Patrick Mahomes (2017-Present) has been the Face of the League dating back to his first Super Bowl win over the 49ers in 2020. He has absolutely dominated the league and has been a total headache for defensive coordinators for years. The star Quarterback’s ability to make off schedule throws, extend the play and his quiet but impossible to defend mobility makes him a problem that no defense has solved yet.

Appearing in 4 of the 6 Super Bowls possible as a starter Mahomes has accompanied this incredible stat with 28,424 passing yards, 219 touchdowns (not counting rushing) and 63 INT’s. With a career rating of 103.5, the only question on everyone’s mind is can he keep it up?

My answer is yes, Mahomes has answered every narrative of making it back to the Super Bowl this year without incredible weapons, he did it without star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and winning his first two road playoff game in hostile environments (BUF, BAL). With all that being said let’s look at the current GOAT and some other guys Mahomes needs to climb in order to get there.

The Case for Tom Brady

Anytime the GOAT conversation comes up it would be a disservice not to mention Tom Brady who is the consensus GOAT. He has nearly every positive record in the books and is going to keep those for a while. The highest passing yards in NFL history with 89,214, the most touchdowns in history with 649 and let’s not forget 7 Super Bowl rings.

Long story short, the former New England Patriot and Tampa Bay Buccaneer has done it all after starting his career off as a 6th round draft pick. Brady made an impact on football and football fans all around the world for decades terrorizing the league similar to how Mahomes has.

The Case for Peyton Manning

At the time of his retirement Manning held all of the most important records with the passing record (71,940) and the touchdown record (539). This was Brady’s biggest rival with them trading Super Bowl appearances what felt like every year. Many have compared Mahomes and Burrow to them, Manning went 2-2 in the four Super Bowl appearances losing in Super Bowl XLIV 31-17 and Super Bowl XLVII 43-8. On the other hand, he delivered in Super Bowl XLI winning 29-17. His final Super Bowl win came in Super Bowl 50 winning 24-10 and riding off into the sunset.

The Case for Jerry Rice

WR Jerry Rice (1985-2004) the best WR in NFL history had an incredible career catching 1549 balls, 22,895 receiving yards and 197 touchdowns. Making 13 pro bowls and 11 first team all pro teams is one of the most impressive resumes in league history.

Having Joe Montana and Steve Young as his quarterbacks definitely helped his case but doesn’t deny the insane talent Rice possessed. The 6’2 wideout won 3 Super Bowls and a Super Bowl MVP. Keep in mind Mahomes has a chance to get 3 rings with a win over the 49ers in the last game of the 23-24 NFL season.

The Case for Joe Montana

Along with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, these 3 QB’s are looked as at the best to ever play. 40,551 passing yards and 273 passing touchdowns is absolutely nothing to scoff at. 8 Pro Bowl selections, 3 first team all pro selections and 4 Super Bowl rings is what Montana accomplished during the 49ers dynasty. Montana while being a great Quarterback did have an incredible WR in Jerry Rice.

All in all, Mahomes is playing the best football we’ve ever seen a player play. Now the question is: Can he do it for as long as these greats listed above did? We’ll just have to find out after his date with the 49ers in SB LVIII.

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10. 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers land at number 10 on our list. They were known for their stifling defense led by defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. The Bucs held opponents to just 12.3 points per game during the regular season. Led by Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, they went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII, showcasing one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history.

Overall Record: 15-4

Super Bowl XXXVII Champion

9. 1991 Washington Redskins

Securing a spot among the all-time greats, the 1991 Washington Redskins come in at #9. Coached by Joe Gibbs and led by a potent offense featuring Mark Rypien and the “Posse” of wide receivers, the Redskins went 14-2 in the regular season and dominated in the playoffs, culminating in a Super Bowl XXVI victory. The team is often overlooked amongst the greats but is still one of the best NFL teams of all time.

Overall Record: 17-2

Super Bowl XXVI Champion

8. 1999 St. Louis Rams

The 1999 St. Louis Rams, under the leadership of head coach Dick Vermeil and quarterback Kurt Warner, introduced the NFL to the “Greatest Show on Turf.” The Rams’ high-flying offense, featuring Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, led them to a Super Bowl victory and a place among the greatest NFL teams of all time.

