Top Ten Greatest Receivers of All Time

To continue with this series on greatest all time players, I will now focus on the greatest receivers of all time. I will eventually get to the greatest running backs, defensive players, and coaches of all time as well. NFL receivers are often considered the divas of the team and there is a reason for this; they are usually the most skilled position on the team. Some are humble some are extremely emotional, but they often make a difference in the game.

The greatest receivers excel in route running, receptions, and yards after catch. They also play a crucial role in blocking and creating decoys. With every great receiver comes a great quarterback in which the two have established a powerful chemistry. The superstar receiver is nothing without the quarterback, but can still impact the game. This is my list of the ten greatest receivers that always played a major impact on the game throughout their career.



10. Calvin Johnson

• Career: Detroit Lions (2007-2015)
• Career Receiving Yards: 11,619 yards; 29th all time
• Total Receptions: 731; 44th all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 83; 22nd all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 2 (2011, 2012) 
• Pro-Bowls: 6 (2010-2015)
• Superbowls: 0
• Legacy: As a Lions fan this may be a bit of a push, but I got to witness his greatest first hand for the past 10 years. And I can say first hand that Johnson was incredible to watch, and had he played for another five more years he could have had all the records. At 6'5 feet tall he was probably one of the most dominant receivers in the game, hence his nickname Megatron. He could jump, run, and catch the ball like no other. He was of course aided by the strong arm of Matt Stafford, who could just throw it high in the air and let Megatron make a play on it. He was also one of the most humble and low-key of any great receivers. He led the league twice in receiving yards and made the Pro-Bowl 6 consecutive years in a row. I believe he would have played longer had it not been for the wear and tear on his body he received playing for Detroit (similar story to Barry Sanders). Still there wasn't many playmakers who could change a game's outcome as much as Calving Johnson could. 

9. Michael Irvin

• Career: Dallas Cowboys (1988-1999)
• Career Receiving Yards: 11,904 yards; 27th all time
• Total Receptions: 750; 39th; all time 
• Receiving Touchdowns: 65; 57th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 5 (1991-1995) 
• Superbowls: 3 (1993, 1994, 1996)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2007
• Legacy: Michael Irvin was a part of the deadly Cowboys offensive trio, also consisting of Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman. Throughout the 1990s the Cowboys had one of the best offenses in the league, which brought them 3 superbowl championships. Much of this was thanks to the incredible skill and leadership of wide receiver Michael Irvin. He had a great relationship with his QB Troy yet he also was a leader of the team. His greatness is best personified thru his winning tenure with the Cowboys as well as his statistics. He continues to contribute to the NFL with entertaining and passionate on-air commentary and analysis. 

8. Cris Carter

• Career: Philadelphia Eagles (1987-1989) Minnesota Vikings (1990-2001) Miami Dolphins (2002) 
• Career Receiving Yards: 13,899 yards; 13th all time
• Total Receptions: 1101; 6th all time 
• Receiving Touchdowns: 130; 4th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 8 (1993-2000)
• Superbowls: 0
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2013
• Legacy: Throughout the 1990s Chris Carter was one of the face of the Minnesota Vikings and one of the best receivers in the league. He partnered with various quarterbacks in his first few years from Rich Gannon, Sean Salisbury, and Jim McMahon. In 1994 he established a great connection with the veteran quarterback Warren Moon for a couple years. For multiple years during this time he became the leader in touchdown receptions. Then in 1998 he was somewhat dropped back a peg by the superstar signing of Randy Moss. During this time Carter was reaching the end of his career and became somewhat of a 2nd option for their new quarterback Daunte Culpepper. However by the end of 2000 he had risen to the top of many receiving statistics and for that reason is in this top 10. 

7. Isaac Bruce

• Career: LA Rams: (1994-2007) San Francisco (2008-2009)
• Career Receiving Yards: 15,208 yards; 5th all time
• Total Receptions: 1024; 13th all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 91; 12th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 1 (1996)
• Pro-Bowls: 4 (1996, 1997-2001)
• Superbowls: 1 (2000)
• Legacy: Throughout the 1990s Isaac Bruce was the star receiver of the St. Louis Rams, despite working with average quarterbacks (Chris Miller and Tony Banks). In 1996 he went on to lead the league in receiving yards for a season. Few years later, with the arrival of Kurt Warner at QB and Marshall Faulk at RB the Rams became contenders. In the 1999 season their offense was so explosive they became known as the Greatest Show on Turf. Isaac Bruce was a key component and leader of the Rams during this time. He went on to win a Super Bowl with the team that year, and forever a hero of the franchise. He is at the top of many of the receiving records and his number was retired by the Rams organization. He is a finalist this year to become inducted into the Hall of Fame, which will surely happen soon.  

6. Tim Brown

• Career: Oakland Raiders (1988-2003) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2004)
• Career Receiving Yards: 14,934 yards; 7th all time
• Total Receptions: 1094; 7th all time  
• Receiving Touchdowns: 100; 9th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 9 (1988, 1991, 1993-1997, 1999, 2001)
• Superbowls: 0
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2015
• Legacy: He was another great receiver during the 1990s when I began tuning into the NFL. Similar to Cris Carter he also endured several mediocre QBs during his time from, Jay Schroeder, Jeff Hostelter, Jeff George, and Rich Gannon, however that did not affect his superstar production. He also led the league in punt returns and receptions at one point. He is high up on much of the career receiving statistics and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2015. 

