In fact, there's a chance that my list might leave you scratching your heads. Just remember... it's not who I think are the most talented, it's a list of my favorite wide receivers.
Okay, let's start with a few that couldn't crack the top 5:
Alright... now let's get down to business:
#5 Donald Driver
Driver is in his 14th season with the Packers and is holds the franchise record for receptions and receiving yards. I admire loyalty and Driver has stuck with them through thick and thin.
#4 James Lofton
As a kid, Lofton was my second favorite wide receiver and for many years he held the same Packers records that Driver holds today. He's one of the guys who's featured in multiple PC's: Green Bay Packers and Stanford Cardinals.
As a kid, Lofton was my second favorite wide receiver and for many years he held the same Packers records that Driver holds today. He's one of the guys who's featured in multiple PC's: Green Bay Packers and Stanford Cardinals.
#3 James Jones
Jones is currently my favorite Packers receiver, because he's from the Bay Area, went to my alma mater (SJSU), and plays on my favorite team.
#2 Robert Brooks
Leroy Butler may have invented the Lambeau Leap, but Brooks was one of the people who made it popular. Injuries may have cut his career short, but he was a tough guy who always gave his teammates and fans 110%.
#1 Steve Largent
Largent holds nearly every Seahawks receiving record and at his time of retirement was the all-time leading receiver. He was my favorite player when I was growing up and although there are other players who have come and gone throughout the years, Largent is still and always will be my favorite wide receiver.
Okay... your turn:
Who are your five favorite wide receivers?
Happy Saturday and sayonara!
Randy Moss was simply amazing on the '07 Pats.
ReplyDeleteVery true. It's a shame he didn't have Brady throwing to him his entire career. Although the Culpepper/Moss connection was pretty impressive too.
Delete1. Marvin Harrison
ReplyDelete2. Art Monk
3. Rob Moore
4. Kevin Johnson
5. Mike Williams
Great list... great seeing Kevin Johnson on that list. I thought he was going to be a super star. Rob Moore too.
DeleteThey're all Orangemen
DeleteHmmmmm, let's see:
ReplyDelete5. Antonio Freeman
4. Joe Horn
3. Amani Toomer
2. Randy Moss
1. Marques Colston
Whatever happened to Joe Horn? That guy was awesome! Then it seems like he just dropped out of the league. Glad to see another Freeman fan on here.
Delete5. Jimmy Orr
ReplyDelete4. Paul Warfield
3. Tommy McDonald
2. Andre Johnson
1. Raymond Berry
Lenny Moore played a hybrid halfback/flanker spot for the BALTIMORE Colts. He's one of the greatest players I've ever seen, one of my very favorites and I'd rank him just behind Berry and Andre Johnson but most times he's listed as a halfback. The football H-O-F has him as a running back so I'll leave him off my list here.
I have a top 5 running back list planned, so you can honor Moore in a few days. I'm ashamed to say I have never heard of Orr or McDonald, but I know Warfield and Berry are legends.
DeleteJimmy Orr played for a decade for the BALTIMORE Colts, a lot of that time he was lined up opposite Ray Berry. He made a lot of his catches in the back corner of the end zones in Memorial Stadium and that area was called 'Orrsville'.
DeleteOne moment I'll never forget is seeing him wide open in Super Bowl II against the jets and Earl Morrall not seeing him. He through a pass towards the fullback and it was picked. I think it killed our soul in that game.
Tommy McDonald played for the Eagles and Rams. I did a blog entry on one of his best cards here.
Thanks for sharing the link... that was a great post. My buddies and I did the same thing when we were kids: Pretended to be certain players (I was Largent) and had special plays for each of us.
DeleteI'll add a name I don't see here, the Raiders' Fred Biletnikoff, HOFer and Super Bowl XI MVP.
ReplyDeleteBiletnikoff is a big name around my neck of the woods... but he was a little before my time.
