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NFL Records: Most receiving yards in a game, season and career

We look at the receiving leaders throughout NFL history, from the most receiving yards in a game, to the most receiving yards in a season, to the most receiving yards in a career.

Most receiving yards in NFL history

1 - Jerry Rice, 22,895 yards
2 - Larry Fitzgerald, 17,492 yards
3 - Terrell Owens, 15,934 yards
4 - Randy Moss, 15,292 yards
5 - Isaac Bruce, 15,208 yards

Legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice tops the list of the most receiving yards in NFL history, more than 5,000 clear of Larry Fitzgerald in second place. Rice is the only player to top 20,000 receiving yards and also holds the record for the most receptions with 1,549 - the only player with more than 1,500.

Tony Gonzalez holds the record for the most receiving yards by a tight end, with 15,127 from 1,325 receptions.

Most receiving yards in a season

1 - Calvin Johnson, 1,964 yards (2012)
2 - Cooper Kupp, 1,947 yards (2021)
3 - Julio Jones, 1,871 yards (2015)
4 - Jerry Rice, 1,848 yards (1995)
5 - Justin Jefferson, 1,809 yards (2022)

Despite breaking the record for the most receiving yards in a season, and holding the record for 17 years, Jerry Rice has three players above him in terms of receiving yards in a single season.

Calvin Jones came closest to the 2,000-yard mark in the 2012 season with the Detroit Lions, eclipsing Rice, and while nobody has bettered that, Cooper Kupp and Julio Jones have both surpassed Rice's tally back in 1995.

Most receiving yards in a game

1 - Flipper Anderson, 336 yards (Los Angeles Rams v New Orleans Saints, 26th November 1989)
2 - Calvin Johnson, 329 yards (Detroit Lions v Dallas Cowboys, 27th October 2013)
3 - Stephone Paige, 309 yards (Kansas City Chiefs v San Diego Chargers, 22nd December 1985)
4 - Jim Benton, 303 yards (Cleveland Rams v Detroit Lions, 22nd November 1945)
5 - Cloyce Box, 302 yards (Detroit Lions v Baltimore Colts, 3rd December 1950)

Only six players have reached 300 receiving yards in an NFL game with 250 being reached on 32 occasions.

Flipper Anderson holds the record with a monster 336 yards in the Los Angeles Rams' 20-17 win over the New Orleans Saints in 1989. Despite the mammoth total, Anderson's longest reception of the game was 50 yards, and he only recorded one touchdown.

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