5. Marvin Harrison

• Career: Indianapolis Colts (1996-2008)
  
• Career Receiving Yards: 14,580 yards; 9th all time
• Total Receptions: 1,102; 5th all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 128; 5th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 2 (2000, 2002)
• Pro-Bowls: 8 (1999-2006)
• Superbowls: 1 (2006)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2016
• Legacy: He was yet another quiet giant who let his playing do all the talking. For most his career he teamed up with superstar quarterback Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts to become one of the most dynamic receivers in the league. Alongside Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison was a deadly deep ball threat for Manning. For two years he lead the league in overall receiving yards in 2000 and 2002. He was a very exciting player to watch and also one of the more humble of the receivers (similar to Calvin Johnson). He was a pivotal part to the Colts Superbowl championship in 2006. He sits very high on many of the all time receiving records. 

4. Larry Fitzgerald

• Career: Arizona Cardinals (2004-present)
• Career Receiving Yards: 15,721 yards; 3rd all time 
• Total Receptions: 1251; 3rd all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 110; 8th all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 11 (2005, 2007-2013, 2015-2017)
• Superbowls: 0 
• Legacy: The legend of Larry Fitzgerald is still ongoing and very exciting to watch. He has been the face of the Arizona Cardinals for the past decade now and is one of the most prolific receivers in the game today. In 2006 he helped leader his team to the Super Bowl final yet lost a close one to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is a tremendous competitor and also a very humble receiver unlike most receivers in the league. He sits atop many of the receiving records, and will soon pass Terrell Owens to become the 2nd all time receiving yards leader. He will surely be a first time hall of fame ballot when his name becomes available. 

3. Terrell Owens

• Career: San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003) Philadelphia Eagles (2004-2005) Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008) Buffalo Bills (2009) Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
• Career Receiving Yards: 15,934 yards; 2nd all time
• Total Receptions: 1078; 8th all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 153; 3rd all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 6 (2000-2004, 2007)
• Superbowls: 0
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018
• Legacy: He is probably one of the most iconic receivers of the modern age, known for his production yet even more for his flamboyance. He pretty much made the touchdown dance popular again, back in a time when it was still frowned upon in the game. He was an incredible entertainer, who was often deep in controversy yet his game was undeniable. He partnered with various quarterbacks throughout his career, most notably with Steve Young and the 49ers. In the 2004 he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, and with the quarterbacking of Donovan McNabb was able to help them get to the superbowl. Despite doctors telling him he should not play in the game, he still went on to have an incredible performance of 9 receptions and 122 yards. However the Eagles still lost to the Patriots in a very close game. With the Cowboys he continued to perform and entertain and had many memorable celebrations. By the end of his career he had reached the top of many receiving records. Although he is the prime example of a receiving diva his statistics are without question some of the greatest. 

2. Randy Moss

• Career: Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004) Oakland Raiders (2005-2006) New England Patriots (2007-2010) Tennessee Titans (2010) San Francisco 49ers (2012)
• Career Receiving Yards: 15,292 yards; 4th all time
• Total Receptions: 982; 15th all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 156; 2nd all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 0
• Pro-Bowls: 6 (1998-2000, 2002, 2003, 2007)
• Superbowls: 0
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2018
• Legacy: He was yet another superstar receiver in the modern age of the NFL, known for his extravagance, athleticism, and also many instances of off-and-on the field controversy. He got off to a hot start as a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings and quickly became one of the most dominant receivers in the game at the time (alongside Terrell Owens). He had many notable celebrations as well, including shooting the moon to the Green Bay Packer fans. he was probably most impressive in the air, with an ability to out jump most defensive backs and pull a ball from up high. He led the league for 5 seasons with receiving touchdowns and also climbed his way to the top of many receiving records. He was just recently inducted into the hall of fame and makes for an entertaining on-air analyst. 

1. Jerry Rice

• Career: San Francisco 49ers (1985-2000) Oakland Raiders (2001-2004) Seattle Seahawks (2004) Denver Broncos (2005)
• Career Receiving Yards: 22,895 yards; 1st all time
• Total Receptions: 1549; 1st all time
• Receiving Touchdowns: 197; 1st all time
• Season Receiving Yards Leader: 6 (1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995)
• Pro-Bowls: 13 (1986-1996, 1998, 2002)
• Superbowls: 3 (1989, 1990, 1995)
• Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2010
• Legacy: He is without question the greatest receiver of all time and sits at 1st in many of the receiving categories. He holds over 100 NFL records, more than any other player in the NFL. Since he played for such a long time, over 20 seasons, it seems it will be hard for anyone to ever surpass his career records. He was also aided by two all time great quarterbacks with the 49ers in Joe Montana and Steve Young. To add to his impressive statistics resume are 3 superbowls rings, two with Joe Montana and 1 with Steve Young. His name has become synonymous with all time greats, and while the other names could be swapped up or down a spot, there is no question that Jerry Rice sits at 1st on this list.