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Archive for August 1st, 2011


Randy Moss Was Great, But Could He Have Been Even Better? 4

Posted on August 01, 2011 by Dean Hybl

When he was at his best, Randy Moss was as good as any receiver in NFL history.

In a hectic week that included a lot of surprises, perhaps one of the biggest is that wide receiver Randy Moss has decided to retire after 13 seasons, rather than join what would have been his fourth team in the last year.

Anyone who saw Moss toward the end of last season may have thought he was already retired, but just within the last couple weeks his agent, Joel Segal, said that Moss was in great shape and ready to prove that he could still be an NFL star.

Even at the age of 34, there was no reason to doubt that if he was completely dedicated that Moss couldn’t regain the prowess that made him the NFL’s most dominant receiver at two different stretches during his NFL career.

It is interesting that while his contemporaries at receiver like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco have always craved the spotlight and don’t seem interested in giving it up anytime soon, Moss has never been an overly vocal player and now, assuming that the reports are accurate, is quietly retreating into the shadows.

Just looking at his career statistics, 954 receptions (8th all-time),  14,858 receiving yards (5th), 153 touchdowns (2nd), it is obvious that he is one of the finest receivers of all-time.

Yet, knowing that there were occasions throughout his career that he wasn’t giving it everything he had on every play, you can’t help but wonder how much better he could have been.

Given his unbelievable physical tools, what might Moss have accomplished had he possessed the work ethic of all-time greats like Raymond Berry or Jerry Rice?

I believe the answer is that we would be talking about Moss, instead of Rice, as the greatest receiver of all-time. Read the rest of this entry →

  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Harold Jackson: Unsung Star WR
      December 12, 2024 | 4:24 pm

      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in NFL history, despite boasting a career that spanned 16 seasons and saw him excel as one of the league’s premier deep threats. Known for his speed, route-running, and ability to make plays downfield, Harold Jackson left an indelible mark on the game during an era that was not yet pass-heavy. Standing at 5’10” and weighing 175 pounds, he defied expectations of size to become a dominant force on the field. Over the course of his illustrious career (1968–1983), Jackson totaled 10,372 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns, placing him among the top receivers of his time.

      Read more »

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