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Let’s start with some trivia before moving to today’s post:

  • Only two quarterback-receiver pairs have ever topped the 10,000 yard mark. Can you name them?
    Hint: Show
  • Only two receivers (minimum: 7,000 yards) gained at least 93% of their career receiving yards from one quarterback. Do you know who they are?
    Hint: Show
  • Two of the men in the top ten in career receiving yards can credit the same quarterback account for more of their yards than any other passer. Can you name that quarterback?
    Hint Show
  • Can you name the receiver who gained over 10,000 yards in his career, but the quarterback from whom he gained the most yards was… Quincy Carter?
    Hint Show
  • Among the top twenty-five leaders in career receiving yards, can you guess which player was the only one to fail to catch at least 20% of his yards from a single quarterback?
    Hint Show

The table below lists the top 120 leaders in career receiving yards, along with all passers from whom they accumulated at least five percent of their total yards. [1]For players who played in the NFL prior to 1960, those games were excluded from the above table. Don Hutson, Elroy Hirsch and Billy Howton accumulated all (or in Howton’s case, the vast … Continue reading For visibility reasons, the table shows only the top 10, but you can cycle through the pages with the arrows at the bottom of the table, or search for your favorite receiver in the search box. You can also sort by any of the categories by simply clicking on the category header, and you can use the dropbox to change the number of receivers listed.