Overall Record: 16-3

Super Bowl XXXIV Champion

7. 1971 Dallas Cowboys

The 1971 Dallas Cowboys, coached by the legendary Tom Landry, earn their spot at number 7. This team featured the “Doomsday Defense” and was led by stars like Roger Staubach and Duane Thomas. The Cowboys won Super Bowl VI, marking the beginning of their dominance in the 1970s.

Overall Record: 14-3

Super Bowl VI Champion

6. 1992 Dallas Cowboys

The 1992 Dallas Cowboys, were led by head coach Jimmy Johnson and featured the iconic “Triplets”. Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin powered this unstoppable Cowboys offense. This memorable team clinched Super Bowl XXVII, marking the start of a dynasty.

Overall Record: 16-3

Super Bowl XXVII Champion

5. 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers

The 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers, the last of their four Super Bowl-winning teams in the ’70s, earned their spot at number 5. The Steel Curtain defense, featuring legends like Mean Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, powered the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XIII.

Overall Record: 17-2

Super Bowl XIII Champion

4. 1984 San Francisco 49ers

The 1984 San Francisco 49ers, coached by the legendary Bill Walsh, showcased the brilliance of the West Coast Offense. Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and a stellar supporting cast led the 49ers to a 15-1 regular-season record and a Super Bowl XIX victory, solidifying their place among the all-time greats.

Overall Record: 18-1

Super Bowl XIX Champion

3. 1985 Chicago Bears

The 1985 Chicago Bears, led by head coach Mike Ditka and a ferocious defense are hailed as one of the greatest teams of all time. Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, and the Bears dominated the regular season with a 15-1 record and stormed through the playoffs to win Super Bowl XX.

Overall Record: 18-1

Super Bowl XX Champion

2. 2007 New England Patriots

The 2nd spot goes to the 2007 New England Patriots, who finished the regular season with a flawless 16-0 record. Coached by Bill Belichick and led by Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and a dynamic offense, the Patriots came within one game of a perfect season. They ultimately fell short, losing in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. That one blemish keeps them from the top spot in our top 10 list.

Overall Record: 18-1

1. 1972 Miami Dolphins

The 1972 Miami Dolphins, coached by Don Shula and quarterbacked by Bob Griese, accomplished a feat no other team has matched: a perfect season. They capped off this amazing feat with a Super Bowl VII victory. The Dolphins undefeated run secures their position as the best team in NFL history.

Overall Record: 17-0

Super Bowl VII Champion

If you enjoyed this list be sure to check out our 10 best Super Bowl games of all time.

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When it’s all said and done, Justin Jefferson could be one of the best wide receivers the NFL has ever seen. Jefferson is only 23 and is already a 3x Pro Bowler and 1x All-Pro. He continues to get better each year despite getting double-covered regularly and blanketed by every NFL defense. In his first 3 seasons, he has given us incredible highlights including a one-handed catch for the ages in a critical situation.

When Jefferson was drafted in the 1st round by the Minnesota Vikings it wasn’t a big surprise. If you watched the potent LSU offense you saw a star in the making. Although raw, Jefferson showed outstanding ball skills and would catch just about everything thrown his way. During his final year in College, he lined up primarily in the slot and there were questions on if he could excel in the outside role. It’s safe to say that those questions can already be put to rest as it doesn’t matter where Jefferson is lined up. He has shown he will consistently win in any position.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill recently claimed that he would break the single-season receiving yards record. While Hill is talented and very well could come close, it will instead be Justin Jefferson who does it. The Dolphins also have Jaylen Waddle and he will account for a good amount of the target share. Before we look ahead at how Justin Jefferson will break the receiving record, let’s first dive into his stats.

Justin Jefferson Stats

It’s hard not to be in awe when looking at Justin Jefferson’s receiving stats. In 2022 alone, he was first in total receptions (128), first in First Downs Receiving (80) and second in Yards Before Catch (1,185). Jefferson also had a drop rate of only 2.7% which is impressive given the number of targets that went his way (184). His 1,809 receiving yards in 2022 was good for 6th all-time. Jefferson was on pace to break the record last year but was uncharacteristically quiet in his final two games. He had only 5 catches for 53 yards during that span with 0 touchdowns.

