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.
Bowers’ third catch on Sunday — a 13-yard grab late in the second quarter against the host New Orleans 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 had 101 catches entering Sunday’s game.
Bowers was selected by the Raiders with the 13th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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.