NameYearsYdsQB1QB2QB3QB4QB5QB6QB7
Jerry Rice1985-20042289537%-Steve Young27%-Joe Montana12%-Rich Gannon6%-Jeff Garcia5%-Elvis Grbac
Terrell Owens1996-20101593434%-Jeff Garcia20%-Tony Romo15%-Steve Young12%-Donovan McNabb6%-Carson Palmer
Isaac Bruce1994-20091520829%-Marc Bulger24%-Kurt Warner15%-Tony Banks9%-Chris Miller
Tim Brown1988-20041493432%-Rich Gannon26%-Jeff Hostetler12%-Jeff George9%-Jay Schroeder5%-Vince Evans
Randy Moss1998-20101485838%-Daunte Culpepper19%-Tom Brady10%-Randall Cunningham7%-Kerry Collins7%-Jeff George7%-Matt Cassel
Marvin Harrison1996-20081458087%-Peyton Manning8%-Jim Harbaugh
James Lofton1978-19931400445%-Lynn Dickey18%-Jim Kelly13%-David Whitehurst7%-Randy Wright5%-Marc Wilson
Cris Carter1987-20021389921%-Warren Moon20%-Randall Cunningham13%-Brad Johnson13%-Daunte Culpepper11%-Rich Gannon6%-Jeff George5%-Jim McMahon
Henry Ellard1983-19981377754%-Jim Everett18%-Gus Frerotte6%-Heath Shuler5%-Dieter Brock5%-Jeff Kemp
Torry Holt1999-20091338247%-Marc Bulger28%-Kurt Warner6%-Jamie Martin6%-Trent Green5%-David Garrard
Tony Gonzalez1997-20111333838%-Trent Green19%-Elvis Grbac16%-Matt Ryan11%-Damon Huard6%-Tyler Thigpen
Andre Reed1985-20001319871%-Jim Kelly9%-Doug Flutie7%-Todd Collins5%-Frank Reich
Steve Largent1976-19891308947%-Jim Zorn43%-Dave Krieg
Irving Fryar1984-20001278518%-Dan Marino12%-Steve Grogan12%-Ty Detmer10%-Hugh Millen9%-Tony Eason5%-Bobby Hoying5%-Rodney Peete
Art Monk1980-19951272136%-Joe Theismann29%-Mark Rypien16%-Jay Schroeder7%-Doug Williams
Jimmy Smith1992-20051228765%-Mark Brunell20%-Byron Leftwich5%-David Garrard
Charlie Joiner1969-19861214663%-Dan Fouts11%-Ken Anderson6%-Dan Pastorini5%-Ed Luther
Hines Ward1998-20111208351%-Ben Roethlisberger20%-Kordell Stewart18%-Tommy Maddox
Derrick Mason1997-20111206148%-Steve McNair24%-Joe Flacco10%-Kyle Boller7%-Billy Volek
Michael Irvin1988-19991190479%-Troy Aikman5%-Steve Beuerlein5%-Steve Pelluer
Don Maynard1958-19731183452%-Joe Namath14%-Al Dorow12%-Dick Wood6%-Johnny Green
Reggie Wayne2001-20111170890%-Peyton Manning
Muhsin Muhammad1996-20091143830%-Jake Delhomme28%-Steve Beuerlein10%-Rex Grossman7%-Kerry Collins6%-Rodney Peete6%-Kyle Orton5%-Chris Weinke
Rod Smith1995-20061138933%-Brian Griese28%-Jake Plummer22%-John Elway7%-Gus Frerotte
Keenan McCardell1992-20071137350%-Mark Brunell16%-Brad Johnson11%-Drew Brees8%-Vinny Testaverde
Chad Ochocinco2001-20111105966%-Carson Palmer27%-Jon Kitna
Joey Galloway1995-20101095014%-Quincy Carter13%-Warren Moon12%-Rick Mirer9%-Chris Simms8%-John Friesz8%-Brian Griese8%-Jeff Garcia
Gary Clark1985-19951085639%-Mark Rypien26%-Jay Schroeder10%-Steve Beuerlein9%-Doug Williams5%-Joe Theismann
Stanley Morgan1977-19901071655%-Steve Grogan27%-Tony Eason8%-Matt Cavanaugh
Keyshawn Johnson1996-20061057126%-Brad Johnson18%-Vinny Testaverde9%-Neil O'Donnell9%-Shaun King8%-Drew Bledsoe7%-Jake Delhomme6%-Glenn Foley
Harold Jackson1968-19831037223%-Steve Grogan15%-Norm Snead14%-James Harris10%-John Hadl10%-Pete Liske8%-Pat Haden6%-John Reaves
Steve Smith2001-20111027859%-Jake Delhomme13%-Cam Newton9%-Matt Moore8%-Rodney Peete
Lance Alworth1962-19721026669%-John Hadl13%-Tobin Rote
Andre Rison1989-20001020523%-Chris Miller14%-Rich Gannon11%-Bobby Hebert10%-Elvis Grbac9%-Jeff George6%-Billy Joe Tolliver6%-Jack Trudeau
Donald Driver1999-20111006067%-Brett Favre30%-Aaron Rodgers
Shannon Sharpe1990-20031006059%-John Elway8%-Brian Griese6%-Elvis Grbac5%-Jake Plummer
Eric Moulds1996-2007999530%-Drew Bledsoe25%-Doug Flutie14%-Rob Johnson7%-Alex Van Pelt6%-Kelly Holcomb5%-David Carr
Drew Hill1979-1993983169%-Warren Moon6%-Vince Ferragamo
Andre Johnson2003-2011965648%-Matt Schaub37%-David Carr10%-Sage Rosenfels
