NFL All-Time Receiving Yards Leaders, 1950 to 2025

Jerry Rice holds the NFL career receiving yards record with 22,895, more than 5,000 ahead of Larry Fitzgerald (17,492) in second.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Jerry Rice ranks #1 with 22,895, ahead of Larry Fitzgerald (17,492) and Terrell Owens (15,934).
Back in 1950, Don Hutson was #1 with 7,991.
The top spot changed hands 7 times, first to Billy Howton in 1963, most recently to Jerry Rice in 1995.
Biggest climber: Larry Fitzgerald, from #17 in 2004 to #2 in 2025.

About this chart

Jerry Rice's 22,895 receiving yards, earned between 1985 and 2004, sit more than 5,000 above Larry Fitzgerald's 17,492. Terrell Owens (15,934) and Randy Moss (15,292) are third and fourth, and Tony Gonzalez (15,127) has the most by a tight end. Rice took the career lead from James Lofton (14,004) in 1995.

The earlier record holders form a long chain. Lofton passed Steve Largent (13,089) in 1992, Largent passed Charlie Joiner (12,146) in 1988, and Joiner passed Don Maynard (11,834) in 1986. Maynard took over in 1968 from Raymond Berry, who had passed Billy Howton in 1966, and Howton had overtaken Don Hutson (7,991) by 1963. Maynard's total includes his AFL seasons, as in official NFL records.

The data

Source: Wikipedia player career-statistics tables (regular season; parsed from raw wikitext), summed per season into cumulative career totals at each season's end; career totals cross-checked against Wikipedia's career-leaders list for the same stat. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = NFL season (e.g. 2025 = 2025 season, played Sep 2025-Jan 2026). Regular season only. Seasons after 2025 are excluded (2026 season in progress on 2026-11-04). Players keep their final total after retiring. Don Maynard's total includes his AFL seasons (1960-69), as in official NFL records. The series starts in 1950 with Don Hutson (retired 1945) as the career leader. Every career record holder from Hutson to Rice is included, so 17 players are shown.

