Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
This week, Randy Moss endorsed J.J. McCarthy as the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1 to start the season, claimed his old ballclub should run the football more efficiently, and instructed Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams to chase Super Bowl rings for the rest of his career.
Those tidbits were gleaned from Moss’ lips during a sitdown interview with Kay Adams. A day later, Moss, 47, earned inclusion in ESPN’s Top 100 Athletes of the 21st Century. The former Viking and Hall of Famer checked in at No. 27, sandwiched between Peyton Manning of the NFL (No. 26) and Nikola Jokic from the NBA (No. 28).
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert explained, “At 6-foot-4 and with a 47-inch vertical jump, Moss could reach or jump over the tallest defensive backs who tried to cover him — hence the phrase ‘You got Mossed.'”
All told, Moss played for the Vikings (twice), Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, and San Francisco 49ers in his 15-season career. He even reached two Super Bowls, coming up short with his Patriots losing to the New York Giants in 2007 and the 49ers falling to Bryant McKinnie’s Baltimore Ravens in 2012.
“But with speed that was measured below 4.3 seconds in the 40 during a private workout before the 1998 draft, Moss also could run away from the fastest defenders, be it on deep routes or even on what would now be called ‘bubble screens.’ Other factors contributed to his success as well, but the league had never before seen a player like Moss,” Seifert added about Moss’ No. 27 ranking.
Moss played for the Vikings from 1998 to 2005, almost singlehandedly creating a generation of Vikings fans. He later joined a few other NFL clubs, making the most noise with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots from 2007 to 2010 before rejoining the Vikings for a memorable but ill-fated stint.
The Hall of Famer ranks second all-time in receiving touchdowns behind Jerry Rice. He’s also the NFL’s fourth-leading receiver in league history, trailing only Rice, Larry Fitzgerald, and Terrell Owens. The closest active touchdown suitor to Moss is free-agent tight end Jimmy Graham, who is a miles behind the former Viking.
ESPN will continue to name the best athletes of the 2000s — probably in the spirit of the Olympics, which begin on July 26th. The list left off at the aforementioned Manning or No. 26. Tomorrow will reveal either 11-25 or the full Top 25.
LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tom Brady, Cristiano Ronaldo, Floyd Mayweather, Usain Bolt, and Kobe Bryant should find placement in the next batch.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.