Most yards by a WR in a game is 336 yards by Flipper Anderson of the Los Angeles Rams. Anderson beat the previous record of 309 yards set by Stephone Paige.
Anderson would not be the record holder had the game not gone into overtime. The game was tied at 17-17 at the end of the fourth quarter and he would only have 296 yards if the game did not go into overtime. That would have still placed him sixth in the leaderboard for receiving yards in a game.
Single-game receiving yards record of 336 yards off 15 receptions set by Flipper Anderson is one of the most dominating plays in the history of the NFL.
Although Anderson holds the record for the most yards in a game record, Jerry Rice holds the record for the most receiving yards in the history of the NFL with 22,895 yards.
Record For Most Receiving Yards In A Game
NFL record for receiving yards in a game is 336 by Flipper Anderson in 1989. He achieved this feat while playing against the New Orleans Saints.
Anderson set a new record during the Week 12 matchup against the Saints on November 26. He recorded 15 receptions in the match and had an average of 22.4 receiving yards per reception.
He broke the previous record set by Stephone Paige of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1985. He recorded 309 receiving yards against the San Diego Chargers.
His 336 receiving yards in the game were crucial as he helped the Rams grab a 20-17 (OT) win over the Saints with 40 yards completed in overtime. He also had one TD during his 15 receptions game.
Anderson was drafted out of UCLA as a Round 2 pick and 46 overall in 1988 by the Los Angeles Rams. He made a bright start to his NFL career with 11 receptions for 319 yards in 16 games.
1989
He started 13 of the 16 games and had 44 receptions for his career-best 1,146 yards. He also recorded 5 TDs and had an average of 26.0 yards per reception.
1990
Anderson once again started 13 of 16 games and had 51 receptions which is his personal best for 1,097 yards. He had an average of 21.5 yards per reception including four TDs.
1991
He recorded 32 receptions for 530 yards in 12 games. He started 10 of those and averaged 16.6 yards with one TD.
1992
He started only 9 games out of 15 and had 38 receptions for 657 yards averaging 17.3. He had his best TD season as he recorded 7 TDs.
1993
The WR started all of his 15 games and had 552 receptions yards for 37 receptions averaging 14.9. He also had 4 touchdowns.
1994
The 1994 season was his last for the Rams and he started all of the 16 games with 46 receptions. He had 945 receiving yards at an average of 20.5 and 5 TDs.
1995
His first season with the Indianapolis Colts after he signed as a free agent. Anderson played just two games and started both with 8 receptions for 111 yards. He averaged 13.9 with 2 TDs.
Anderson got injured in Week 2 which would keep him out of the entirety of the 1995 season and as a result, the Colts waived him later on.
1996
The following season in 1996, he signed with the Washington Redskins. He played only two games coming off the bench and did not record any statistics.
1997
His last NFL season was with the Broncos in which he played four games but did not start any. He did not record any statistics once again but went on to win the Super Bowl XXXII against the Green Bay Packers.
He ended his decade-long career with 267 receptions for 5,357 yards and 28 TDs. His record which was set in 1989 still stands after so many years. There are quite a few players who have crossed the 300-yard mark in a single game in NFL history.
NFL Record Receiving Yards In a Game:
- Flipper Anderson - 336 yards (1989)
- Calvin Johnson - 329 yards (2013)
- Stephone Paige - 309 yards (1985)
- Jim Benton - 303 yards (1945)
- Cloyce Box - 302 yards (1950)
- Julio Jones - 300 yards (2016)
- Jimmy Smith - 291 yards (2000)
- Jerry Rice - 289 yards (1995)
- John Taylor - 286 yards (1989)
- Antonio Brown - 284 yards (2015)
Most Catches In An NFL Game
Brandon Marshall has the most catches in an NFL game with 21 receptions against the Indianapolis Colts in 2009. He had 200 receiving yards and 2 TDs as well.
The Week 14 game of the 2009 NFL season had the Broncos facing the Colts on December 13 and Marshall was targetted 28 times during the game.
His record-breaking achievement of 21 receptions went in vain as the Denver Broncos were on the losing end. They lost the game 16-28 against the Colts.
Brandon Marshall broke Terrell Owens' record of 20 receptions in a single game which he had set in 2000 against the Chicago Bears. Marshall is also tied for third in the NFL single-game reception leaders list with 18 receptions for 166 yards and 1 TD.
Brandon Marshall is well known as the record holder for the most receptions or catches who played for the UCF Knights while he played collegiate football. Once he was eligible to enter the NFL Draft, he was selected by the Denver Broncos in Round 4 in 2006.