Larry Fitzgerald2004-2011961548%-Kurt Warner13%-Josh McCown11%-John Skelton10%-Matt Leinart7%-Kevin Kolb6%-Derek Anderson
Amani Toomer1996-2008949754%-Kerry Collins27%-Eli Manning7%-Kent Graham6%-Kurt Warner
Rob Moore1990-1999936824%-Jake Plummer23%-Boomer Esiason18%-Ken O’Brien12%-Kent Graham9%-Dave Krieg7%-Browning Nagle
Raymond Berry1955-1967927558%-Johnny Unitas5%-Gary Cuozzo
Anquan Boldin2003-2011924441%-Kurt Warner19%-Joe Flacco15%-Josh McCown11%-Matt Leinart11%-Jeff Blake
Herman Moore1991-2001917453%-Scott Mitchell12%-Charlie Batch11%-Rodney Peete7%-Erik Kramer6%-Dave Krieg5%-Andre Ware
Anthony Miller1988-1997914827%-John Elway18%-Stan Humphries13%-Billy Joe Tolliver13%-John Friesz9%-Jim McMahon7%-Troy Aikman
Santana Moss2001-2011914230%-Jason Campbell19%-Mark Brunell18%-Chad Pennington10%-Donovan McNabb9%-Rex Grossman5%-Vinny Testaverde
Charley Taylor1964-1977911067%-Sonny Jurgensen28%-Billy Kilmer
Tony Martin1990-2001906536%-Stan Humphries25%-Dan Marino16%-Chris Chandler
Harold Carmichael1971-1984898559%-Ron Jaworski24%-Roman Gabriel8%-Mike Boryla
Mark Clayton1983-1993897493%-Dan Marino
Fred Biletnikoff1965-1978897452%-Daryle Lamonica34%-Ken Stabler5%-George Blanda
Wes Chandler1978-1988896655%-Dan Fouts27%-Archie Manning6%-Ed Luther6%-Mark Herrmann
Roy Green1979-1992896566%-Neil Lomax9%-Timm Rosenbach8%-Jim Hart6%-Gary Hogeboom
Ricky Proehl1990-2006887815%-Jake Delhomme14%-Kurt Warner12%-Steve Beuerlein10%-Timm Rosenbach9%-Chris Chandler8%-Erik Kramer6%-Tom Tupa
Mark Duper1982-1992886995%-Dan Marino
Terry Glenn1996-2007882367%-Drew Bledsoe9%-Brett Favre8%-Quincy Carter8%-Tony Romo
Terance Mathis1990-2002880936%-Chris Chandler27%-Jeff George9%-Bobby Hebert8%-Ken O’Brien
Mark Carrier1987-1998876353%-Vinny Testaverde22%-Kerry Collins6%-Steve Beuerlein5%-Joe Ferguson
Joe Horn1996-2007874469%-Aaron Brooks9%-Jeff Blake8%-Drew Brees7%-Elvis Grbac
John Stallworth1974-1987872353%-Terry Bradshaw28%-Mark Malone10%-David Woodley
Johnnie Morton1994-2005871929%-Charlie Batch27%-Scott Mitchell22%-Trent Green7%-Gus Frerotte
Cliff Branch1972-1984868560%-Ken Stabler27%-Jim Plunkett6%-Marc Wilson
Laveranues Coles2000-2009860933%-Chad Pennington18%-Vinny Testaverde15%-Patrick Ramsey10%-Brett Favre6%-Carson Palmer5%-Mark Brunell5%-Brooks Bollinger
Paul Warfield1964-1977856532%-Bob Griese29%-Frank Ryan20%-Bill Nelsen7%-Brian Sipe5%-Earl Morrall
Billy Howton1952-1963845915%-Don Meredith12%-Eddie LeBaron
Plaxico Burress2000-2011845743%-Eli Manning24%-Tommy Maddox15%-Kordell Stewart8%-Ben Roethlisberger7%-Mark Sanchez
Tommy McDonald1957-1968841033%-Sonny Jurgensen14%-Roman Gabriel8%-Norm Van Brocklin7%-Bill Munson6%-Don Meredith5%-King Hill
Eddie Kennison1996-2007834555%-Trent Green15%-Tony Banks6%-Damon Huard6%-Billy Joe Tolliver
Wesley Walker1977-1989830648%-Richard Todd30%-Ken O’Brien13%-Matt Robinson9%-Pat Ryan
Carroll Dale1960-1973827738%-Bart Starr18%-Zeke Bratkowski11%-Roman Gabriel9%-Scott Hunter7%-Don Horn
Curtis Conway1993-2004823029%-Erik Kramer13%-Doug Flutie11%-Drew Brees8%-Dave Krieg6%-Ryan Leaf5%-Jim Harbaugh5%-Shane Matthews
Ernest Givins1986-1995821580%-Warren Moon10%-Cody Carlson
Jeff Graham1991-2001817222%-Neil O'Donnell21%-Erik Kramer14%-Jim Harbaugh9%-Doug Flutie8%-Steve Walsh7%-Ryan Leaf6%-Frank Reich
Eric Martin1985-1994816149%-Bobby Hebert15%-Steve Walsh11%-Dave Wilson10%-John Fourcade9%-Wade Wilson
Sterling Sharpe1988-1994813445%-Brett Favre38%-Don Majkowski6%-Mike Tomczak5%-Anthony Dilweg
Webster Slaughter1986-1998811151%-Bernie Kosar12%-Warren Moon7%-Cody Carlson6%-Steve Bono5%-Mike Pagel5%-Billy Joe Tolliver
Haven Moses1968-1981809130%-Craig Morton15%-Charley Johnson13%-Dennis Shaw11%-Steve Ramsey7%-Dan Darragh6%-Jack Kemp5%-Norris Weese
