List of the Day: Best Pass Receiving Seasons, 1940s NFL

Tom Fears

TOP 10 RECEPTIONS
1- Tom Fears, 1949 Los Angeles Rams
77 rec., 1013 yds., 13.2 avg., 9 TD

2- Don Hutson, 1942 Green Bay Packers
74 rec., 1211 yds., 16.4 avg., 17 TD

3- Bob Mann, 1949 Detroit Lions
66 rec., 1014 yds., 15.4 avg., 4 TD

4- Jim Keane, 1947 Chicago Bears
64 rec., 910 yds., 14.2 avg., 10 TD

5- Jim Benton, 1946 Los Angeles Rams
63 rec., 981 yds., 15.6 avg., 6 TD

6(tied)- Don Looney, 1940 Philadelphia Eagles
58 rec., 707 yds., 12.2 avg., 4 TD

6(tied)- Don Hutson, 1941 Green Bay Packers
58 rec., 738 yds., 12.7 avg., 10 TD

6(tied)- Don Hutson, 1944 Green Bay Packers
58 rec., 866 yds., 14.9 avg., 9 TD

9- Bill Chipley, 1949 New York Bulldogs
57 rec., 631 yds., 11.1 avg., 2 TD

10-Tom Fears, 1948 Los Angeles Rams
51 rec., 698 yds., 13.7 avg., 4 TD


Don Hutson


Bill Chipley

BEST BY FRANCHISES NOT IN TOP 10
New York Giants: Bill Swiacki, 1949
47 rec., 652 yds., 13.9 avg., 4 TD

Washington Redskins: Bob Nussbaumer, 1947
47 rec., 597 yds., 12.7 avg., 4 TD

Chicago Cardinals: Mal Kutner, 1947
43 rec., 944 yds., 22.0 avg., 7 TD

Pittsburgh Steelers: Val Jansante, 1948
39 rec., 623 yds., 16.0 avg., 3 TD

Boston Yanks: Hal Crisler, 1946*
32 rec., 385 yds., 12.0 avg., 5 TD

Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers: Perry Schwartz, 1941**
25 rec., 362 yds., 14.5 avg., 2 TD

* Yanks played from 1944-48
**Brooklyn folded after 1944 season


Bill Swiacki

TOP 10 YARDS
1- Don Hutson, 1942 Green Bay Packers
1211 yds., 74 rec., 16.4 avg., 17 TD

2- Jim Benton, 1945 Cleveland Rams
1067 yds., 45 rec., 23.7 avg., 8 TD

3- Bob Mann, 1949 Detroit Lions
1014 yds., 66 rec., 15.4 avg., 4 TD

4- Tom Fears, 1949 Los Angeles Rams
1013 yds., 77 rec., 13.2 avg., 9 TD

5- Jim Benton, 1946 Los Angeles Rams
981 yds., 63 rec., 15.6 avg., 6 TD

6- Mal Kutner, 1947 Chicago Cardinals
944 yds., 43 rec., 22.0 avg., 7 TD

7- Mal Kutner, 1948 Chicago Cardinals
943 yds., 41 rec., 23.0 avg., 14 TD

8- Jim Keane, 1947 Chicago Bears
910 yds., 64 rec., 14.2 avg., 10 TD

9- Don Hutson, 1944 Green Bay Packers
866 yds., 58 rec., 14.9 avg., 9 TD

10-Don Hutson, 1945 Green Bay Packers
834 yds., 47 rec., 17.7 avg., 9 TD


Mal Kutner

BEST BY FRANCHISES NOT IN TOP 10
Boston Yanks: Don Currivan, 1947*
782 yds., 24 rec., 32.6 avg., 9 TD

Washington Redskins: Hugh Taylor, 1949
781 yds., 45 rec., 17.4 avg., 9 TD

Philadelphia Eagles: Pete Pihos, 1948
766 yds., 46 rec., 16.7 avg., 11 TD

New York Giants: Gene Roberts, 1949
711 yds., 35 rec., 20.3 avg., 8 TD

Pittsburgh Steelers: Elbie Nickel, 1949
633 yds., 26 rec., 24.3 avg., 3 TD

New York Bulldogs: Bill Chipley, 1949**
631 yds., 57 rec., 11.1 avg., 2 TD

Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers: Perry Schwartz, 1940***
370 yds., 21 rec., 17.6 avg., 3 TD

* Yanks played from 1944-48
** Bulldogs records for 1949 only
***Brooklyn folded after 1944 season


Hugh Taylor


Pete Pihos


Elbie Nickel