I wouldn’t imagine that anybody is in a particularly celebratory mode following a loss like today’s that is more difficult to bear than normal, but we would be remiss if we did not cover the fact that during today’s game, Antonio Brown became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 650 receptions in his career.
Antonio Brown has set an NFL record for the fewest games to 650 receptions with his second today in his 104th game. pic.twitter.com/4kLSukn0Im
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 24, 2017
He also surpassed Hall of Fame wide receiver John Stallworth for the second-most receiving yards in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise, now only looking up at Hines Ward at 12,083. It will take Brown a few more seasons before he can hope to reach that, but the pace he is on suggests he has a very good chance of surpassing it and then some.
With that catch, @AB84 has passed John Stallworth for the 2nd-most receiving yards in #SteelersHistory. pic.twitter.com/aPjY6oOyo7
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 24, 2017
Brown will also set his sights on Ward’s franchise record of 1000 receptions, a statistic in which he has been in second place since about the middle of last season, when he surpassed Heath Miller’s 592. Stallworth’s 537 receptions are the fourth-most in franchise history.
Following a 10-reception day, on which he picked up 110 receiving yards and his first touchdown, Brown stands at 26 receptions on the season through three games. It is also his second game of the season in which he caught at least 10 passes.
Brown entered the day with 648 receptions in his career, and he now stands at 658. In doing so, he moved past Charley Taylor and Bobby Engram to move up to 53rd all-time in reception in league history, with Ozzie Newsome his next target. He could move into the top 50 with a 12-reception game next week.
Considering the fact that Brown had ‘just’ 236 receptions over the course of his first 50 games, the fact that he has reached 650 receptions in 104 total games played is remarkable, which means that he has caught 414 passes over the course of his last 54, an average of 7.7 receptions per game over a three-plus year period.
The previous record for the fastest player to reach 650 career receptions was Marvin Harrison, a recent inductee into the Hall of Fame, who did so in 107 games. Anquan Boldin, who was the fastest player to 500 receptions, reached 650 in his 111th game, while Andre Johnson and Brandon Marshall did so in their 112th and 113th games, respectively.
That list is good company, for sure, and all four of those other players listed got off to much faster starts to their careers. Brown, as a sixth-round draft pick, started his days deep on the depth chart, and only began to see regular playing time in his second season as a third, sometimes fourth receiver.
With 26 receptions in three games, Brown is currently on pace to record 138.7 receptions this season, which would surpass his personal best of 136 receptions, already tied for the second-most ever. Only Harrison’s 143 in 2002 tops it.
