In that memorable season Johnson set an NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards, while his 122 catches were not only tops in the NFL, but the seventh-best one-year total of all-time.
Should the 31-year-old retire now, his Hall of Fame credentials will make for an interesting case as longevity is part of the criteria.
Should he retire now, Johnson’s 731 receptions rank him 43rd all-time while his 11,619 receiving yards are 27th-best and his 83 touchdown grabs rank him 22nd in NFL history. Those are just so-so totals when comparing with most HOF greats.
Yet, with former Denver running back Terrell Davis—who only managed four full seasons and parts of three others in his short-but-sweet NFL career—becoming a finalist for the HOF this season, the voters are starting to look at how good a player was in his prime more than his longevity. Johnson is generally considered the best of his generation.
