Calvin Johnson believes the NFL single-season receiving yards record he set with 1,964 in 2012 won’t stand much longer, pointing to how a move to 18 games could finally make it happen.
Calvin Johnson set the NFL’s single-season receiving yards record with 1,964 yards in the 2012 season, and on Monday he made it clear he doesn’t expect that mark to stay untouched for long.
Johnson said it is only “a matter of time” before someone surpasses the record in a 16-game season. He also zeroed in on the math of the modern schedule, saying future receivers are likely to need one extra game than what Cooper Kupp had in 2021.
Kupp came close in a 17-game season in 2021, when he nearly reached Johnson’s number. Johnson’s view is that the next big opening for the record won’t come until the league goes to 18 games.
“If they go to 18 — well, should we say when they go to 18 games?” Johnson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “When they go to 18 games it’s no doubt about it. Hands down.”
The connection to quarterbacks is hard to miss, too. Johnson’s quarterback in 2012 was Matthew Stafford, and Kupp’s quarterback in 2021 was also Stafford, making Johnson’s eye for a successor feel tightly tied to the current spotlight.
Johnson pointed to Stafford’s current top target, Puka Nacua, as the player he thinks has the best shot at making a run at the new record.
“That would be kind of dope,” Johnson said. “I’d have to go to that game if he did that, cause I like Puka. He’s getting some crap out of his system that’s just a young guy, just learning, but I think he’s an awesome, dynamic receiver.”
Johnson also said he believes Justin Jefferson could be another realistic candidate to break the mark. But the former Detroit star doesn’t think Jefferson will get there as cleanly. arguing Minnesota “messed up his quarterback situation. ” which Johnson believes may have cost Jefferson his best window to make a serious bid for the top spot.
Even with those competing names in the conversation, Johnson’s underlying message stayed the same: the record he owns may not fall because of a single player’s talent alone, but because the season itself could soon have one more game to give a ceiling-chasing effort a little more room to breathe.
Calvin Johnson 1964 receiving yards single-season receiving record 18-game season Cooper Kupp Matthew Stafford Puka Nacua Justin Jefferson NFL
18 games already sounds rigged lol.
So it’s not that someone’s better, it’s just more games… okay. But Puka Nacua getting the record? I don’t buy it. Jefferson seems like he should’ve had it already if the quarterback thing wasn’t “messed up.”
Calvin Johnson talking like Stafford gonna break everything again 😂. Isn’t Puka the one with like 40 catches? I mean if they add an extra game, sure records get easier. But then they say Jefferson’s window was messed up… like what did they do, trade him for a new QB? Seems kinda blamey.
I keep hearing “it’s only a matter of time” and it never happens. 18 games won’t matter if the league makes passing harder or whatever, defenses will just adjust. Also didn’t the record already get close with Kupp? Feels like they’re just finding reasons to talk about math instead of actual talent. But I guess “hands down” is what he said so yeah.