Randy Moss: 5 Teammates Whose Games the Retired WR Improved

Randy Moss announced his retirement today and had an immense impact on the game of football.

Moss will forever be remembered for his incredible stats, catching 954 passes for 14,858 yards and amassing a ridiculous 153 touchdowns. He set a major NFL record by catching 23 of those TDs in 2007 and has the rookie record of 17.

Moss will also be remembered for the impact he had on the game outside of his numbers. He made a number of players better around him and really rejuvenated some of his teammates careers, particularly during his stays in Minnesota (the first time) and New England. These were the years that Moss played his best football and seemed genuinely interested in the game.

Fellow wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, and especially the quarterbacks that Moss played with all had their careers bolstered by his presence.

Moss was apparently an incredible teammate and generous person who had an impact on a number of lives on and off the field. It makes sense that such a gifted athlete makes those in his company richer for it.

Let’s take a look at five of the players whose careers Moss had the most profound effect on. 

5. Tom Brady

Tom Brady certainly did not need Randy Moss to win a Super Bowl, and unfortunately the tandem never did, but the wide receiver impacted Tom’s career in a number of different ways.

Brady was always thought of as a product of his system who put up solid numbers but nothing eye-popping. Peyton Manning got all the credit as being the leagues best QB, but didn’t have the right team around him.

Moss changed this school of thought when he came in and helped spark the most electric offense in NFL history.

Brady went absolutely crazy this year, throwing 398 completed passes for 4,806 yards and an NFL record 50 TDs. Moss caught 98 of these passes for 1,493 yards and 23 TDs.

The team went a ridiculous 16-0 in the regular season and did not lose until the New York Football Giants beat them by somehow, someway, avoiding about 10 holding penalties and had Eli Manning stick a ball into David Tyree’s helmet in the most miraculous, incredulous play in Super Bowl history.

Brady also won his first of two MVP awards that year and proved he is a legitimate QB and not a product of the system. 

4. Robert Smith

Randy Moss made an immediate impact in rookie year in the National Football League. His record 17 touchdown grabs have not been matched and he helped take the high scoring 1998 Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game.

He also had a healthy impact on running back Rob Smith’s career. Smith broke out the previous season with his first 1,000 yard rushing outing, but Moss helped to keep defenses very honest for the next three years of Smith’s career.

Smith put up three more phenomenal seasons, making his first Pro Bowl in 1998 and his last in 2000, when he retired after his best season ever.

Moss grabbed 77 balls, racked up 1,437 yards and scored 15 TDs while Smith rushed 295 times for 1,521 yards and 7 TDs. 

3. Wes Welker

Wes Welker was a decent slot receiver on a bad Miami team, racking up 67 catches for 687 yards and one touchdown in 2006.

He was an amazing slot receiver on a great team when he joined Randy Moss on the New England Patriots the next season.

The Pats’ gave up a 2^nd and 7^th round draft pick to acquire the speedy, small receiver and it has paid them dividends.

Welker caught 112 balls that season for 1,1175 yards and 8 TDs. He greatly benefited from Moss’ presence, who ran deep routes while Welker stayed underneath to pile up easy first down completions.

Moss did not have a shabby year himself, putting up a 98 catch, 1,493 yard season and an NFL record 23 touchdowns

2. Matt Cassel

Matt Cassel became the unlikely starter during the Patriots 2008 campaign. The Pats’ were widely expected to come back out and dominate the league again and avenge their Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.

Unfortunately, those plans got derailed when Brady went down with a season-ending knee injury in the first game. The team was then expected to completely tank and fall off the rails because unproven backup Cassel was taking the reins.

While they missed the playoffs, the team won 11 games and made history by becoming the first team with that record to do so with a 12-team field.

The team rallied around their new starter and No. 1 receiver Randy Moss was certainly a part of the reason the team was successful.

Cassell threw for 327 completions for 3,693 yards and 21 TDs with just 11 INTs. Moss caught 69 of those passes for 1,008 yards and 11 TDs.

Their success on the field led to Cassel being thought of as a bonafide starter in this league which led to the Kansas City Chiefs trading the Patriots a high-second round pick for his services. Moss definitely did his part to make this happen. 

1. Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper had his most productive years as a member of the Minnesota Vikings with Randy Moss as his No. 1 option.

Culpepper was taken in the 1^st round of the 1999 NFL Draft and was named the starter the next season.

Moss helped Culpepper solidify his starting job when they led the team to an 11-5 record and an NFC Championship Game in 2000. Culpepper chucked the ball 297 times that season for 3,937 yards and 33 TDs. Moss and Rob Smith both had great years as well.

Culpepper continued to shine with Moss and almost won NFL MVP in 2004. Culpepper threw 379 completions for 4,717 yards and 39 TDs. Moss caught only 49 of these balls for 767 yards but grabbed 13 TDs. It was his last season in Minnesota.

After Moss left, Culpepper struggled and eventually his career bottomed out. He is trying to make a comeback in the league but should probably stay retired with Randy Moss.