The NFL's 20 Greatest Records - The Orange Mane

Arkie · 08-24-2005, 09:13 AM

The NFL's 20 Greatest Records
By Brad Oremland

So which records have staying power? What are the most impressive individual marks in league history? Here's my list.

Most Points, Game: 40, Ernie Nevers, 1929

The longest-standing record in league history. Nevers scored six touchdowns and kicked four extra points. One day, someone will probably score seven touchdowns in a game and this record will finally fall. Then again, last year no one tallied more than four TDs in a game. Nevers' record is one of the most impressive in any sport.

Most Consecutive Games With a Touchdown Pass: 47, John Unitas

Everyone knows about Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, but sports fans who know find this one more impressive. Brett Favre has come closest, with a 36-game TD streak (now over), but until last season, Marino's 30 was next up. That's less than 2/3 of Johnny U's total. This record may never fall.

Most Rushing Yards, 14-Game Season: 2003, O.J. Simpson, 1973

Eric Dickerson, of course, holds the record for rushing yards in a season. But Simpson holds the record for rushing yards per game (143.1) by a wide margin (Dickerson's 131.6 isn't even top-three). No one has ever come within 10 yards per game of Simpson's record.

Most Interceptions, Season: 14, Night Train Lane, 1952

Lane's record for interceptions in a season has stood for more than 50 years. That's impressive by itself. But what's most remarkable is that 1952 was a 12-game season: Lane's 16-game pace would have given him 19 interceptions.

Most Consecutive Games Played: 282, Jim Marshall

Marshall was the NFL's iron man. Jeff Feagles is starting to approach this record, with 272 consecutive games over 17 seasons, but Feagles is a punter. Marshall was a defensive end, and an undersized (235 pounds) defensive end at that. He mostly played 14-game seasons, with a streak extended over 20 years.

Most Passing Yards, Career: 61,361, Dan Marino

It's fashionable to dismiss Marino's accomplishments as those of someone who just threw a lot. But Marino's average yardage per attempt (7.34) was well ahead of John Elway and Brett Favre (both 7.10), his closest competitors — each of whom is about 10,000 yards behind.

Best Rushing Average, Season: 6.40, Jim Brown, 1963

This is with a minimum of 150 carries, and no one else is close. Barry Sanders, with 6.13 in 1997, is next. For context, Emmitt Smith's career best was 5.25 (1993) and Walter Payton's highest was 5.46 (1977).

Best Rushing Average, Career: 5.22, Jim Brown

This is with a minimum of 1,000 carries, and no one else is close. Barry Sanders, at 5.00, is next. Emmitt Smith averaged 4.16 and Walter Payton 4.36.

Best Passer Rating, Season: 121.1, Peyton Manning

The focus was on his touchdown record, but with Marino only one behind and given Manning's much stronger supporting cast than his predecessor, I don't find Manning's TD mark to be one of the NFL's greatest records. His record for passer rating, however, shattered Steve Young's record of 112.8.

Most Receptions, Season: 143, Marvin Harrison, 2002

Receiving records aren't what they used to be, but this one really stands out. The closest mark is Herman Moore's 123 in 1995, which was a banner season for receiving records (Cris Carter and Jerry Rice both had 122 the same year). In '02, Harrison led the NFL by 31 receptions and broke the old record by 20.

Jerry Rice

He holds the NFL's career records for receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), and receiving touchdowns (197), among many others. No one is close to any of those, or most of the others.

Consecutive Postseason Wins: 9, Bill Belichick

The competition is stiffest in the postseason, and Belichick has put together a remarkable winning streak. Purists may complain that the older, shorter postseasons were harder to win in, since you got to the difficult championship game more quickly, but I'll still go with Belichick's record.

Most Passing Yards, Game: 554, Norm Van Brocklin, 1951

The third-oldest mark on my list. The 1951 Rams had perhaps the greatest offense ever assembled, including a pair of Hall of Fame receivers (Tom Fears and Crazylegs Hirsch), but this record, set in a run-oriented era and still standing half a century later, is one of the NFL's most legendary numbers.

Most Interception Returns For Touchdowns, Career: 12, Rod Woodson

This is such a specific category that I hesitate to include it here, but Woodson obliterated Ken Houston's long-standing record of nine and now holds a 33% lead on this category. Woodson also holds the NFL's record interception return yardage (1,483) by over 200 yards.