DeleteHello Fuji,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I don't know if I would say that Jerry Rice was "hands down" the greatest receiver of all-time. I'm a huge Packer fan myself, having grown up in Waukesha, WI, but I think I could make a pretty good case for Don Hutson being the best of all-time. Obviously he revolutionized the game, and early in his career he was doing things nobody had ever done before. But at the end of his career, he dominated still, and to a degree that Jerry Rice never did. Hutson led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns four of his last five years in the league, and had played a full six seasons before that period. The NFL had plenty of opportunity to find ways to slow him down. But they didn't. In fact, he won the "triple crown" of NFL receivers five times. Rice did it one time. In fact, I don't think Rice was clearly the best receiver in his era. Sterling Sharpe was every bit as spectacular at the position, and he played on a team with talent vastly inferior to that of the 49ers.
Hutson led the NFL in receptions eight times, in receiving yards seven times, and touchdown receptions nine times...in eleven seasons.
Rice played twenty seasons. He led the NFL in receptions twice, in receiving yards six times, and receiving touchdowns six times. Hell, Sterling Sharpe only played seven seasons, and managed to lead the NFL in receptions three times (once more than the great Rice in thirteen fewer seasons). And Rice had Joe Montana in his prime, and Steve Young in his prime, throwing to him. Sharpe had Don Majkowski and Randy Wright splitting quarterback duties his rookie season. Majkowski was NFL MVP runner up in 1989, and after that, he had Majkowski (not having nearly the same success) and Anthony Dilweg throwing him the ball in 1990. In 1991, Majik and the great Mike Tomczak were throwing to Sharpe. From 1992 to 1994, he had Brett Favre throwing to him. Favre was starting to come into his own in 1994 when Sharpe's career ended prematurely due to his neck injury.
When Rice came into the league in 1985, he had Montana, already a Pro Bowler, throwing to him. In 1991 and 1992, Steve Young was taking over, and was the top rated passer in the league. When Rice went to Oakland, Rich Gannon was the QB, and a Pro Bowler. In 2002, Gannon was NFL MVP. So he had 3 different NFL MVPs throwing to him. Sharpe had nobody around him, and was putting up better numbers.
In my opinion, Hutson is #1 all-time, Rice #2.
As far as my 5 favorite wide receivers:
1. Donald Driver
2. Robert Brooks
3. Jordy Nelson
4. Greg Jennings
5. James Lofton
If I can take a mulligan, I'll put James Jones as 5a. I really like him, and he's so underrated.
ReplyDeleteGreat list. I'll save myself the embarrassment and won't attempt to debate the Hutson argument. When I looked up Driver's stats recently, I saw Hutson's name all over the Packer's record books. So there's no doubt in my mind that you know your football.
DeleteThere are actually two reasons I chose the words "hands down the greatest of all-time"
A. I grew up in the Bay Area (hating the Niners) and witnessed something pretty special. The guy was truly in a league of his own.
B. He was chosen by the NFL Network as the top player of all-time in 2010... so I figured if it's good enough for coaches, members of the media, executives, and players... it's good enough for me.
Fuji,
DeleteDon't get me wrong, Rice was a great receiver. But if you compare Rice's stats to those of Sterling Sharpe, Tim Brown, or Herman Moore, who played at the same time, there's not really a great difference.
What did Shannon Sharpe, Sterling's brother, say when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
“I’m the only player, of 267 men that [have] walked through this building to my left, that can honestly say this: I’m the only pro football player that’s in the Hall of Fame, and I’m the second best player in my own family.”
Rice is considered the all-time best because he was able to play at a high level for a long time. He didn't have a neck injury that forced his retirement like Sharpe. But when Rice played, I wouldn't say he was clearly the best at his position.
By the way, how did you get that Robert Brooks SP Signature card? I've been looking for that card forever. One just sold on Ebay a few weeks ago, and now I'm kicking myself.
I guess it's like favorite players... we all have our own opinion. I loved Sterling Sharpe, and even collected Tim Brown and Herman Moore... but in my mind Rice was in his own league. He may not have been the fastest or the biggest... but the guy found ways to make plays. And you're right... he was able to do it over a long career.
DeleteAs for the Brooks SP autograph... I either picked it up on eBay or COMC. I'll try to go back and look it up when I have a few extra minutes.