Art Powell1959-1968804636%-Tom Flores23%-Al Dorow19%-Cotton Davidson7%-Johnny Green
Bill Brooks1986-1996800131%-Jack Trudeau23%-Jim Kelly21%-Jeff George9%-Chris Chandler8%-Gary Hogeboom
Don Hutson1935-19457991
Tony Hill1977-1986798863%-Danny White23%-Roger Staubach5%-Gary Hogeboom5%-Steve Pelluer
Ozzie Newsome1978-1990798052%-Brian Sipe23%-Bernie Kosar18%-Paul McDonald
Bobby Mitchell1958-1968795441%-Sonny Jurgensen30%-Norm Snead12%-Milt Plum
Jackie Smith1963-1977791851%-Jim Hart33%-Charley Johnson
Jimmy Orr1958-1970791457%-Johnny Unitas10%-Earl Morrall5%-Bobby Layne
Jason Witten2003-2011790961%-Tony Romo12%-Vinny Testaverde12%-Drew Bledsoe8%-Jon Kitna
Drew Pearson1973-1983782267%-Roger Staubach29%-Danny White
Antonio Gates2003-2011778368%-Philip Rivers29%-Drew Brees
Bobby Engram1996-2009775152%-Matt Hasselbeck12%-Erik Kramer6%-Cade McNown6%-Steve Stenstrom5%-Seneca Wallace5%-Trent Dilfer
Anthony Carter1985-1995773343%-Wade Wilson23%-Tommy Kramer19%-Rich Gannon9%-Sean Salisbury
Chris Chambers2001-2010764831%-Jay Fiedler15%-Philip Rivers12%-Gus Frerotte10%-Matt Cassel6%-A.J. Feeley6%-Joey Harrington5%-Sage Rosenfels
Brian Blades1988-1998762036%-Rick Mirer32%-Dave Krieg8%-John Friesz6%-Jeff Kemp5%-Kelly Stouffer5%-Warren Moon
Nat Moore1974-1986754647%-Bob Griese28%-Dan Marino13%-Don Strock9%-David Woodley
Roy Jefferson1965-1976753931%-Billy Kilmer18%-Dick Shiner11%-Bill Nelsen8%-Kent Nix8%-Johnny Unitas8%-Sonny Jurgensen5%-Ron C. Smith
Gary Garrison1966-1977753872%-John Hadl13%-Dan Fouts5%-Jesse Freitas
Ed McCaffrey1991-2003742231%-Brian Griese31%-John Elway8%-Phil Simms7%-Gus Frerotte5%-Bubby Brister
Bob Hayes1965-1975741443%-Don Meredith35%-Craig Morton15%-Roger Staubach
Pete Retzlaff1956-1966741225%-Sonny Jurgensen25%-Norm Snead15%-King Hill10%-Norm Van Brocklin
Roddy White2005-2011737467%-Matt Ryan11%-Michael Vick10%-Joey Harrington9%-Chris Redman
Wayne Chrebet1995-2005736539%-Vinny Testaverde14%-Chad Pennington13%-Neil O'Donnell8%-Ray Lucas7%-Glenn Foley7%-Frank Reich6%-Boomer Esiason
Otis Taylor1965-1974730679%-Len Dawson11%-Mike Livingston7%-Pete Beathard
Boyd Dowler1959-1971727064%-Bart Starr10%-Zeke Bratkowski7%-Don Horn
Antonio Freeman1995-2003725191%-Brett Favre6%-Donovan McNabb
T.J. Houshmandzadeh2001-2011723760%-Carson Palmer12%-Jon Kitna10%-Matt Hasselbeck8%-Ryan Fitzpatrick5%-Joe Flacco
Wes Welker2004-2011722668%-Tom Brady16%-Matt Cassel5%-Joey Harrington5%-Gus Frerotte
Lionel Taylor1959-1968719534%-Frank Tripucka17%-Mickey Slaughter12%-John McCormick11%-Jacky Lee7%-George Herring5%-Don Breaux
Darrell Jackson2000-2008713263%-Matt Hasselbeck13%-Trent Dilfer8%-Jon Kitna5%-Seneca Wallace
Carl Pickens1992-2000712965%-Jeff Blake12%-Neil O'Donnell8%-David Klingler
Ken Burrough1970-1981710272%-Dan Pastorini9%-Ken Stabler6%-Lynn Dickey
Isaac Curtis1973-1984710187%-Ken Anderson5%-Jack Thompson
Reggie Rucker1970-1981706555%-Brian Sipe25%-Jim Plunkett9%-Mike Phipps
John Gilliam1967-1977705645%-Fran Tarkenton26%-Jim Hart8%-Charley Johnson6%-Billy Kilmer5%-Pete Beathard
Elroy Hirsch1946-19577029
Shawn Jefferson1991-2003702342%-Drew Bledsoe25%-Stan Humphries14%-Chris Chandler6%-Michael Vick
Pat Tilley1976-1986700553%-Jim Hart41%-Neil Lomax
Jake Reed1991-2002699940%-Warren Moon28%-Brad Johnson11%-Randall Cunningham5%-Aaron Brooks5%-Jeff George
J.T. Smith1978-1990697440%-Neil Lomax18%-Steve Fuller13%-Bill Kenney10%-Gary Hogeboom8%-Cliff Stoudt
Derrick Alexander1994-2002697138%-Vinny Testaverde36%-Elvis Grbac9%-Rich Gannon7%-Trent Green5%-Eric Zeier
Marshall Faulk1994-2005687538%-Kurt Warner19%-Jim Harbaugh13%-Peyton Manning12%-Marc Bulger