Arkie · 08-24-2005, 09:14 AM

Most Receiving Touchdowns, Season: 22, Jerry Rice, 1987

Rice is all alone with this record (Mark Clayton's 18 is closest). What makes this a truly extraordinary record, though, is that 1987 was a strike season — Rice played only 12 games. He also scored a rushing touchdown in 1987, giving him 23 TDs in fewer games than any other player in any other season.

Longest Rush: 99 yards, Tony Dorsett, 1983

In theory, a 99-yard run isn't much more impressive than a 97- or 98-yarder. But 97 was the record from 1939 to 1983, and Dorsett is still the only player to take a handoff from his own one-yard line and keep running until he hit the endzone. Dorsett's run wasn't just unlikely, it was a thing of beauty. And of course, it's an unbreakable record. I'm sure it will be tied one day, but Dorsett's original was perfection on a football field.

Most Points in a Season: 176, Paul Hornung, 1960

I wasn't going to put this one on the list. Hornung scored 15 touchdowns, 41 PATs, and 15 field goals in 1960. It's great that he was multi-dimensional, but I'm more impressed by Don Hutson's 17 TDs almost 20 years earlier. Hornung's record, though, still stands 45 years later, with 12 points to spare. Even that wouldn't be enough for me, except that Hornung only needed 12 games for all this. His 16-game pace was 235 points.

Sammy Baugh's Triple Crown, 1943

In 1943, Sammy Baugh led the NFL in passing (as a quarterback on offense), interceptions (as a safety on defense), and punting (as a punter on special teams). Chuck Bednarik may embody the classic two-way player, but Baugh was a remarkably successful three-way player.

Most Consecutive Championship Appearances: 10, Paul Brown

This is kind of cheating, for a couple of reasons. First of all, it includes four seasons in the AAFC and six in the NFL. Second of all, the league was smaller and it was easier for the Browns than, say, Bill Walsh's 49ers. And perhaps most importantly, this record is usually identified with Brown's quarterback, Otto Graham, who led the team to a championship appearance every year of his career. The team went 5-7 after Graham's retirement. Regardless, this is a record that will never be seriously challenged.

Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career: 164, Emmitt Smith

Jerry Rice's record for touchdowns (208) is far ahead of Smith, and receiving touchdowns are harder to come by than those on the ground. But Rice, like Don Hutson and Jim Brown and maybe Dan Marino, plays by a different set of rules, and it's unfair to hold anyone else to his standard. Smith leads second-place Marcus Allen by 41, or 33%. His closest active competition is Marshall Faulk, trailing by 64 and on his last legs. Next up is Curtis Martin, who at 85 TDs is barely halfway to Smith's total. This record will stand for a very long time.

Billy Clyde Puckett · 08-24-2005, 09:30 AM

I think some people don't realize how good some of those older players like Unitas, Lane, Nevers and Baugh really were.

Rocket 7 · 08-24-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bosko

Sammy Baugh's Triple Crown, 1943

In 1943, Sammy Baugh led the NFL in passing (as a quarterback on offense), interceptions (as a safety on defense), and punting (as a punter on special teams). Chuck Bednarik may embody the classic two-way player, but Baugh was a remarkably successful three-way player.

Funny thing is he didn't even win the MVP that season. Sid Luckman won it

KillerBronco#76 · 08-24-2005, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Longest Rush: 99 yards, Tony Dorsett, 1983

Didnt Hearst have one of these i couple years back vs the jets?

maven · 08-24-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerBronco#76

Didnt Hearst have one of these i couple years back vs the jets?

96 yard run.

KillerBronco#76 · 08-24-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maven

96 yard run.

Oh thanx for clearing that up

Bob's your Information Minister · 08-24-2005, 10:50 AM

WTF what about Priest's record?

fdf · 08-24-2005, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Guy

I think some people don't realize how good some of those older players like Unitas, Lane, Nevers and Baugh really were.

And, Unitas set his consecutive game record in an era when receivers were routinely mugged all the way down the field and in which the pass was still regarded as a suspiciously risky play. Most teams of that era were three-yards-in-a-cloud-of-dust.

Sir Mawn · 08-24-2005, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob's your Information Minister

WTF what about Priest's record?

It says GREATEST records, not ALL records.

