NFL HOF Spotlight: Randy Moss

This NFL Hall of Fame spotlight focuses on one of the all-time best wide receivers—Randy Moss. For a guy Moss’ size, his speed and athleticism were simply unreal. Having his best moments with the Minnesota Vikings and the New England Patriots, Moss built a reputation for making impossible catches look easy. Like an artist on the field, he weaved magic with every play, creating so many unforgettable moments.

In this article, you’ll learn about why many consider Moss a once-in-a-generation talent.

How Moss Became Moss

Born in Rand, West Virginia, young Moss burst onto the gridiron, starring for the DuPont High School football team. His eye-catching displays made him most wanted by all the top colleges. 

However, a series of not-so-pleasant events made him end up at Marshall University. In just his first year there, he shattered several records. He quickly established himself as a feared offensive player and a household name in college football. In 1997, he earned the MAC Player of the Year award and was named All-American.

Going into the draft, scouts rated Moss a high first-round pick. The Vikings were the first to make the move, selecting him as the 21st overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.

Professional Football Career

Moss’s professional career probably couldn’t have started better than it did. Playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first game, Moss caught four passes for 95 yards, scoring two touchdowns. He followed up that fine performance with several other brilliant ones, establishing himself as a key player in the Vikings’ offense.

Before Moss’s arrival, the Vikings’ offense only managed 354 points in the 1997 season, sitting at 11th in that category. Moss, in just his rookie season, led the team to finish as the top-rated offense in the league. They amassed 556 points—a record-breaking feat for the highest single-season scoring at the time.

Moss so elevated the Vikings performances that they finished with a near-perfect 15-1 record. He finished the season with 17 touchdown receptions—the highest in the league that season, and the highest ever by a rookie in a single season.

For his excellent work in 1998, he won the NFL Offensive Rookie Player of the Year. He also earned his first of six Pro Bowl selections and made it into the First-team All-Pro that season.

Moss vowed to make the teams that passed on him in the draft regret their decision—and he did just that. However, the Dallas Cowboys seemed to top that revenge-mission list.

On his first meeting against them, he dominated the scoring chart. He scored on all three of his catches, each surpassing 50 yards. In a total of 7 games against Dallas all through his career, Moss registered 35 catches for 662 yards, scoring ten touchdowns.

Unforgettable Moments

Moss’s career was littered with breathtaking displays that sent shivers down the spine of everyone fortunate enough to witness them. One of those incredible plays was his leaping catch against the Green Bay Packers in 1998.

Moss found himself surrounded by three Packers defenders on 3rd and 8 as a pass flew toward him. With a leap that left the defenders star-gazing, Moss snatched the ball right from under their noses, causing two of the defenders to collide with each other.

Another out-of-this-world display came in Week 2 of the 2010 season while in Patriots colours. The Patriots found themselves in a keenly contested AFC East clash with the New York Jets. With the game tied at 7 late in the first half, the Patriots were driving at the Jets’ 34-yard line. Tom Brady then launched a pass toward the end zone, aiming for Moss.

Moss shockingly beat 25-year-old Pro Bowl cornerback, Darrelle Revis to it. But it was his graceful one-handed stretch to catch the pass that blew everyone’s mind. Moss casually reached for the ball to secure the touchdown. He didn’t jump—he didn’t fall to the ground. He simply plucked the ball out of the air, making an incredible catch look so simple.

But beyond his acrobatic catches and lightning speed, Moss was also strong. He had a way of claiming catches in tight coverage by overpowering defenders with his physicality. He was so good at it that the term, “Mossed,” was coined in his honor.

Comeback Player of the Year

Moss’s career dwindled considerably after the Vikings traded him to the Oakland Raiders in 2005. But when the Patriots snatched him via a trade in 2007, he was back in business.

His combination with Brady was a match made in heaven. That season, Moss finished as the league’s leader in touchdown receptions. With Moss as a major contributor, the Patriots’ offense scored 589 points in 2007. This broke the single-season scoring record initially set by the Moss-led Vikings offense in 1998.

Deservedly, he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year for the 2007 season. Moss and the Patriots progressed into Super Bowl XLII but fell to the New York Giants. In the following two seasons, Moss remained a key figure in the Patriots’ roster.

In 2010, he returned to Minnesota before the Tennessee Titans claimed him off waivers after only four regular season games for the Vikings. Moss spent his final professional season with the San Francisco 49ers, where he featured in his second Super Bowl match.

Throughout his 14-season career, Moss caught 982 passes for 15,292 yards, scoring 156 touchdowns.

Career Achievements

Moss boasts an exceptional football career. He currently holds the NFL record for the most receiving touchdowns in a season (23). His record for scoring the highest receiving touchdowns in a rookie season also remains unbroken to date.

Moss’s exceptional talent for scoring touchdown receptions allowed him to lead the league in that category an impressive five times. The six-time Pro Bowler earned First-team All-Pro selections four times in his career.

He has earned several recognitions including spots in the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team.

Moss was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

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