I’m sure a lot of you could spend hours playing around with that table. One fun thing to do is type in a quarterback and see which receivers come up. Vinny Testaverde brings up 8 different names; Kurt Warner brings seven. Jeff George gives you Bill Brooks, who entered the league in 1986, and Randy Moss (1998). You can connect Sterling Sharpe to Laveranues Coles through Brett Favre.

Not only have Manning and Harrison, and Manning and Wayne, topped the 10,000 yard mark, but they can look natural in any setting.

What about those trivia questions? Peyton Manning connected on over 10,000 [2]Note that these numbers are not exact, but are as close as you can get with individual game (but not play by play) data. In each game, I calculated what percentage of passing yards were generated by … Continue reading yards of passes with both Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Interestingly enough, the two wide receivers who were most dependent on their quarterback? Miami receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper both spent nearly their entire careers catching passes from Dan Marino.

Did you know that both Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt gained more yards with Marc Bulger than they did with Kurt Warner? Holt and Bruce are both in the top ten in career receiving yards.

Of course, one of the more interesting ways to use the above data is to see which receivers have been stuck with bad quarterbacks their whole career. Doug Drinen and I are sympathetic to the plight of Joey Galloway. Quincy Carter, a 41- and 42-year old Warren Moon, Rick Mirer, Chris Simms, John Friesz, Brian Griese and Jeff Garcia were the quarterbacks on whom he depended. In addition to Galloway, Harold Jackson, Andre Rison and Keyshawn Johnson all gained 6% of their receiving yards from seven different quarterbacks.

Let us know in the comments what you find most interesting.

References

References
1 For players who played in the NFL prior to 1960, those games were excluded from the above table. Don Hutson, Elroy Hirsch and Billy Howton accumulated all (or in Howton’s case, the vast majority) of their stats prior to 1960 and were therefore excluded. Raymond Berry (64%), Pete Retzlaff (78%), Tommy McDonald (80%), Jimmy Orr (81%), Boyd Dowler (92%), Bobby Mitchell (94%), Don Maynard (99%) and Lionel Taylor (99.99%) accumulated the majority of their receiving yards after 1960, and were included. However, their stats on quarterback data only focuses on their performances beginning in 1960.
2 Note that these numbers are not exact, but are as close as you can get with individual game (but not play by play) data. In each game, I calculated what percentage of passing yards were generated by each team’s quarterback. Usually, 100% of the passing yards were by one quarterback, but obviously there were exceptions. If a quarterback threw for 300 yards and the team had 400 gross passing yards, then for each receiver, 75% of his yards would be assigned to the first quarterback, and 25% to the second.
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