Next, I want to take a look at comparing Justin Jefferson to the best wide receiver of all time, Jerry Rice. I took the overall stats from both of their first 3 seasons and here is what I found.

• Jefferson had 124 more receptions than Rice (324 vs 200)
• Jefferson also had 1,250 more receiving yards than Rice (4,825 vs 3,575)
• Rice had 15 more touchdowns than Jefferson (40 vs 25)

As you can see the numbers are similar given that Rice played in 6 less games than Jefferson in his first three seasons. The 40 touchdowns by Rice in that span is the second most all-time just behind Randy Moss who had 43. It’s still too early to put Jefferson in the class of the greats but you can see where the stats are trending.

How Justin Jefferson Will Break the Record

So far, we’ve recapped Jefferson’s first three seasons and broke down some key statistics vs the greats. Now let’s point out how he will break the single-season receiving record in 2023.

Next season, the Minnesota Vikings have a fairly manageable schedule. They are in the middle of the pack in terms of strength of schedule. While NFL teams’ success can change drastically from year to year, I expect the Vikings to finish first in the NFC North. The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions finished towards the bottom in NFL total team defense last year and I expect the Packers defense will take a step back.

Putting the schedule aside, I project that Jefferson will finish the year with 2,015 receiving yards. If you look at the stats above, Jefferson has averaged around +200 yards each season and +20 receptions.

The Vikings also drafted Jordan Addison in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. While some will say this is going to take away from Jefferson’s production, I am going in the opposite direction. This will only help Jefferson as some of the defensive attention will now be off him with an additional weapon on the field. With that said, I expect Justin Jefferson to break the single-season receiving yards record in 2023 and I can’t wait to watch him do it.

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The NFL has witnessed countless alpha wide receivers (with swag) in its existence. There has been a plethora of Hall of Fame-caliber WRs over the prior 15 years — such as “Megatron”, Larry Fitzgerald, Terrell Owens, and Randy Moss. So, where do these recent, electric wideouts stand amid the best-ever WRs? Well, I’m going to untwine the 10 best WRs of all time.

1. Jerry Rice

The legendary San Francisco 49ers wideout Jerry Rice may have used stickum, but he was undoubtedly the best WR to play the game. Rice was a first-team All-Pro a whopping 10 times! He had eight seasons of 13+ receiving touchdowns. Furthermore, he ousted six seasons of 1,499+ receiving yards. He even won Offensive Player of The Year in 1987 and in 1993.

2. Randy Moss

Before Justin Jefferson mopped the floor against opposing cornerbacks in Minnesota, there was a mythical character named Randy Moss that terrorized opponents. Moss had 17 receiving touchdowns as a rookie – which led him to garner Offensive Rookie of The Year. His most impressive season arrived in 2007 with Tom “The GOAT” Brady – where he unveiled a record-breaking 23 receiving touchdowns in a single season.

3. Don Hutson

Don Hutson may be a dinosaur-like WR – as he started his NFL journey in 1935. Nonetheless, he ascended into an unstoppable force with the Pack. He was named first-team All-Pro a whopping eight times in his football life. In 1942, he (quite) impressively unleashed 1,211 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.

4. Chris Carter

The other greek god-like Vikings WR to make this list is none other than Chris Carter. The eight-time Pro Bowler finished with 13,899 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns. Carter – also known as “Sleepy” – ousted three seasons of 13+ touchdowns. Could another NFC North wideout be ranked after him?

5. Calvin Johnson Jr.

“Peace through Tyranny” – Megatron

The former unearthly Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson Jr. once summoned two New Orleans Saints cornerbacks to guard him on a play. Johnson Jr. wasn’t only a WR from a different planet, but he also played at an unusually high level with pedestrian QB play. Megatron ousted 1,681 receiving yards and 16 TDs in 2011 and then managed to unleash 1,964 yards in 2012.

6. Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens, also known as Antonio Brown before Antonio Brown, was a pillar of top-tier domination over a long duration of time. He somehow managed to unleash seven seasons of 13+ receiving touchdowns. He also had nine seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards. TO was named first-team All-Pro five times in his career.

*TO also played in a Super Bowl with a broken leg!