Bronco LB 59 · 08-24-2005, 11:21 AM

After I saw the sack records excluded, I gave the list my stamp of approval. Great work by Brad Oremland.

Garcia Bronco · 08-24-2005, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob's your Information Minister

WTF what about Priest's record?

To the yards and touchdown folk...Yards and Touchdowns will not win games if the other team out scores you. Priest once gained 307 all purpose yards in a game....awesome...Chiefs didn't win that day. The only thing that matters is winning.

But it is an awesome record.

Bronco9798 · 08-24-2005, 12:48 PM

Records, stats, and Pro-Bowl selections don't always lead to rings Bob.

Saulbadguy · 08-24-2005, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bronco9798

Records, stats, and Pro-Bowl selections don't always lead to rings Bob.

Neither do 121.1 Passer ratings.

Saulbadguy · 08-24-2005, 12:55 PM

Seems kinda silly they would include a 99 yard rush, but exclude a 99 yard pass.

Bob's your Information Minister · 08-24-2005, 01:10 PM

Most of these records are along the same lines as Priest's. Total BS to leave his off.

-Slap- · 08-24-2005, 01:11 PM

Excellent list. I thought the Dorsett reference was comical, but the rest of those are very well researched.

-Slap- · 08-24-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Seems kinda silly they would include a 99 yard rush, but exclude a 99 yard pass.

Not at all. Long passing plays are far more common than long runs.

Crushaholic · 08-24-2005, 01:17 PM

Sammy Baugh's Triple Crown will never be equaled due to the simple fact that teams don't need one player to play all three phases of the game, anymore. As far as the other records, anything is possible.

Arkie · 08-24-2005, 01:23 PM

He left off Rice's record for total touch downs (208), but he included his record for receiving touchdowns (197).

-Slap- · 08-24-2005, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bosko

He left off Rice's record for total touch downs (208), but he included his record for receiving touchdowns (197).

I think its conceivable some future ultra back (apologies to Raymont Harris who never capitalized on that badass nickname) might crash into the end zone over 210 times. No way any WR is getting a sniff of 197 TD catches. Think of the career Moss has had to this point. He's still 107 TD receptions away from Rice's record.

TheManeMan · 08-24-2005, 02:26 PM

Anybody remember the time Randall Cunningham took over the punter position and booted one from his own endzone to like the other teams 20?? Anybody know more about it, it's kind of a vague memory...

Arkie · 08-24-2005, 06:19 PM

Wasn't Randall Cunningham a punter in college?

Ballhawk · 08-24-2005, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob's your Information Minister

Most of these records are along the same lines as Priest's. Total BS to leave his off.

That record will not survive the test of time IMO.

Bob's your Information Minister · 08-24-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ballhawk

That record will not survive the test of time IMO.

Records are set to be broken. I bet it lasts quite a while, especially with the focus on passing.

