Wide
Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
Age: 21
College: Marshall
Height: 6’4” Weight: 210
Prelude:
Moss was a
two-time All-American in college, catching 174 passes for 3529 yards (20.3
avg.) and 54 touchdowns in just two seasons. However, he had legal problems
that had forced his dismissal from Florida State and, while an outstanding
talent, fell to the Vikings with the 21st pick in the first round.
Big and fast, he became part of a highly productive wide receiving tandem in
Minnesota along with Cris Carter.
1998 Season Summary
Appeared in
all 16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 69
[16, tied with Larry Centers, Raghib Ismail & Johnnie Morton]
Most
receptions, game – 8 (for 153 yds.) vs. Green Bay 11/22, (for 106 yds.) vs.
Chicago 12/6
Yards – 1313
[3]
Most yards,
game - 190 (on 5 catches) at Green Bay 10/5
Average gain
– 19.0 [5]
TDs – 17 [1]
100-yard
receiving games – 4
Rushing
Attempts – 1
Yards – 4
TDs – 0
Punt Returns
Returns – 1
Yards – 0
Scoring
TDs – 17 [2,
tied with Fred Taylor, 1st in NFC]
2-pt PATs – 2
[1, tied with four others]
Points – 106 [14]
Postseason: 2 G
Pass
receptions – 10
Most pass
receptions, game – 6 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship
Pass
receiving yards – 148
Most
receiving yards, game – 75 vs. Atlanta, NFC Championship
Average yards
per reception – 14.8
Pass
Receiving TDs - 2
Awards & Honors:
NFL Rookie of
the Year: Sporting News
NFL Offensive
Rookie of the Year: AP, PFWA
1st
team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News
1st
team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Vikings went
15-1 to finish first in the NFC Central with the conference’s best record while
leading the NFL in passing yards (4328), scoring (556 points), and touchdowns
(64). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Arizona Cardinals (41-21). Defeated for
NFC Championship by Atlanta Falcons (30-27).
Aftermath:
Moss went on
to have seven highly productive seasons in Minnesota, going over a thousand
yards in six of them (with a high of 1632 in 2003) and reaching a hundred
catches twice. He led the NFL in TD receptions again in 2000 (15) and ’03 (17),
was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection in both of those years, and was
selected to five Pro Bowls. But with all of his tremendous talent, he drew
criticism for being a prima donna and a lack of consistent effort. Following an
injury-plagued 2004 season, Moss was dealt to the Raiders, where he had two
relatively quiet years. Moving on to New England, he was sensational in a 2007
season in which he set a NFL record with 23 TD receptions. He played two more
years with the Patriots, again topping the NFL in TD catches with 13 in 2009,
but was dealt to the Vikings during the 2010 season and finished up the year in
Tennessee. Initially retiring, he returned to play for the 49ers in 2012.
Overall, he caught 982 passes for 15,292 yards, which rank third all-time in
NFL history, and for a fourth-ranked 157 touchdowns (one TD came on a punt
return). He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection four times and was selected
to six Pro Bowls.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise
Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league
itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
[Updated 11/30/14]
[Updated 11/30/14]
