Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders moved past Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka on Sunday to set the NFL record for most receiving yards by a tight end in his rookie season and also set the record for most receptions by a rookie, regardless of position.
Bowers has 108 receptions to top the mark set last season by Puka Nacua (105) of the Los Angeles Rams. Bowers’ yardage stands at 1,144 after having seven receptions for 77 yards in a 25-10 road victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Bowers also set a franchise receptions for catches in a season, surpassing Darren Waller (107 in 2020).
“It’s awesome,” Bowers said of the records in a postgame interview on Fox. “You never know what to expect coming up to the next level. It’s been everything and more.”
Bowers’ third catch on Sunday — a 13-yard grab late in the second quarter against the Saints — pushed his season total to 1,087 yards. Ditka totaled 1,076 receiving yards in 14 games with the Chicago Bears in 1961.
Bowers, 22, set the record for receptions by a rookie tight end earlier this season by eclipsing the total of 86 reeled in by Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions in 2023.
Bowers was selected by the Raiders with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite all his catches, he has just four scoring receptions.
While with Georgia, Bowers was the first back-to-back winner of the Mackey Award (2022, 2023), which is given to the top tight end in college football.
–Field Level Media
