List of NFL 1,000-yard receiving trios

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald recorded 1,431 receiving yards in 2008, the most yards of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio. Larry Fitzgerald 2015.JPG
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald recorded 1,431 receiving yards in 2008, the most yards of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio.

In American football, passing, along with running, is one of the two methods of advancing the ball downfield. [1] In order to advance the ball via passing, the ball must be caught by a receiver, tallying a reception. In addition to seven pairs of teammates who have rushed for 1,000 yards each in a season, there are five trios of teammates who have caught 1,000 yards each in a season. [2]

Contents

Player positions

Every member of the trios has been a wide receiver, with the exception of Kellen Winslow, a hall of fame tight end, and Eric Metcalf, a multi-purpose running back who set records as a return specialist. [3] [4] Wide receivers usually line up on or near the line of scrimmage, and their principal role is to catch passes. [5] Wide receivers usually have fewer blocking roles in addition to advancing the ball down the field through receptions and rush attempts, unlike tight ends and running backs. [6]

Furthermore, while a rushing play simply involves a handoff, snap, or pitch to a player, a passing requires a quarterback or other passer to throw the ball to the receiver. [1] Every team that had a 1,000-yard receiving trio also had at least 4,000 team passing yards, with the remaining yards to other receivers on the team.

History

Atlanta Falcons running back Eric Metcalf recorded 104 receptions in 1995, the most receptions of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio. Eric Metcalf 2013.jpg
Atlanta Falcons running back Eric Metcalf recorded 104 receptions in 1995, the most receptions of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio.

The 1980 San Diego Chargers produced first 1,000-yard trio, consisting of John Jefferson, and Hall of Famers Winslow and Charlie Joiner. Their 3,762 combined yards are the highest total of any 1,000-yard trio. During this season, quarterback Dan Fouts passed for a then-record 4,715 yards under the Air Coryell system instituted by head coach Don Coryell. [7] [8]

The 1989 Washington Redskins produced the second 1,000-yard trio, consisting of wide receivers Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders. [9] Nicknamed "The Posse", this trio is the only trio who did not have a 4,000-yard quarterback, with two quarterbacks, Mark Rypien (3,768 yards) and Doug Williams (585 yards), needed to break the 4,000 yards passing mark (though Rypien only played 14 games of a 16-game season). [10] [11]

The 1995 Atlanta Falcons produced the third 1,000-yard trio, consisting of running back/wide receiver/return specialist Eric Metcalf and wide receivers Terance Mathis and Bert Emanuel. [12] Metcalf's 104 receptions are the most by any member of a 1,000-yard trio. Quarterback Jeff George passed for 4,143 yards, the only time he passed for over 4,000 yards in his career. [13]

The 2004 Indianapolis Colts produced the fourth 1,000-yard trio, consisting of wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Brandon Stokley. [14] During this season, quarterback Peyton Manning passed for 4,557 yards and broke the season passing touchdown record of 48 touchdowns, held by Dan Marino, with 49 (which would be broken during the 2007 NFL season by Tom Brady, with 50, but then reclaimed by Manning in the 2013 NFL season). [15] [16] [17] Harrison's 15 touchdowns are the most of any single receiver and the trio's 37 combined touchdowns are the most of a 1,000-yard trio.

The 2008 Arizona Cardinals produced the fifth and most recent 1,000 yard trio, consisting of wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. Quarterback Kurt Warner's 4,583 yards were second only to Drew Brees's 5,069 passing yards (which fell 15 yards short of Dan Marino's then-record 5,084 yards). [18] [19] The Cardinals posted a 9-7 record, and advanced to Super Bowl XLIII, losing 27-23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. [20] Fitzgerald's 1,431 yards are the most of any member of a 1,000-yard trio. Their 262 combined receptions are the most of any 1,000-yard trio.

1,000 yard receiving trios

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison recorded 15 receiving touchdowns in 2004, the most touchdowns of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio. Marvin Harrison in 2007 Training Camp 2.jpg
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison recorded 15 receiving touchdowns in 2004, the most touchdowns of any member of a 1,000-yard receiving trio.
Key
SymbolMeaning
POSThe player's position
RECReceptions
YDSReceiving yards
AVGYards per reception
TDReceiving
1st, 2nd, 3rdReceiver as ranked by number of receptions
Pro Bowl player
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
*Active NFL player
List of trios with at least 1,000 receiving yards each
YearTeam1stPOSRECYDSAVGTD2ndPOSRECYDSAVGTD3rdPOSRECYDSAVGTD
1980 SD [21] Kellen Winslow [3] TE 891,29014.59 John Jefferson WR 821,34016.313 Charlie Joiner [22] WR 711,13215.94
1989 WAS [10] Art Monk [23] WR 861,18613.88 Ricky Sanders WR 801,13814.24 Gary Clark WR 791,22915.69
1995 ATL [24] Eric Metcalf RB/WR 1041,18911.48 Terance Mathis WR 781,03913.39 Bert Emanuel WR 741,03914.05
2004 IND [25] Marvin Harrison [26] WR 861,11312.915 Reggie Wayne WR 771,21015.712 Brandon Stokley WR 681,07715.810
2008 ARI [27] Larry Fitzgerald * WR 961,43114.912 Anquan Boldin WR 891,03811.711 Steve Breaston WR 771,00613.13

List of trios with at least 900 receiving yards each

YearTeam1stPOSRECYDS2ndPOSRECYDS3rdPOSRECYDS
1985 SD [28] Lionel James RB 861,027 Wes Chandler WR 671,199 Charlie Joiner [22] WR 59932
1990 HOU [29] Haywood Jeffires WR 751,048 Drew Hill WR 741,019 Ernest Givins WR 72979
1991 HOU [30] Haywood Jeffires WR 1001,181 Drew Hill WR 901,109 Ernest Givins WR 70996
1994 NE [31] Ben Coates TE 961,174 Michael Timpson WR 74941 Vincent Brisby WR 58904
2002 OAK [32] Jerry Rice [33] WR 921,211 Charlie Garner RB 91941 Tim Brown [34] WR 81930
2011 NE [35] Wes Welker WR 1221,569 Rob Gronkowski TE 901,327 Aaron Hernandez TE 79910
2012 DAL [36] Jason Witten * TE 1101,039 Dez Bryant WR 921,382 Miles Austin WR 66943
2012 ATL [37] Tony Gonzalez TE 93930 Roddy White WR 921,351 Julio Jones * WR 791,198
2012 NO [38] Jimmy Graham * TE 85982 Marques Colston WR 831,154 Lance Moore WR 651,041
2014 NE [39] Julian Edelman * WR 92972 Rob Gronkowski TE 831,124 Brandon LaFell * WR 74953
2019 LAC [40] Keenan Allen * WR 1041,199 Austin Ekeler * RB 92993 Mike Williams * WR 491,001
2023 MIN [41] T.J. Hockenson * TE 95960 Jordan Addison * WR 70911 Justin Jefferson * WR 681,074

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