7. Larry Fitzgerald

The Arizona Cardinals legendary wideout Larry Fitzgerald made a whopping 11 Pro Bowls in his “only Cardinals” career. Fitz has notched eight seasons of at least 8 TD catches. Furthermore, he’s unleashed nine seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards. He finished his AZ career with 121 TDs & 17,492 yards. He also co-won Walter Payton Man of The Year in 2016.

8. Marvin Harrison

Marvin Harrison was undeniably a gift from the football gods to the Indianapolis Colts. Harrison unleashed eight seasons of 10+ receiving touchdowns. He also had three seasons of 1,500+ receiving yards. He was named first-team All-Pro three times, made eight Pro Bowls, and even took second place in the OPOY voting in 2002. Let’s not forget that he and Peyton Manning won Super Bowl XLI.

9. Antonio Brown

The utterly talented & controversial WR Antonio Brown has been a wrecking ball over the past decade. Brown has been named first-team All-Pro four times and he’s also made seven Pro Bowls. He’s recorded 12,291 total yards and 83 touchdowns. Of course, AB picked up his pivotal Super Bowl ring with Tom Brady last season. So, the question is: is AB done in the NFL?

10. Steve Largent

The Seattle Seahawks greek god-like WR Steve Largent unleashed eight seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards. He finished with an impressive clear-cut 100 receiving touchdowns in his football life. He obtained seven Pro Bowl selections and was named at least second-team All-Pro five times. Largent dazzled opponents long before DK Metcalf in the Rainy City.

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The 2022 NFL draft is the biggest focal point of the offseason and it’s where dreams come true for the next wave of draft prospects. Three of us Pro Football Mania writers decided to nicely reflect back on the most polarizing moments of the NFL draft by celebrating the biggest NFL draft trades of all time. Without further ado, here are the 10 best NFL draft trades of all time.

49ers trade up to select Jerry Rice

By: Chris Moore

You cannot have a list of the NFL’s best draft-day trades without including Jerry Rice. The Patriots probably still regret making the trade with the 49ers that allowed them to move up to select Rice 16th overall in the 1985 draft. The 49ers trading up in the 1985 draft for Jerry Rice was one of the best moves the 49ers have ever made in the history of their organization. Rice would go on to become possibly the greatest wide receiver of all time, helping the 49ers win three Super Bowl rings in the process. Rice played for the 49ers for 16 seasons, accomplishing multiple records, accomplishments, and accolades. Rice was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He is regarded as one of the greatest if not the best receiver of all time.

The 49ers’ decision to trade up for Jerry Rice changed their franchise. It’s one of the greatest NFL draft trades to ever happen. Rice finished his career as a 13-time pro bowler, 10-time All-Pro selections, and a Hall of Famer. When talking about wide receiver’s there are not many better than Rice, if any at all. The 49ers traded up for a franchise-changing player, and it is a no-brainer to have this trade on the list.

Steelers trade up to select Troy Polamalu

By: Chris Moore

Well, we just got done talking about a team trading up for a Hall of Famer. Why not discuss another? The Steelers traded up in the first round in the 2003 NFL Draft to select Troy Polamalu. The Steelers traded up for a game-changing safety out of USC, who turned out to be a Hall of Famer. Polamalu was a superstar for the Steelers, making the Pro Bowl eight times, and was selected to the All-Pro team four times throughout his prestigious career. Trading up for Polamalu was a huge draft-day trade for the Steelers, as it was something the organization had never done before. Not only have the Steelers never traded up in a draft before.

But it was the first time the Steelers were selecting a safety that early as well. The Steelers recognized how special Polamalu was, and trading up for him is one of the greatest moves in the history of the organization. Polamalu had a historic career during his time on the Steelers, winning two Super Bowl rings on the Steelers throughout his career. Trading up for Polamalu was one of the best NFL Draft trades we have seen over the years, and Polamalu was a legendary player for the Steelers throughout his time in the NFL.

Saints trade up to select Alvin Kamara

By: Jake Rajala

The selection of Alvin Kamara was really special, especially because he was a third round draft pick. New Orleans Saints picked a future Hall of Fame talent in Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 draft. Kamara didn’t take long to make his unique presence known, as he won Offensive Rookie of The Year in 2017. “AK” had a career-high 826 receiving yards in his rookie year, plus 728 yards rushing and 6.1 YPC. Kamara had a career season in 2020, where he registered a personal high 21 total touchdowns and career-best 1,688 total yards. 

