The best wide receivers of all-time are any Quarterbacks dream. They are the safety blanket that never drops a ball as they usually pair their elite athleticism with automatic hands. This list is based off the best WRs overall statline, talent, and impact on the teams they were apart of. These are the top 10 Wide Receivers in NFL history.
Top 10 Wide Receivers in NFL History – Honorable Mention Julio Jones
Honorable Mention – Julio Jones
By the time Julio Jones finishes his career he will be on this list. As he ages it seems he’s breaking a brand new record for youngest receiver to do X.
If this list was based off pure talent, he may have even made the top 5. Antonio Brown has talked about how he his better than Julio Jones and has the stats to back it, but he’s wrong.
Not only does Julio Jones pass the eye test, he is also an amazing teammate. Whether it’s him waiting for a new contract or after a game where he didn’t get targeted enough, you never hear Julio Jones complain or throw any teammate under the bus. He is all about winning and I love him for it.
Best Wide Receivers Ever – #10 Michael Irvin
#10 – Michael Irvin
It’s easy to discount Irvin in the conversation of top 10 Wide Receivers ever because his stats are underwhelming at face value. This is a case of stats not telling the whole story. If Michael Irvin didn’t get injured, he would have padded his already impressive statline and played well past 33 years old when he retired.
Irvin loved to trash talk and that makes people forget how hard he worked on his craft. America’s Team would have never been the same without him. He was Troy Aikman’s security blanket who he relied on heavily.
His best season and one of the best seasons ever for a Wide Receiver was in 1995. He finished with 1603 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns with eleven 100+ yard games. He was also just 38 yards shy of 8 consecutive 1000 yard seasons.
Top 10 Wide Receivers in NFL History – #9 Steve Largent
#9 – Steve Largent
Steve Largent is far from your typical prototype wide receiver. He was never the fastest or strongest guy on the field, but don’t get it twisted. This man was born to play football.
Largent was an unbelievable route runner. He had 10 different ways to run ever route and had the glue hands to compliment. Many argue he had the best hands in NFL history and he this was a guy who never wore gloves. The sticky gloves nowadays are a crutch compared to those using their bare hands. Everything thrown his way would get caught and he never had an elite Quarterback throwing him the football.
When he retired from the NFL, he held the records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns. In other words, when he retired he was the most accomplished Wide Receiver ever.
One of my favourite plays of Steve Largent is when he was overthrown and was picked off by the safety. This same safety happened to be the same guy to injure Largent in the previous matchup. Instead of giving up on the play, Steve Largent hunted him down 50 yards down field and delivered one of the biggest hits ever forcing and recovering the football. You can’t teach a high motor, and you can’t teach heart. You either have it or you don’t. Steve Largent was all in on every play.
