Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Everyone knows you have to be good to make it in the NFL but certain wide receivers excelled despite being considered slow a-foot or with slower speed than your average player.
Obviously, quickness, smarts, instincts and route running make a difference but receivers also took the time to use good moves, fakes and dance progressions to try to get open against defenders as well ...

My Top 10 best slow wide receivers

Raymond Berry
Steve Largent ... was he quicker, faster than everyone thought ?
Cris Carter ... Best hands perhaps but how fast was he ?
Hines Ward ... self made player
Fred Biletnikoff ... maybe the slowest great player ever
Pete Retzlaff ... ran inside routes so well, the Eagles made him a tight end.
Kyle Rote ... slow but great moves, John Sample couldnt believe his ability.
Dwight Clark ... took as much punishment as anyone.
Lionel Taylor ... I thought he was slower due to smaller TD numbers.
Tom Fears ... faster than people realized ?

Please add other slower players that excelled. Drew Pearson was a self made player but looked faster due to gracefullness, like Largent and others ...

I always wondered how fast Pihos, Speedie, Nickel, Dial, Hennigan, Sauer and Chandler were, though Chandler looked fast staying with Kenny King during the TD reception against the Eagles for the Raiders in the 80/81 SB ...

Abramowicz, Conrad and Burford also come to mind.

Cappelletti with NE, Keyshawn Johnson ?

Bob Chandler of the Bills and Raiders (SB XIV). The prototype of the possession receiver.

Gary Collins

He wasn't a receiver, but he caught a lot of passes. Fullback Bill "Boom Boom" Brown. He was slow but violent. Here's a good biopic on him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLbA9vGxH8

He averaged 11.1 yards per reception out of the backfield. He had 286 career receptions for 3,183 yards.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... owBi00.htm

HOVG = Preston Dennard, Slowronde Gadsen

OJ McDuffie wasnt the fastest receiver but very quick and skilled for the Dolphins in the mid-late 90s for Marino. Tough on the inside patterns ...

Dave Parks lost some of his speed after getting hurt with the Niners in 1967. Due to contract issues he went to the Saints and became a good tight end. Had he stayed with Brodie and the Niners, could he have had a HOF career ?

Brian wolf wrote:Dave Parks lost some of his speed after getting hurt with the Niners in 1967. Due to contract issues he went to the Saints and became a good tight end. Had he stayed with Brodie and the Niners, could he have had a HOF career ?

I think it was the injury more than anything. He was one of the top receivers in the NFL before it happened. He certainly had a shot at the Hall had his career continued at that pace before getting hurt. He told me that he and Brodie practiced a lot together -- beyond regular practices -- and he credited that with a lot of the success they had together. Would love to know what his career (and the 49ers) chances might have been if they had been able to keep that going. Brodie might have had a HOF career possibly as well.