Kamara has proven to be one of the most dynamic running backs of all time in his career thus far. If the Saints RB can reel in a Lombardi trophy and a few more seasons of elite play, he will be a sure-fire Hall of Famer and he will go down as one of the most superb all-purpose ball carriers of all time. Kamara was what the Saints expected to get out of Reggie Bush when they selected Bush second overall in the 2006 draft. Bush won a Super Bowl with the Saints and he was a quality weapon and special team player (especially in the 2010 playoffs), but he wasn’t even near the player that Kamara has been with the Saints. Brees expected Kamara to be a skat back, while the Saints expected Bush to be a Hall of Fame RB. It’s safe to say they switched spots.

Sean Payton selected Kamara in the third round, while also selecting Michael Thomas in the second round of the 2016 draft. Payton and Mickey Loomis have been notorious for selecting stars beyond the first round.

Ravens trading up to select Lamar Jackson

By: Chris Moore

While he might not be a Hall of Famer yet, the Ravens trading up to select Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft deserves to be on the list. Jackson was not viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in the 2018 draft class, but he proved doubters wrong as Lamar has shown he is a franchise quarterback. Lamar was in a QB class that included the former number one pick Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen. Considering Jackson was selected after all of those guys, it is safe to say the Ravens made a home run pick and won the 2018 draft while grabbing their future franchise quarterback in the process.

While many believed Jackson would not make it in the league as a quarterback. Jackson won the MVP award unanimously in only his second NFL season. Jackson led the Ravens to the playoffs in his first two NFL seasons and has made the pro bowl twice in his four NFL seasons. Jackson already has an MVP award and has shown he is one of the most electric players in the entire NFL. While he has not led the Ravens to a Super Bowl yet, Jackson has shown he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. The Ravens got a steal trading up for him in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Ravens trade up in 2018 was one of the more recent big NFL Draft trades. It deserves to belong on the list of the best NFL Draft trades due to how special Jackson is. We do not know if Jackson will end up in the Hall of Fame, but Jackson is a phenomenal player that we don’t see often in the league. There might not be another quarterback who has the special running ability Jackson possesses. The Ravens found their franchise quarterback in the 2018 draft, and it remains one of the best NFL Draft trades of all time.

Chiefs trade up to select Tony Gonzalez

By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs selected “the greatest TE of all time” in the 1997 draft. Tony Gonzalez, who is now pursuing a film career, made three straight All Pro teams in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Gonzalez was also a basketball player for UCLA.

Gonzalez made 14 Pro Bowls in his career and he holds many TE records. The former gifted profile has the most yards all-time for a TE (15,127) and the most receptions of all time for a TE (1,325) and the second-most touchdowns ever for a TE (116). 

In 2008, Gonzalez made his first appearance in an Atlanta Falcons uniform. Gonzalez played his last season in the NFL as a Falcon in 2013. It’s obvious that the cream of the crop TE showcased a Hall of Fame career, but he has received his fair share of haters for failing to win a Super Bowl in his career. Meanwhile, Robert Gronkowski of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has won four Super Bowls. 

I fully expect Gonzalez to remain the greatest tight end of all time, which is impressive given his time of entrance to the league. Travis Kelce has an opportunity to put together a Top 5 TE career of all time, but it won’t come close to matching the career of former Chief Tony Gonzalez. It’s also important to note that Gonzalez didn’t play with a QB like Mahomes, yet he yielded historical dominance from the TE position.

Houston trades up to select Deshaun Watson

By: Menachem Ickovitz

In the 2017 Draft there were three quarterbacks that were highly touted, Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Of the three, Watson had arguably the best college career. He threw for 10,168 yards with 90 touchdowns in his three years at Clemson. Most notably, he led Clemson to the 2016 National Championship.

The Houston Texans went into the draft looking to make a splash and get their quarterback of the future. The issue they had was they were drafting at pick #25 and the quarterbacks would most definitely be gone by then. So the Texans contacted the Cleveland Browns, who picked Myles Garrett first overall and had pick #12 from their part in the Carson Wentz trade from the 2016 Draft.

The Texans acquired the 12^th pick and game up the 25^th pick and a first round pick in 2018. Houston got their man in Watson and the Browns picked Michigan Safety Jabrill Peppers in 2017 and Ohio State Cornerback Denzel Ward with the 2018 pick they got.