NFL All-Time Receiving Yards Leaders, Career regular-season receiving yards, cumulative, 1950-2025, 1950–2025
Date	🇺🇸 Jerry Rice	🇺🇸 Larry Fitzgerald	🇺🇸 Terrell Owens	🇺🇸 Randy Moss	🇺🇸 Isaac Bruce	🇺🇸 Tony Gonzalez	🇺🇸 Tim Brown	🇺🇸 Steve Smith Sr.	🇺🇸 Marvin Harrison	🇺🇸 Reggie Wayne	🇺🇸 James Lofton	🇺🇸 Steve Largent	🇺🇸 Charlie Joiner	🇺🇸 Don Maynard	🇺🇸 Raymond Berry	🇺🇸 Billy Howton	🇺🇸 Don Hutson
1950	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7,991
1951	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7,991
1952	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,231	7,991
1953	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,694	7,991
1954	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,462	7,991
1955	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	205	3,159	7,991
1956	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	806	4,347	7,991
1957	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,606	5,074	7,991
1958	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	84	2,400	5,581	7,991
1959	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	84	3,359	6,091	7,991
1960	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,349	4,657	6,454	7,991
1961	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,978	5,530	7,239	7,991
1962	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,019	6,217	7,945	7,991
1963	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,799	6,920	8,459	7,991
1964	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,646	7,583	8,459	7,991
1965	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,864	8,322	8,459	7,991
1966	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6,704	9,108	8,459	7,991
1967	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8,138	9,275	8,459	7,991
1968	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,435	9,275	8,459	7,991
1969	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	77	10,373	9,275	8,459	7,991
1970	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	493	10,898	9,275	8,459	7,991
1971	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,174	11,306	9,275	8,459	7,991
1972	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,613	11,816	9,275	8,459	7,991
1973	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,827	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1974	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,217	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1975	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2,943	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1976	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	705	3,999	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1977	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,348	4,541	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1978	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	818	2,516	5,148	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1979	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1,786	3,753	6,156	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1980	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,012	4,817	7,288	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1981	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,306	6,041	8,476	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1982	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,002	6,534	9,021	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1983	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6,302	7,608	9,981	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1984	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7,663	8,772	10,774	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1985	927	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8,816	10,059	11,706	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1986	2,497	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,656	11,129	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1987	3,575	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10,536	12,041	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1988	4,881	0	0	0	0	0	725	0	0	0	11,085	12,686	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1989	6,364	0	0	0	0	0	733	0	0	0	11,251	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1990	7,866	0	0	0	0	0	998	0	0	0	11,963	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1991	9,072	0	0	0	0	0	1,552	0	0	0	13,035	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1992	10,273	0	0	0	0	0	2,245	0	0	0	13,821	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1993	11,776	0	0	0	0	0	3,425	0	0	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1994	13,275	0	0	0	272	0	4,734	0	0	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1995	15,123	0	0	0	2,053	0	6,076	0	0	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1996	16,377	0	520	0	3,391	0	7,180	0	836	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1997	16,455	0	1,456	0	4,206	368	8,588	0	1,702	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1998	17,612	0	2,553	1,313	4,663	989	9,600	0	2,478	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
1999	18,442	0	3,307	2,726	5,828	1,838	10,944	0	4,141	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2000	19,247	0	4,758	4,163	7,299	3,041	12,072	0	5,554	0	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2001	20,386	0	6,170	5,396	8,405	3,958	13,237	154	7,078	345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2002	21,597	0	7,470	6,743	9,480	4,731	14,167	1,026	8,800	1,061	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2003	22,466	0	8,572	8,375	10,461	5,647	14,734	2,136	10,072	1,899	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2004	22,895	780	9,772	9,142	11,753	6,905	14,934	2,196	11,185	3,109	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2005	22,895	2,189	10,535	10,147	12,278	7,810	14,934	3,759	12,331	4,164	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2006	22,895	3,135	11,715	10,700	13,376	8,710	14,934	4,925	13,697	5,474	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2007	22,895	4,544	13,070	12,193	14,109	9,882	14,934	5,927	13,944	6,984	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2008	22,895	5,975	14,122	13,201	14,944	10,940	14,934	7,348	14,580	8,129	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2009	22,895	7,067	14,951	14,465	15,208	11,807	14,934	8,330	14,580	9,393	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2010	22,895	8,204	15,934	14,858	15,208	12,463	14,934	8,884	14,580	10,748	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2011	22,895	9,615	15,934	14,858	15,208	13,338	14,934	10,278	14,580	11,708	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2012	22,895	10,413	15,934	15,292	15,208	14,268	14,934	11,452	14,580	13,063	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2013	22,895	11,367	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	12,197	14,580	13,566	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2014	22,895	12,151	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	13,262	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2015	22,895	13,366	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	13,932	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2016	22,895	14,389	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2017	22,895	15,545	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2018	22,895	16,279	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2019	22,895	17,083	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2020	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2021	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2022	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2023	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2024	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991
2025	22,895	17,492	15,934	15,292	15,208	15,127	14,934	14,731	14,580	14,345	14,004	13,089	12,146	11,834	9,275	8,459	7,991

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Frequently asked questions

Who has the most receiving yards in NFL history?

Jerry Rice has the most, with 22,895 career receiving yards from 1985 to 2004. Larry Fitzgerald is second with 17,492 and Terrell Owens third with 15,934.

Who has the most receiving yards by a tight end?

Tony Gonzalez, with 15,127 career receiving yards. That ranks sixth on the all-time list in this data, between Isaac Bruce and Tim Brown.

Who held the receiving yards record before Jerry Rice?

James Lofton held it, with 14,004 yards. Rice passed him in 1995, and Lofton had passed Steve Largent for the lead in 1992.

Where does this data come from?

Wikipedia player career-statistics tables (regular season; parsed from raw wikitext), summed per season into cumulative career totals at each season's end; career totals cross-checked against Wikipedia's career-leaders list for the same stat. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = NFL season (e.g. 2025 = 2025 season, played Sep 2025-Jan 2026). Regular season only. Seasons after 2025 are excluded (2026 season in progress on 2026-11-04). Players keep their final total after retiring. Don Maynard's total includes his AFL seasons (1960-69), as in official NFL records. The series starts in 1950 with Don Hutson (retired 1945) as the career leader. Every career record holder from Hutson to Rice is included, so 17 players are shown. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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