In the National Football League (NFL) a receiver is said to have won the triple crown if they lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns within a particular season. Finishing joint first in any or all of those three categories is also considered sufficient.[1] The term triple crown has been used to describe the feat at least as far back as 1990, when it was achieved by Jerry Rice.[2]
Since the NFL began keeping statistics in 1932, the triple crown has been won sixteen times by twelve different players. This includes one player (Lance Alworth )who did so in the American Football League (AFL), the NFL having adopted AFL records when the two leagues merged in 1970.[3] Don Hutson of the Green Bay Packers is the only man to win more than one triple crown, having done so five times (1936, 1941-45). The most recent triple crown winner was Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams, in 2021.
NFL and AFL receivers who have won the triple crown
edit| Year | Name | Position | Team | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Ray Flaherty | End | New York Giants | 21 | 350 | 5 | [4] | |
| 1936 | Don Hutson | End | Green Bay Packers | 34 | 536 | 8 | [5] | |
| 1941 | Don Hutson | End | Green Bay Packers | 58 | 738 | 10 | [6] | |
| 1942 | Don Hutson | End | Green Bay Packers | 74 | 1,211 | 17 | Hutson achieved more than double the numbers of his nearest competitors in all three categories. | [7] |
| 1943 | Don Hutson | End | Green Bay Packers | 47 | 776 | 11 | [8] | |
| 1944 | Don Hutson | End | Green Bay Packers | 58 | 866 | 9 | [9] | |
| 1951 | Elroy Hirsch | End | Los Angeles Rams | 66 | 1,495 | 17 | [10] | |
| 1953 | Pete Pihos | End | Philadelphia Eagles | 63 | 1,049 | 10 | Tied with Billy Wilson for touchdowns. | [11] |
| 1959 | Raymond Berry | End | Baltimore Colts | 66 | 959 | 14 | [12] | |
| 1964 | Johnny Morris | Flanker | Chicago Bears | 93 | 1,200 | 10 | Tied with Bobby Mitchell for touchdowns. Surpassed by AFL receivers in all three categories. | [13][14] |
| 1965 | Dave Parks | End | San Francisco 49ers | 80 | 1,344 | 12 | Tied with Bob Hayes for touchdowns. Surpassed by AFL receivers in all three categories. | [15][16] |
| 1966 | Lance Alworth | Flanker | San Diego Chargers | 73 | 1,383 | 13 | AFL triple crown winner. Alworth would also win the triple crown if NFL players were included, being top in receptions and yards, while tying Bob Hayes for touchdowns. | [17][18] |
| 1990 | Jerry Rice | Wide Receiver | San Francisco 49ers | 100 | 1,502 | 13 | [19] | |
| 1992 | Sterling Sharpe | Wide Receiver | Green Bay Packers | 108 | 1,461 | 13 | [20] | |
| 2005 | Steve Smith Sr. | Wide Receiver | Carolina Panthers | 103 | 1,563 | 12 | Tied with Larry Fitzgerald for receptions; tied with Marvin Harrison for touchdowns. | [21] |
| 2021 | Cooper Kupp | Wide Receiver | Los Angeles Rams | 145 | 1,947 | 16 | [22] |
- ^ Gordon, Grant. "Rams WR Cooper Kupp captures receiving triple crown". nfl.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ Silver, Michael (31 December 1990). "Little fanfare after Rice makes 100th reception". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. pp. C1, C2.
- ^ Pavlik, Ed. "Opinion: pro football records should include the AAFC" (PDF). Pro Football Researchers. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "1932 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "1936 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "1941 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1942 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1943 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1944 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1951 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1953 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1959 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1964 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1965 AFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "1965 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1966 AFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "1966 AFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1966 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "1990 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "1992 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "2005 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "2021 NFL receiving". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.