Brandon Marshall's NFL career statistics for receiving are:
| Denver Broncos (2006) | 20 Receptions for 309 yards (15.5 average), 2 TDs |
| Denver Broncos (2007) | 102 Receptions for 1,325 yards (13.0 average), 7 TD |
| Denver Broncos (2008) | 104 Receptions for 1,265 yards (12.2 average), 6 TD |
| Denver Broncos (2009) | 101 Receptions for 1,120 yards (11.1 average), 10 TD |
| Miami Dolphins (2010) | 86 Receptions for 1,014 yards (11.8 average), 3 TD |
| Miami Dolphins (2011) | 81 Receptions for 1,214 yards (15.0 average), 6 TD |
| Chicago Bears (2012) | 118 Receptions for 1.508 yards (12.6 average), 11 TD |
| Chicago Bears (2013) | 100 Receptions for 1,295 yards (13.0 average), 12 TD |
| Chicago Bears (2014) | 61 Receptions for 721 yards (11.8 average), 8 TD |
| New York Jets (2015) | 109 Receptions for 1,502 yards (13.8 average), 14 TD |
| New York Jets (2016) | 59 Receptions for 788 yards (13.4 average), 3 TD |
| New York Jets (2017) | 18 Receptions for 154 yards (8.6 average) |
| Seattle Seahawks (2018) | 11 Receptions for 136 yards (12.4 average), 1 TD |
He played for seven franchises in his 13 years in the NFL and is a six-time Pro Bowler. He was also an NFL receiving touchdowns co-leader in 2015.
Marshall's best statistics came in the 2012 season for the Bears when he had 118 receptions for a career-high 1,508 yards. He recorded 14 TDs in the 2015 season with the Jets which is his personal best in terms of touchdowns.
He ended his career with 970 receptions for 12,351 yards averaging 12.7 and 83 touchdowns.
The list for the most receptions in an NFL game includes:
- Brandon Marshall - 21 (2009)
- Terrell Owens - 20 (2000)
- Jason Witten - 18 (2012)
- Brandon Marshall - 18 (2008)
- Tom Fears - 18 (1950)
- Antonio Brown - 17 (2015)
- Clark Gaines - 17 (1980)
- Keenan Allen - 16 (2020)
- Michael Thomas 16 (2018)
- Antonio Brown - 16 (2015)
- Wes Welker - 16 (2011)
- Troy Brown - 16 (2002)
- Keenan McCardell - 16 (1996)
- Jerry Rice - 16 (1994)
- Sonny Randle - 16 (1962)
Has A WR Ever Won MVP?
A WR has never won the MVP award in the history of the NFL. Jerry Rice came close to winning the award in 1987 but only managed to secure the second position.
A Wide Receiver has never been awarded the most prestigious individual award of the NFL. Legendary receiver Jerry Rice was awarded the NFL MVP award presented by the NEA, PFWA, and Sporting News but not by the Associated Press (AP).
The de facto and official NFL MVP award is presented by AP and is considered the most prestigious among other MVP awards given out by other bodies. Although it can be debated as to whether it is the de facto official or not, the NFL recognizes it as the official.
Jerry Rice was beaten by John Elway of the Denver Broncos in 1987. The playing position of Elway is not hard to guess as most of the MVP awards are given to the quarterbacks.
Rice had an amazing season in 1987. He had 65 receptions for 1,078 yards averaging 16.6 and had a career-high 22 touchdowns. The statistics for that season are great for a receiver and yet he did not win the highest individual award.
One of the major reasons is that the MVP award is positional in nature. If Jerry Rice had such amazing statistics in the 1987 season, the QB was responsible for the passes thrown toward him and targeted him. The quarterback is more or less responsible for his receiving yards and TDs as well.
The quarterback position is the most celebrated and recognized position and is responsible for the offensive part of the game. If a receiver has had an amazing season, it has to be noted that the QB had an equal or a greater season.
The reason John Elway finished ahead of Jerry Rice in 1987 was that Elway had attempted 410 passes and completed 224 at a completion percentage of 54.6% for 3,198 passing yards. He had a 19-12 TD-INT record that year and also had 4 rushing TDs in 304 yards of 66 attempts.
NFL MVP Dark Horse 2023
Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is the only receiver who could win the NFL MVP award and become the first wide receiver to do so.
He has burst into the NFL as one of the best receivers in the league and his stats are there to back him up. Jefferson could be the dark horse in the race for the 2023 NFL MVP award.
He had 128 receptions in 2022 for 1,809 yards and has already racked up 20 receptions for 309 yards in 2023. Jefferson could beat his 1,800 mark and has the most receiving yards per game average of 96.5.
