Former New England Patriots WR Randy Moss has decided to retire rather than pursue a contract with another NFL team. Any hope Moss had of returning to New England was dashed last week when the team traded for disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco.
A 13-year veteran, the 34-year old wide receiver is considered one of the Top 5 to ever play at that position, and quite possibly the best true deep threat to ever play the game.
Five times Moss lead the NFL in receiving TD’s for a season, in his career he had 29 TD catches of 50 yards or longer, second most all-time to only Jerry Rice. He also had 10 1,000 plus yards seasons, 64 career 100 yard games and 153 TD catches all 2nd all-time in NFL history.
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In 2007, his first season with the Patriots, Moss had a record setting year as he and NFL MVP Tom Brady teamed up for 23 TD’s of the record 50 Brady threw. In fact on the same play that Brady set the record with his 50th TD pass, Moss caught his NFL record 23rd TD reception against the New York Giants in what would be the Patriots 16th win of the season. Moss finished 2007 with 98 total catches good for 1,493 yards.
Moss was a 1998 1st round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings out of Marshall University. After 7 seasons in Minnesota he was traded to Oakland were he spent two unproductive seasons. It was a draft weekend trade to New England in 2007 that rejuvenated his career. Just weeks into the 2010 season the Patriots traded Moss back to the Vikings were after just a couple weeks he was released by Minnesota following a blow up in the locker room. He was placed on waivers and claimed by the Tennessee Titans where he played out the season without incident.
Moss was a five-time All Pro, a seven time Pro Bowl selection, MVP of the 2000 Pro Bowl Game, a member of the New England Patriots All-2000’s team and a member of the NFL’s 2000’s All-Decade Team. He is also on the NFL Network’s Top 100 of All-time list.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