Watson has had a good career with the Texans through 2020. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and was the NFL’s leading passer in 2020. However, following the 2020 season, Watson requested a trade after being upset with his voice not being listened to when it came to changes in the front office and coaching staff. Additionally, Watson had some off the field issues with allegations of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, he is still on the Texans’ payroll.

The Browns traded away Peppers as part of the deal that landed OBJ in Cleveland for the 2019 season. Ward has played well for the Browns, having been named to two Pro Bowls. He has dealt with some injuries in his short career but has 10 interceptions and 50 pass deflections.  

Atlanta trades up to select Julio Jones

By: Menachem Ickovitz

The 2011 NFL Draft will go down as one of the best in recent history. The top of the first round was filled with players with multiple Pro Bowls and probably future Hall of Famers. One such player was Alabama receiver Julio Jones. 

The 2010 Atlanta Falcons finished with a 13 ”“ 3 record, good enough for first place in the NFC South. However, they lost in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 48 ”“ 21. While they had nine players make the Pro Bowl, the need for another big-play wide receiver to pair up with Roddy White was one of the team’s top off-season priorities. The problem for the Falcons was they had the 27th pick in the upcoming draft.

Sitting at the 6th pick was the Cleveland Browns, coming off a 5 ”“ 11 season and the firing of head coach Eric Mangini. The Browns were more than one superstar wide receiver away from contending and when Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff called and offered the 27th, 59th and 124th picks in the 2011 Draft as well as first and fourth round picks in the 2012 Draft, they jumped at the opportunity to accumulate assets.

At the moment of the trade, both teams did well. The Falcons picked Jones who elevated the offense and quarterback Matt Ryan while the Browns picked up multiple assets with the opportunity to improve their team in multiple spots.

Jones, who played for the Falcons from 2011 ”“ 2020, was named to seven Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro twice and a second-team All-Pro three times. In his 10 seasons in Atlanta he had 848 catches for 12,896 yards and 60 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Browns took the five picks from the Falcons and whiffed on all of them. Most notable of the picks were DT Phil Taylor, WR Greg Little and QB Brandon Weeden. All played for the Browns, none particularly well and were out of the NFL soon after.

Chiefs trade up to select Patrick Mahomes

By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs made a trade up for the best young quarterback in the league right now with Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL draft. Mahomes was selected 10th overall in the 2017 draft. Mahomes displayed arguably a Top 3 QB single-season performance in a season in 2018 where he unleashed 5,097 yards and 50 passing touchdowns. 

The Chiefs QB has three seasons of 37+ passing touchdowns, four straight seasons of 11+ wins, and he’s obtained a Super Bowl ring. Mahomes has serious potential to go down as the greatest QB of all time.

Mahomes has been trying to win another Super Bowl ring since achieving Super Bowl glory in 2019. He should have the fastest WR of all time in Tyreek Hill and the Top 3 TE Travis Kelce to help him make the progress for many more Super Bowl berths.

Mahomes may break all of Drew Brees’s records, but I don’t expect the Chiefs QB to come close to matching Tom Brady’s Super Bowl count. I still expect Mahomes to be in and out of the AFC Championship throughout most of his career.

Mahomes’s offense in Kansas City is very similar to that of Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos offense, or Kurt Warner’s “greatest show on turf” offense. When it’s all said and done, Mahomes’s offense could go down as the most respected offense of all time. Mahomes has quite the story, as he also chose to pursue a career in baseball.

New Orleans Saints trade up to select Rickey Williams

By: Menachem Ickovitz

When you’re one piece away from Super Bowl contention, mortgaging your future for one player makes some sense. However, this was not the case for the New Orleans Saints heading into the 1999 NFL Draft.

Saints’ head coach Mike Ditka was enamored by Texas running back Ricky Williams and traded up to the 5^th spot in the Draft to take him. Ditka gave the Washington Redskins all his picks in the 1999 Draft as well as the Saints’ first and third round picks in 2000.

For the bounty that Ditka gave up, he and Williams would forever be tied together. It got so strange that ESPN the Magazine did a photo shoot of the two of them as a bride and groom, with Williams donning the wedding dress. Sadly, for both of them, the honeymoon was over quick, after a 3 ”“ 13 season, Ditka was fired.