08-24-2005, 09:13 AM	#1
Arkie Ring of Famer Gggggrrrrrr rrrraaaahhh Arrrrhhhn. Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9,082 Adopt-a-Bronco: Quinton Carter	The NFL's 20 Greatest Records The NFL's 20 Greatest Records By Brad Oremland So which records have staying power? What are the most impressive individual marks in league history? Here's my list. Most Points, Game: 40, Ernie Nevers, 1929 The longest-standing record in league history. Nevers scored six touchdowns and kicked four extra points. One day, someone will probably score seven touchdowns in a game and this record will finally fall. Then again, last year no one tallied more than four TDs in a game. Nevers' record is one of the most impressive in any sport. Most Consecutive Games With a Touchdown Pass: 47, John Unitas Everyone knows about Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, but sports fans who know find this one more impressive. Brett Favre has come closest, with a 36-game TD streak (now over), but until last season, Marino's 30 was next up. That's less than 2/3 of Johnny U's total. This record may never fall. Most Rushing Yards, 14-Game Season: 2003, O.J. Simpson, 1973 Eric Dickerson, of course, holds the record for rushing yards in a season. But Simpson holds the record for rushing yards per game (143.1) by a wide margin (Dickerson's 131.6 isn't even top-three). No one has ever come within 10 yards per game of Simpson's record. Most Interceptions, Season: 14, Night Train Lane, 1952 Lane's record for interceptions in a season has stood for more than 50 years. That's impressive by itself. But what's most remarkable is that 1952 was a 12-game season: Lane's 16-game pace would have given him 19 interceptions. Most Consecutive Games Played: 282, Jim Marshall Marshall was the NFL's iron man. Jeff Feagles is starting to approach this record, with 272 consecutive games over 17 seasons, but Feagles is a punter. Marshall was a defensive end, and an undersized (235 pounds) defensive end at that. He mostly played 14-game seasons, with a streak extended over 20 years. Most Passing Yards, Career: 61,361, Dan Marino It's fashionable to dismiss Marino's accomplishments as those of someone who just threw a lot. But Marino's average yardage per attempt (7.34) was well ahead of John Elway and Brett Favre (both 7.10), his closest competitors — each of whom is about 10,000 yards behind. Best Rushing Average, Season: 6.40, Jim Brown, 1963 This is with a minimum of 150 carries, and no one else is close. Barry Sanders, with 6.13 in 1997, is next. For context, Emmitt Smith's career best was 5.25 (1993) and Walter Payton's highest was 5.46 (1977). Best Rushing Average, Career: 5.22, Jim Brown This is with a minimum of 1,000 carries, and no one else is close. Barry Sanders, at 5.00, is next. Emmitt Smith averaged 4.16 and Walter Payton 4.36. Best Passer Rating, Season: 121.1, Peyton Manning The focus was on his touchdown record, but with Marino only one behind and given Manning's much stronger supporting cast than his predecessor, I don't find Manning's TD mark to be one of the NFL's greatest records. His record for passer rating, however, shattered Steve Young's record of 112.8. Most Receptions, Season: 143, Marvin Harrison, 2002 Receiving records aren't what they used to be, but this one really stands out. The closest mark is Herman Moore's 123 in 1995, which was a banner season for receiving records (Cris Carter and Jerry Rice both had 122 the same year). In '02, Harrison led the NFL by 31 receptions and broke the old record by 20. Jerry Rice He holds the NFL's career records for receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), and receiving touchdowns (197), among many others. No one is close to any of those, or most of the others. Consecutive Postseason Wins: 9, Bill Belichick The competition is stiffest in the postseason, and Belichick has put together a remarkable winning streak. Purists may complain that the older, shorter postseasons were harder to win in, since you got to the difficult championship game more quickly, but I'll still go with Belichick's record. Most Passing Yards, Game: 554, Norm Van Brocklin, 1951 The third-oldest mark on my list. The 1951 Rams had perhaps the greatest offense ever assembled, including a pair of Hall of Fame receivers (Tom Fears and Crazylegs Hirsch), but this record, set in a run-oriented era and still standing half a century later, is one of the NFL's most legendary numbers. Most Interception Returns For Touchdowns, Career: 12, Rod Woodson This is such a specific category that I hesitate to include it here, but Woodson obliterated Ken Houston's long-standing record of nine and now holds a 33% lead on this category. Woodson also holds the NFL's record interception return yardage (1,483) by over 200 yards.

