Top 10 NFL Players Who Had Statistically Untouchable Seasons

This post was originally published on this site.

Multiple single-season NFL records can feel mythical, especially when someone breaks them. For instance, when Myles Garrett broke the single-season sack record in the final week of the 2025 season, fans were left awestruck.

Another standout record is for regular-season receiving yards. No player has reached 2,000 yards, with Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp coming closest. But with continued advances in offensive strategy and player athleticism, this may not be untouchable.

Thanks for the submission!

On the other hand, some records will probably never be matched for one reason or another. Here are 10 NFL players who had statistically untouchable seasons. (This list includes records from the AFL, the precursor to the AFC.)

•

#10 Dave Zastudil: 5,209 punting yards in 2012

Dave Zastudil was a bright spot for a bad Cardinals team in 2012 - Source: Imagn — Dave Zastudil was a bright spot for a bad Cardinals team in 2012 – Source: Imagn

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

When a team punts many times, it is usually because the offense is poor. The Arizona Cardinals exemplified that in 2012.

The team made a surprising 4-0 start, then completely collapsed, losing 11 of its next 12 games. During that stretch, Dave Zastudil found himself on the field more often than not and eventually finished with 5,209 punting yards.

Only a couple of punters have come within 400 yards of that number since: Marquette King (4930 in 2014) and Thomas Morstead (4831 in 2023).

#9 Antwon Blake: 28 missed tackles in 2015

Antwon Blake was a starter for the Steelers in 2015 - Source: Imagn — Antwon Blake was a starter for the Steelers in 2015 – Source: Imagn

Advanced metrics like air yards and yards after the catch are all the rage nowadays, but in the mid-2010s, they were rather novel.

One category players don’t like is “missed tackles.” Antwon Blake was the king of this stat in 2015, being shed 28 times as one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting cornerbacks, according to PFF. He was demoted to backup when he reunited with Dick LeBeau in Nashville the following year.

#8 Reggie Bush: -3 rushing yards on 12 carries in 13 games in 2016

Reggie Bush had a rather sad end to his career - Source: Imagn — Reggie Bush had a rather sad end to his career – Source: Imagn

Reggie Bush has one of the more underappreciated NFL careers of the 21st century. With the New Orleans Saints, he was a one-time first-team All-Pro and helped the franchise clinch its first-ever Super Bowl title. He also had a couple of seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards afterward.

However, Bush makes this list because of the 2016 season. He rushed 12 times in 13 appearances and lost 3 yards, the first non-quarterback since the merger to have negative yardage on at least 10 carries.

#7 David Carr: 76 sacks taken in 2002

David Carr took a large amount of punishment as a rookie - Source: Imagn — David Carr took a large amount of punishment as a rookie – Source: Imagn

2002 was a pivotal year for the NFL, as the Houston Texans played for the first time. The expansion franchise’s inaugural season was rough.

Case in point: rookie quarterback David Carr. The No. 1 overall pick was sacked an unbelievable 76 times, which probably won’t happen again today because of stricter injury protocols and coaching decisions.

Carr later rehabilitated his career somewhat, leading the league in completion percentage in 2006 and winning Super Bowl XLVI as Eli Manning’s backup.

#6 Earl Campbell: Four games with at least 200 rushing yards in 1980

Earl Campbell was one of the most dominant running backs of the 1980s - Source: Imagn — Earl Campbell was one of the most dominant running backs of the 1980s – Source: Imagn

Even as Don Coryell and the San Diego Chargers revealed the benefits of a pass-centric offense in the late 1970s, most of the NFL still preferred the run in the 1980s. The Houston Oilers were a perfect example, as shown when Earl Campbell rushed for at least 200 yards in four games to start the decade.

Since then, no one else has come close to achieving that feat – not even Derrick Henry. With the ever-increasing shift towards the pass, it is unlikely to happen again.

#5 George Blanda: 42 interceptions thrown in 1962

George Blanda threw a record 42 interceptions in 1962 - Source: Imagn — George Blanda threw a record 42 interceptions in 1962 – Source: Imagn

These days, throwing plenty of interceptions constitutes grounds for a quarterback to be benched, demoted, or even cut. But in the NFL’s early days, that wasn’t the case. Most offenses centered on the run, so these turnovers were more forgivable.

George Blanda is a famous case, throwing 42 picks in 1962. Interestingly enough, he made the AFL Championship Game that year and was named an AFL All-Star.

#4 Richard Todd: 15 games throwing at least one interception in 1980

Richard Todd had a rough 1980 season - Source: Imagn — Richard Todd had a rough 1980 season – Source: Imagn

Richard Todd was the sixth overall pick in 1976, and he didn’t take long to alienate the New York Jets’ fanbase, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. His absolute nadir came in 1980, when he threw a pick in all but one game.

Todd improved, though, throwing more touchdowns than interceptions in his next two seasons and making the playoffs. However, his struggles resumed from 1983 onwards.

#3 James Wilder: 492 touches in 1984

James Wilder was the Buccaneers' sole bright spot in the 1980s - Source: Imagn — James Wilder was the Buccaneers’ sole bright spot in the 1980s – Source: Imagn

The first 10 seasons of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ existence can be considered an exercise in misery. They lost their first 26 games, then had a playoff appearance streak from 1979 to 1982 that was marred by heartbreak.

By 1984, everything was beginning to fall apart again. Lee Roy Selmon was in what ultimately proved to be his final season, and quarterbacks Jack Thompson and Steve DeBerg were nowhere near Doug Williams’s caliber.

Still, amid that wretched 6-10 campaign, a bright light shone: running back James Wilder. He was, for all intents and purposes, the Buccaneers’ entire offense, touching the ball a record 492 times, including a then-record 407 carries, en route to 2,229 scrimmage yards and a twin All-Pro/Pro Bowl nod.

Nowadays, given how balanced offenses have become, especially on the ground, no one, not even Christian McCaffrey, will probably see that much usage.

#2 Randy Moss: 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007

Speaking of Randy Moss, he was part of a historic 2007 season.

His New England Patriots went 16-0, the first time a team had gone unbeaten since the expansion to 16 games. Tom Brady was named MVP after throwing a then-record 50 touchdowns, and Moss caught 23 of them – still a record to this day.

While Peyton Manning surpassed Brady with 55 passing touchdowns in 2013, Moss’ record may stand for generations, given how more diverse and egalitarian NFL offenses have become.

#1 Eric Dickerson: 2,105 rushing yards in 1984

Shifts in offensive strategy may have ensured Eric Dickerson's place in the history books - Source: Imagn — Shifts in offensive strategy may have ensured Eric Dickerson’s place in the history books – Source: Imagn

The NFL has evolved greatly over the years, and one notion that cannot be denied is that the pass has become more valuable than the run. Now, this is not a blanket notion – there are still teams that have run-focused offenses, like the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts.

However, Eric Dickerson’s 2,105-yard explosion in 1984 will probably remain untouched for years. Not even Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley have come close to that total, and with wide receivers (and some tight ends) getting more of the spotlight, we may not see a performance like that again.

Edited by Arvind Sriram

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy