The NFL is set to embark on the most exciting season in its 101-year history. With the advent of the 17-game schedule and coming off a year which had the most combined points scored in league history, passing records were shattered. The single-season marks for passer rating (93.6), touchdown passes (871), completion percentage (65.2%) and completions (11,756) all ranked as the most in a single season in NFL history -- setting the stage for offenses to reach new heights in 2021.
There are several milestones that could be reached with the 17-game season in effect and individual feats that are in danger of being matched during the 2021 campaign. History will be made throughout the year as these players are on the verge of etching their names in the league's record books.
Here are 15 players who can reach historic milestones around the league:
Russell Wilson
- Wilson needs eight wins to surpass Peyton Manning (105) for the most wins by a quarterback in his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Wilson has won 98 games in his first nine seasons.
- Wilson needs six wins to surpass Manning (112) for the most wins, including the postseason, by a quarterback in his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Wilson has 107 wins.
- If Wilson throws 40 touchdown passes, he'll surpass Manning (306) for the most touchdown passes by a player through his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Wilson has 267 career touchdown passes.
- Wilson needs 3,000 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns to join Manning as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to reach those marks in each of their first 10 seasons.
- Wilson needs 30 touchdown passes to become the third player in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes in five consecutive seasons, joining Drew Brees (nine seasons) and Brett Favre (five).
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Patrick Mahomes
- Mahomes needs 4,000 passing yards to join Manning (four seasons) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards in four of their first five seasons.
- Can become the first quarterback in NFL history to reach 15,000 career passing yards in 50 or fewer games. Mahomes has 14,152 passing yards in 46 career games.
- If Mahomes throws for 35 touchdown passes, he becomes the first quarterback with at least 35 touchdown passes in three of his first five seasons in NFL history.
- Mahomes needs four games with at least 300 passing yards to surpass Kurt Warner (29 games) for the most such games by a quarterback in his first five seasons in NFL history. Mahomes has 26 career games with at least 300 passing yards.
- If Mahomes throws 55 TD passes, he'll pass Dan Marino for the most through a player's first five seasons in NFL history. He needs just 25 to pass Manning for second most.
Lamar Jackson
- If Jackson rushes for at least 100 yards in at least three games in 2021, he will surpass Michael Vick (10 games) for the most such career games by a quarterback since the merger. Jackson has eight career 100-yard rushing games.
- Through three seasons, Jackson's 2,906 career rushing yards are already the most by a quarterback through his first four seasons in league history (he's played three seasons). He needs 1,094 rushing yards to become the sixth quarterback to rush for 4,000 yards in a career.
- Jackson needs 2,915 passing yards and 594 rushing yards to become the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 3,500 yards in his first four seasons. No quarterback has ever accomplished this feat in their first five seasons.
- Jackson needs 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns to become the first quarterback in NFL history to reach those marks in three consecutive seasons. Only Jackson and Deshaun Watson have accomplished this feat in consecutive seasons.
Tom Brady
- Brady needs 1,155 passing yards to surpass Brees (80,358 passing yards) for the most career passing yards in NFL history. Brady enters 2021 with 79,204 yards.
- A 4,000-yard season joins Manning as the only players with at least 4,000 passing yards in 13 different seasons in NFL history. Manning threw for 4,000 yards in 14 seasons.
- A 40 pass touchdown season by Brady joins Aaron Rodgers (three seasons) as the only players with at least 40 touchdown passes in three different seasons in NFL history.
- Brady can also join Brees (2011-12) as the only players in NFL history to record 40 touchdown passes in consecutive seasons.
- Brady needs 25 touchdown passes to tie Manning (16 seasons) for the most seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes in NFL history. Brady ranks second all time with 15 such seasons.
Derrick Henry
- Henry needs 1,500 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns to become the first player to accomplish the feat in three consecutive seasons in NFL history.
- If Henry gets 15 rushing touchdowns, he joins LaDainian Tomlinson (four seasons, 2004-2007) as the only players to accomplish the feat in at least three consecutive seasons in NFL history.
- Can join Steve Van Buren (1947-49), Jim Brown (1957-61, 1963-65), Earl Campbell (1978-80) and Emmitt Smith (1991-93) as the only players in NFL history to lead the league in rushing yards in three consecutive seasons.
- Can join Steve Van Buren (1947-49) as the only players in NFL history to lead the NFL in rushing yards, rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns for three consecutive seasons.
- Can become the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons and the only player to accomplish the feat twice.
Alvin Kamara
- Kamara needs 80 receptions to join Marshall Faulk (five seasons) as the only running backs with at least 80 receptions in five consecutive seasons in NFL history.
- If Kamara gets 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards, he'll become the third player in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in five consecutive seasons, joining Faulk and Lydell Mitchell.
- Kamara needs 176 receiving yards to become the third running back with at least 3,000 receiving yards in their first five seasons in NFL history, joining Lenny Moore (3,509 receiving yards) and Roger Craig (3,234). Kamara has 2,824 career receiving yards.
- Kamara needs just 33 receptions to surpass Roger Craig (358 receptions) for the most receptions by a running back in his first five seasons in NFL history. Kamara has 326 career catches.
Travis Kelce
- Kelce needs 85 receptions and 29 receiving yards to surpass Jason Witten (696 receptions, 7,909 receiving
yards) for the most receptions and most receiving yards by a tight end in his first nine seasons in NFL history. Kelce has 612 receptions for 7,881 receiving yards in his first eight seasons. - A 1,000-yard season will give Kelce six career seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. He already has the most in NFL history for a tight end with five.
- Kelce needs 80 receptions to become the first tight end in NFL history to record at least 80 receptions in six consecutive seasons. Kelce has at least 80 receptions in each of the past five seasons.
Matt Ryan
- Ryan needs at least 4,000 passing yards to join Brees (12 seasons from 2006-2017) as the only players with at least 4,000 passing yards in 11 consecutive seasons in NFL history.
- Ryan needs at least 4,500 passing yards to tie Brees (eight seasons) for the most seasons with at least 4,500 passing yards in NFL history.
- 3,721 passing yards by Ryan will surpass Manning (59,487 yards) for the most passing yards through a player's first 14 seasons in NFL history.
Aaron Rodgers
- Rodgers needs 10 touchdown passes to surpass Philip Rivers (421) for the fifth-most in NFL history. Rodgers ranks seventh all time with 412 touchdown passes.
- Rodgers has three seasons with at least 40 touchdown passes (2011, 2016, 2020) -- the most in NFL history. Another 40-touchdown season would give him his fourth -- and potentially become the first player to throw for 40 touchdowns in consecutive seasons (Mahomes and Brady are also eligible).
- Rodgers needs 755 passing yards in his first three games of the 2021 season to become the fourth quarterback with at least 52,000 passing yards in his first 200 career games. Rodgers has 51,245 passing yards in 197 games.
T.J. Watt
- Watt needs 13 sacks to become the second player since 1982 (when sacks became official) to record at least 13 sacks in four consecutive seasons, joining Reggie White (1985-1988; 1990-1993).
- Watt needs 15.5 sacks to become the fourth player since 1982 to recorded at least 65 sacks in his first five seasons, joining White (81), J.J. Watt (74.5) and Derrick Thomas. Watt has 49.5 sacks in 62 career games.
DeAndre Hopkins
- Hopkins needs 99 receptions to surpass Marvin Harrison (845 receptions) for the most receptions by a player through his first nine seasons in NFL history.
- If Hopkins gets 100 receptions, he'll become the third player in NFL history with at least 100 receptions in four consecutive seasons.
- Hopkins needs 991 receiving yards to become the seventh player in NFL history with at least 11,000 receiving yards through his first nine seasons. Hopkins has 10,009 receiving yards through his first eight seasons.
Christian McCaffrey
- McCaffrey needs 39 receptions to surpass Roger Craig (358) for the most receptions by a running back in his first five seasons in NFL history. McCaffrey has 320 career receptions in his first four seasons.
- McCaffrey needs 80 receptions to become the fourth running back with at least 80 receptions in four different seasons in NFL history, joining Marshall Faulk (five seasons), Larry Centers (four) and Kamara (four).
- McCaffrey needs just 328 receiving yards to become the third running back with at least 3,000 receiving yards in their first five seasons in NFL history, joining Lenny Moore (3,509 receiving yards) and Craig (3,234).
Justin Jefferson
- Jefferson needs 1,356 receiving yards to surpass Odell Beckham Jr. (2,755) for the most receiving yards by a player through his first two seasons in NFL history.
- Jefferson needs 1,250 receiving yards to join Beckham and Randy Moss as the only players to accomplish the feat in each of their first two seasons in NFL history.
Baker Mayfield
- Mayfield needs at least 3,500 passing yards to join Manning (1998-2001) as the only players with at least 3,500 passing yards in each of their first four seasons in NFL history.
- If Mayfield throws for 3,885 passing yards and 25 touchdown passes, he would join Marino and Manning as the only players with at least 15,000 passing yards and 100 touchdown passes through their first four seasons in NFL history. Mayfield has 11,115 career passing yards and 75 career touchdown passes.
Kyler Murray
- Murray can become the fourth quarterback in NFL history with at least 3,500 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in each of his first three seasons.
- Murray needs 10 rushing touchdowns to become the first quarterback since 1970 to rush for at least 10 touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
