NFL 100 Top 10 wide receivers list: Calvin Johnson snubbed from all-time list

Throughout the year, the NFL has been celebrating their 100th season by slowly unveiling their NFL 100 All-Time Team, a roster full of the best players throughout the league’s history. The list is almost complete at this point, with every position having been unveiled except for quarterbacks.

On Friday night, the NFL revealed the 10 wide receivers that made the all-time list. Unfortunately for Detroit Lions fans, Calvin Johnson did not make that final cut.

Here’s a look at the 10 receivers that did make it:

• Lance Alworth (1962-72)
• Raymond Berry (1955-67)
• Larry Fitzgerald (2004-present)
• Marvin Harrison (1996-2008)
• Elroy Hirsch (1946-57)
• Don Hutson (1935-45)
• Steve Largent (1976-89)
• Randy Moss (1988-2012)
• Jerry Rice (1985-2004)
• Paul Warfield (1964-77)

As always, when comparing players from different eras, there’s going to be a lot of contentious debate. This list of players includes five players who started their careers before the 1970s, when passing the ball was still developing as a prominent strategy. They were essentially playing a different brand of football, so—of course—their stats don’t hold a candle to any of today’s modern NFL receivers.

Still, this is a list that appears to be missing some key players. Not only is Calvin Johnson—who holds the single-season record for receiving yards—missing, but so is Terrell Owens—who is third all time in receiving yards and touchdowns.

If there’s one modern player that these two could potentially replace, it’s probably Colts receiver Marvin Harrison. Let’s look at how the three compare:

Marvin Harrison

• 13 seasons
• 8-time Pro Bowler, 3-time first-team All Pro
• 14,580 yards (1,122 yards per season average)
• 128 touchdowns (9.8 per season)

Terrell Owens

• 15 seasons
• 6-time Pro Bowler, 5-time first-team All-Pro
• 15,934 yards (1,062 yards per season)
• 153 touchdowns (10.2 per season)

Calvin Johnson

• 9 seasons
• 6-time Pro Bowler, 3-time first-team All-Pro
• 11,619 yards (1,291 yards per season)
• 83 touchdowns (9.2 per season)

As you can see, Johnson was on pace to beat both players, but the NFL is notoriously difficult to keep up such high play throughout one’s career. If Johnson had stayed longer in the NFL and was able to keep up his incredible statistical pace, he would have undoubtedly made a strong play for the final all-time roster.

You can view the entire NFL 100 All-Time roster right here, which includes such former Lions legends as Barry Sanders, Dick “Night Train” Lane and Earl “Dutch” Clark.