2023-09-12 10:36:00
The 2023 NFL season has started. The superstars have 17 games in the regular season to clinch a playoff spot – and break a few records along the way. SPOX shows the most important single-season records in NFL history.
Don’t forget: Only since 2021 has a regular season consisted of 17 games. From 1978 to 2020 there were 16 games, before that 14 games (1961-1977).
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NFL records in a season: Most passing yards
Peyton Manning – 5.477.
While serving for the Broncos, Manning achieved this record in his last MVP season (five in total) in 2013 – the equivalent of 342.3 yards per game. He beat Drew Brees’ previous record by exactly one yard.
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NFL records in a season: Most touchdown passes
Peyton Manning – 55.
Also in 2013, Manning also broke Tom Brady’s record of 50 touchdowns from 2007. Patrick Mahomes then also had 50 TDs in the 2018 season.
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NFL records in a season: Most pass attempts
Tom Brady – 733.
In his final NFL season, the most successful quarterback in history threw more passes than ever before. And at the age of 45. That’s over 43 passes per game. 490 passes arrived, also a record.
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NFL records in a season: Most interceptions
Peyton Manning – 28.
And another record for the “Sheriff”: In his rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts, 28 of his passes ended up with the opponent.
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NFL Records in a Season: Most Rushing Attempts
Larry Johnson – 416.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson got this proud number of running attempts in the 2006 season. He racked up 1,789 yards and reached the playoffs with the Chiefs (9-7).
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NFL records in a season: Most touchdowns
LaDainian Tomlinson – 31.
The running back had perhaps the best season ever for a running back in 2006. The eventual MVP had 28 rushing touchdowns and caught three more for the San Diego Chargers. 186 points scored in a season (six points per touchdown) is also a record.
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NFL single-season records: Most rushing yards
Eric Dickerson – 2.105.
In 1984, Dickerson set the record for the Los Angeles Rams. The closest was Adrian Peterson in 2012 with 2,097 yards.
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NFL records in a season: Most receptions / passes caught
Michael Thomas – 149.
Thomas signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2019 that made him the highest-paid receiver at the time. He justified that with 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. At the end of the season he won the Offensive Player of the Year award.
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NFL records in a season: Most receiving yards
Calvin Johnson – 1.964.
“Megatron” cemented his status as the best wide receiver in the NFL and narrowly missed the magical mark of 2,000 receiving yards in the Detroit Lions jersey. He was the only player in the Super Bowl era to have over 120 receiving yards per game.
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NFL records in a season: Most receiving touchdowns
Randy Moss – 23.
In his first season with the New England Patriots, Moss dominated the league alongside quarterback Tom Brady. The Patriots remained undefeated in the regular season and were only stopped by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
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NFL single-season records: Most all-purpose yards
Darren Sproles – 2.696.
This term summarizes all yards achieved (i.e. rushing and receiving yards, plus return yards from interceptions, punts, kickoffs and fumble returns). Running back and return specialist Sproles shone as a Swiss army knife for New Orleans in the 2011 season. On average, he gained 168.5 yards in each game.
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NFL records in a season: Most field goals
David Akers – 44.
The San Francisco 49ers kicker was allowed to attempt field goals 52 times in the 2011 season and converted 44 attempts. Both are still records to this day. Strong: On field goals of at least 50 yards, seven of nine found their target.
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NFL records in a season: Most sacks
Michael Strahan and TJ Watt – 22.5.
In 2001, the man with the famous gap in his teeth was unstoppable for the New York Giants. In 2021, Watt filled in for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he played 17 games this season, he was only used 15 times.
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NFL records in a season: Most sacks by a quarterback
David Carr – 76.
Carr was selected with the first pick in the 2002 draft by the Houston Texans, an expansion team. So there wasn’t much talent yet – and Carr was running for his life. The opposing pass rushers got through to him almost five times per game.
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NFL records in a season: Most interceptions caught
Richard Lane – 14.
Dick “Night Train” Lane caught 14 passes from opponents in the twelve games of the season in his rookie season for the Los Angeles Rams. He converted two of them into touchdowns. He also holds the record for best nickname.
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NFL records in a season: Most fumbles
Kerry Collins and Daunte Culpepper – 23 each.
Quarterback Kerry Collins lost the ball 23 times for the New York Giants in 2001, and the G-Men missed the playoffs (7-9). A year later, Culpepper repeated the feat with the Minnesota Vikings.
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NFL records in a season: Most punts
Chad Stanley and Bob Parsons – 114 each.
Like David Carr, Stanley was allowed to play for the Houston Texans expansion team, so his 114 punts aren’t really surprising. However, he only equaled Bob Parsons’ record from 1981, when he was with the Chicago Bears.
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NFL records in a season: Most return touchdowns
Devin Hester – 6.
In 2007, the return specialist in the Chicago Bears jersey returned six returns for touchdowns: four of them were punts, and he succeeded twice on kickoffs. As a wide receiver, he contributed two more touchdowns.
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NFL single-season records: Most tackles
Hardy Nickerson – 214.
In 1993, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker racked up an impressive 214 tackles, almost 13.4 per game. He was rewarded with a Pro Bowl appearance and an All-Pro nomination.
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