Williams played three seasons in New Orleans before getting traded to the Miami Dolphins. Each season in New Orleans he got progressively better, finishing with 3,179 yards in his 38 career games with the team.

The Redskins used the picks they acquired from the Saints and maneuvered around a drop. They traded back up to pick #7 and drafted cornerback Champ Bailey. They also drafted key contributors, Jon Jansen and LaVar Arrington with picks they got for New Orleans.

The infamous Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade

By: Menachem Ickovitz

Before the 2004 NFL Draft, the worst kept secret was that Eli Manning did not want to play for the San Diego Chargers. The problem was that Manning was considered the best quarterback in the draft and San Diego had the first pick.

As for the Chargers, they wanted a talented quarterback like Manning but also had the opportunity to work closely with NC State quarterback Phillip Rivers at the Senior Bowl and he impressed the coaching staff. When Draft Day came, the Chargers chose Manning and waited.

New York Giants GM Ernie Accorsi drafted Rivers with the fourth pick, with the thought of trading him to the Chargers to get Eli Manning. The Giants and Chargers consummated the deal, as the Giants got Eli Manning and the Chargers got Phillip Rivers and three draft picks. The Chargers used two of the picks on players who were with them for numerous years, kicker Nate Kaeding and linebacker Shawne Merriman.

This was one of those trades that you look back at and realize both teams did very well with. The Giants won two Super Bowls with Manning. He was the face of the franchise for his entire 16 year career and is a future Hall of Famer. The Chargers didn’t get the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, but for most of his career, Rivers was the reason that Chargers were always a playoff contending team. Additionally, Merriman and Kaeding had productive careers with the Chargers.

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By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

Jerry Rice is an absolute legend of the NFL. He is clearly the best wide receiver to ever play the game. His production paired with his longevity are unmatched and his numbers are a class above the rest. When debating who is the GOAT at each position in the NFL, it is a matter of opinion with more than one “right” answer. The exception to this is at wide receiver because it is not an opinion that Rice is the GOAT WR, it’s a straight fact. He is clearly better than anyone else to ever do it without any question when everything is factored in. Let’s take a look back at the legendary career of Jerry Rice.

Statistics

The list of impressive stats is endless for Rice. His career 1549 receptions for 22,895 receiving yards and 197 receiving touchdowns are all the most of all time by a wide margin. He is ahead of second place by 117 receptions, 5403 yards, and 41 touchdowns. He was the receiving yards and touchdowns leader in the NFL in six separate seasons and was in the top five in 11 seasons. He was also in the top five in receptions in nine seasons.

His career bests are just as impressive as the cumulative totals. His 1848 receiving yards in one season is the third-most in NFL history, and his 22 receiving touchdowns rank second-best ever. It’s also important to remember that the majority of his work came in the late 1980s and the 1990s, so it was in an era before the high-flying passing attacks took over the game. It’s crazy to think that his numbers realistically could have been even higher if he played in the modern style of football. Regardless, his numbers are still off the charts and stand high above the rest.

Awards

In his 20 seasons in the NFL, Rice made the Pro Bowl 13 times, was selected as a First-Team All-Pro 10 times, and was a member of the All-Rookie Team in his first season in 1985. He was awarded the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award twice and is listed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade teams for both the 1980s and the 1990s. He helped the San Francisco 49ers win three Super Bowls and was selected as the MVP of the game for one of them. Rice put together one of the most decorated careers in the history of the NFL.

Longevity

One of the things that make the career of Jerry Rice so special is how long he was able to perform at such a high level. For example, in his 18th season in the league and at 40 years old he put up a quite impressive stat line of 92 receptions for 1211 yards and 7 touchdowns. For almost any other player in history, this would be considered a career year or at least one in the middle of their prime. For Rice, in comparison to his own peak, this is when he was past his prime and nearing the final days of his long career.

The total package of the career of Jerry Rice is one that is unmatched to this point and won’t be surpassed any time in the near future, if ever. His dominance of the league compared to the style of the era he played in will probably never be replicated. Add in the fact that he played at an extremely high level that spanned three different decades and it is made clear that this is a truly one-of-a-kind player. Rice is the GOAT WR by a very wide margin and that is not going to change any time soon.

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