Randy Moss is the most talented wide receiver in the history of football. That's right, I said it. I'll go even further. Even with the tumultuous seasons in Oakland, he still has the potential to be the greatest receiver ever. Yes, better than Jerry Rice.
Talent and accomplishments are certainly different. In terms of God-given talent, Randy Moss is the holiest receiver the NFL has ever seen, and it's not even close. Moss is faster than Rice; he jumps higher; he has better hands; and he's taller and stronger.
After scouting Moss in high school, legendary coach Lou Holtz said Moss was just "a bigger Deion Sanders." Statistically, Rice is, without question, the most accomplished wideout in the history of the game. But as long as Tom Brady's new favorite target is streaking down the sidelines in Foxboro, some, if not most, of Rice's records will fall.
Rice's statistics are absolutely ridiculous. In 20 seasons, Rice had 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards and 197 touchdowns. But he also had two Hall of Fame quarterbacks for 14 of those seasons, and very talented running backs in Roger Craig, Ricky Watters, Charlie Garner and Garrison Hearst. Randy Moss entered the league in 1998 and has played with the likes of Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Aaron Brooks and Kerry Collins. Not exactly Joe Montana or Steve Young.
That being said, Moss still set an NFL record for receptions in his first six seasons with 525. He is the only wide receiver in NFL history to record 1,000-yard seasons in his first six years. In addition, Moss beat Rice's yardage record for the most receiving yards in his first six seasons: 8,375 yards to 7,866.
If I'm the GM of a team with a quarterback like Young or Brady, and Moss and Rice are both on the free agent market and in their primes, I'd take Moss every time. I know he can pout like a baby when the times get tough. I know he'll take plays off. I know all of his off-the-field shenanigans.
Yet when he's winning, Moss is the most unstoppable force the NFL has ever seen. Now in his tenth season, Moss has 50 100-yard games, compared to 76 in Rice's 20 seasons. Moss already has108 touchdowns, compared to Rice's 197. And the Marshall product has 11,205 receiving yards, compared to Rice's 22,895.
On top of all of this, Moss was probably happy for six or seven of those seasons, because frankly, who could be happy with Andrew Walter?
Some argue that Rice is the best ever in terms of running after the catch. Well, Moss doesn't have to do that because he's already in the end zone. Rice may have been a better route runner; he may have been a better blocker. But when happy and healthy, no one in history is as good as Moss - not Monk, Swann, Brown, Harrison and not Rice.
Randy Moss is 31 years old. Jerry Rice played until he was 42. If Moss plays 11 more seasons, he'd have to average eight TDs per year to catch Rice. Tough, but possible. Moss would have to average 1062 yards per season to equal Rice's total. Again, tough, but possible.
If Moss can stay healthy, and there's no reason to believe he can't, he will continue to burn NFL defensive backs for years to come. With Tom Brady under center, Randy Moss will absolutely be considered not only the most talented wide receiver ever, but also simply the greatest.
