The GOAT thread
This one is so easily challengeable, but it's risky on this site because of 49er hate.
I'm sorry, but Jerry Rice is number two behind him.
Hutson not only played WR, he also played DB (had 23 INTS in his last 4 seasons alone) and kicked field goals. He was a true iron man. He played offense, defense, and special teams in every game. He made all his receiving records in a league (including his own team) that was built on the run, not the pass.
In 11 seasons, Hutson led the league in receiving yards 7 times (4 times consecutively, still a record), in receptions 8 times (consecutively, still a record), and in receiving TDs 9 times (still a record, Rice is second at 6 times). Of those three stats, he finished in the top three 32 out of 33 times in those 11 seasons.
Hutson also led the league in scoring 5 times, which is a still record, and he did it five years in a row.
Rice broke Hutson's records but he didn't break the TD and yardage records until he'd played several more games than Hutson played (remember that Rice played 16 game seasons where all of Hutson's were 12 game seasons).
Hutson missed four games in his career, so he played 128 games.
Largent first broke Hutson's TD record in his 200th game.
Rice caught his 100th TD pass in his 144th game.
My favourite Hutson moment is an interview that I believe was in the late 1980s after Rice had broken a few of his records. He was asked, "If you were playing today, what kind of stats do you think you would put up?"
He answered with a very moderate yards, reception and TD numbers, which made the interviewer frown and ask, "Why do you say such low numbers?"
Hutson answered, "Well, you have to remember I'm nearly 80 now."