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08-24-2005, 09:14 AM	#2
Arkie Ring of Famer Gggggrrrrrr rrrraaaahhh Arrrrhhhn. Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9,082 Adopt-a-Bronco: Quinton Carter	Most Receiving Touchdowns, Season: 22, Jerry Rice, 1987 Rice is all alone with this record (Mark Clayton's 18 is closest). What makes this a truly extraordinary record, though, is that 1987 was a strike season — Rice played only 12 games. He also scored a rushing touchdown in 1987, giving him 23 TDs in fewer games than any other player in any other season. Longest Rush: 99 yards, Tony Dorsett, 1983 In theory, a 99-yard run isn't much more impressive than a 97- or 98-yarder. But 97 was the record from 1939 to 1983, and Dorsett is still the only player to take a handoff from his own one-yard line and keep running until he hit the endzone. Dorsett's run wasn't just unlikely, it was a thing of beauty. And of course, it's an unbreakable record. I'm sure it will be tied one day, but Dorsett's original was perfection on a football field. Most Points in a Season: 176, Paul Hornung, 1960 I wasn't going to put this one on the list. Hornung scored 15 touchdowns, 41 PATs, and 15 field goals in 1960. It's great that he was multi-dimensional, but I'm more impressed by Don Hutson's 17 TDs almost 20 years earlier. Hornung's record, though, still stands 45 years later, with 12 points to spare. Even that wouldn't be enough for me, except that Hornung only needed 12 games for all this. His 16-game pace was 235 points. Sammy Baugh's Triple Crown, 1943 In 1943, Sammy Baugh led the NFL in passing (as a quarterback on offense), interceptions (as a safety on defense), and punting (as a punter on special teams). Chuck Bednarik may embody the classic two-way player, but Baugh was a remarkably successful three-way player. Most Consecutive Championship Appearances: 10, Paul Brown This is kind of cheating, for a couple of reasons. First of all, it includes four seasons in the AAFC and six in the NFL. Second of all, the league was smaller and it was easier for the Browns than, say, Bill Walsh's 49ers. And perhaps most importantly, this record is usually identified with Brown's quarterback, Otto Graham, who led the team to a championship appearance every year of his career. The team went 5-7 after Graham's retirement. Regardless, this is a record that will never be seriously challenged. Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career: 164, Emmitt Smith Jerry Rice's record for touchdowns (208) is far ahead of Smith, and receiving touchdowns are harder to come by than those on the ground. But Rice, like Don Hutson and Jim Brown and maybe Dan Marino, plays by a different set of rules, and it's unfair to hold anyone else to his standard. Smith leads second-place Marcus Allen by 41, or 33%. His closest active competition is Marshall Faulk, trailing by 64 and on his last legs. Next up is Curtis Martin, who at 85 TDs is barely halfway to Smith's total. This record will stand for a very long time.

08-24-2005, 09:30 AM	#3
Billy Clyde Puckett Billy=Semi Tough Big Guy Looking down on KC, SD and Oakland Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: between 5,000 and 10,000 feet elevation Posts: 12,665 Adopt-a-Bronco: John Elway	I think some people don't realize how good some of those older players like Unitas, Lane, Nevers and Baugh really were.

08-24-2005, 10:50 AM	#8
Bob's your Information Minister Chiefs > Broncos Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 25,918 Adopt-a-Bronco: CHRIS KUPER!!!	WTF what about Priest's record?

08-24-2005, 11:21 AM	#11
Bronco LB 59 Ring of Famer Keep your head up dog Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Leucadia CA Posts: 6,068	After I saw the sack records excluded, I gave the list my stamp of approval. Great work by Brad Oremland.

08-24-2005, 12:48 PM	#13
Bronco9798 Two Time World Champions Boom Goes The Dynamite Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: In a Van Down By the River Posts: 2,353 Adopt-a-Bronco: John Elway	Records, stats, and Pro-Bowl selections don't always lead to rings Bob.

08-24-2005, 12:55 PM	#15
Saulbadguy Ring of Famer Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,923	Seems kinda silly they would include a 99 yard rush, but exclude a 99 yard pass.

08-24-2005, 01:10 PM	#16
Bob's your Information Minister Chiefs > Broncos Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 25,918 Adopt-a-Bronco: CHRIS KUPER!!!	Most of these records are along the same lines as Priest's. Total BS to leave his off.

08-24-2005, 01:11 PM	#17
-Slap- Ring of Famer Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 31,895	Excellent list. I thought the Dorsett reference was comical, but the rest of those are very well researched.

08-24-2005, 01:17 PM	#19
Crushaholic Armchair Poster Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 22,041	Sammy Baugh's Triple Crown will never be equaled due to the simple fact that teams don't need one player to play all three phases of the game, anymore. As far as the other records, anything is possible.

08-24-2005, 01:23 PM	#20
Arkie Ring of Famer Gggggrrrrrr rrrraaaahhh Arrrrhhhn. Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9,082 Adopt-a-Bronco: Quinton Carter	He left off Rice's record for total touch downs (208), but he included his record for receiving touchdowns (197).

08-24-2005, 02:26 PM	#22
TheManeMan Ring of Famer DPOY Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 5,659	Anybody remember the time Randall Cunningham took over the punter position and booted one from his own endzone to like the other teams 20?? Anybody know more about it, it's kind of a vague memory...

08-24-2005, 06:19 PM	#23
Arkie Ring of Famer Gggggrrrrrr rrrraaaahhh Arrrrhhhn. Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 9,082 Adopt-a-Bronco: Quinton Carter	Wasn't Randall Cunningham a punter in college?