He played in 13 Pro Bowls, made the 10 first-team all-pro lists, won three Super Bowls, and is a Hall of Famer! 

Jerry Rice retired from the game in 2005 at the age of 43 after playing for just shy of two decades. While this was 17 years ago, he remains undefeated as the greatest wide receiver of all time. 

Conclusion

New players join the NFL every year and earn top spots on exceptional teams. Being named the GOAT or even in the running to be the GOAT is a true honor and a testament to a player’s talents on the field. 

It’s difficult to predict who’s next to crack the top ten. Still, with so many great players rising in the ranks, it could be a season not too far into the future that produces another great wide receiver. 

A long time ago, these players were young and inexperienced, only dreaming of being the kinds of players they became. They achieved great feats through dedication, hard work, and pure talent in their respective careers. Who knows, maybe you’ll be a player to join the ranks of the greats like Jerry Rice, Don Hutson, Randy Moss, and the many other amazing wide receivers. 

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