5 current NFL players with 10,000+ receiving yards ft. DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones and more
It seems impossible for anybody to catch up to Jerry Rice's NFL record of 22,895 receiving yards. Rice is over 5,000 yards clear of second-place Larry Fitzgerald and may be out of reach for today's players.
However, that may not be the case. With the pass-heavy nature of the modern game, a talented young player could hypothetically catch Rice, if they stay in the right situation and are lucky with injuries.
The current era is producing hall-of-fame receivers, and five of those players have recorded over 10,000 receiving yards along the way.
5 current NFL players in the 10,000 club
#1, Julio Jones: 13,629
The end of the road might be near for this historic wide receiver as he is now a free agent at the age of 34. Julio Jones has amassed 13,629 receiving yards in 11 years across three teams, most of which of course came for the Atlanta Falcons. Jones has made the Pro Bowl on seven different occasions, and an All-pro twice.
Jones has only played 29 games in the last three years, and his big move to the Titans ended in disappointment as he only had 400 yards in ten games. Julio Jones joined Tom Brady in Tampa last season and had a measly 299 receiving yards. It feels like his era of dominance has unfortunately come to a close.
#2, DeAndre Hopkins: 11,298
It is quite a hot topic right now where DeAndre Hopkins is heading after he and the Cardinals parted ways. Hopkins's 11,298 yards are 36th all-time for receiving yards. Julio Jones may be at the end of his journey but "DHop" still has time.
After eight seasons of playing at least 15 games each campaign, Hopkins has only played 10 and nine games in each of the last two seasons. Hopefully, Deandre Hopkins will steer clear of any suspension trouble or injuries and record a couple more 1,000+ receiving seasons.
#3, DeSean Jackson: 11,263
The deep-threat machine is only a couple of yards off DeAndre Hopkins. DeSean Jackson is now a free agent after several years of one-year pit stops at the Raiders, Rams and Ravens.
Jackson had a 62-yard reception last year even at the age of 36. Few players have ever been so dominant running down the field as Desean Jackson, who had a very impressive 22.5 yards per reception in 2010.
We will have to see if Jackson gets another go in the NFL, but he will always be remembered as one of the NFL's quickest players.
#4, Mike Evans: 10,425
With Tom Brady's retirement, Mike Evans may have to depart from making the playoffs as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look to rebuild. Evans is 29 years old and has played at least 13 games in each of his nine NFL seasons.
Evans is potentially the current player with 10,000 yards currently who will come closest to Jerry Rice.
Mike Evans has amassed 1,000+ yards in all nine seasons, making the Pro Bowl four times along the way. Evans's contract does expire in 2024, so he may very well find a new team, but with his track record, you figure he will be safe for 1,000+ yards.
#5, Travis Kelce: 10,344
One of the NFL's most colorful characters is one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Travis Kelce has enjoyed two Super Bowl wins since Patrick Mahomes was drafted to Kansas City.
Seven straight seasons breaking 1,000+ yards have cemented Kelce in the 10,000 receiving yards club. He is the only active tight end with that honor and is leading the charge for changing the monetary value of his position.
The eight-time Pro Bowler is a superstar and with Patrick Mahomes under center, the 33-year-old should still have a few more good seasons ahead of him in Kansas City.