In the 2023 season, Tyreek Hill had his sights set on breaking Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving record. For most of the season, he led the league in receiving yards. However, an ankle injury in Week 14 limited his production and ultimately kept him out of Week 15, leaving him 165 yards short of Johnson’s record of 1,964 yards set in 2012. Before Johnson, Jerry Rice held the record with 1,848 yards for 17 years.
Despite falling short of breaking the record, Hill’s performance brought attention to the possibility of records being surpassed in the new 17-game era. Cooper Kupp of the Rams came closest in 2021 with 1,947 yards in 17 games. Johnson acknowledges that it is only a matter of time before his record is surpassed due to the increased focus on offense in the NFL.
According to Johnson, staying healthy for the full 17-game season is key to breaking records. He emphasized that players must be able to play every game to maximize their opportunities for putting up big numbers. With an extra game now in play, players have more chances to accumulate yards and surpass records in the future.
