National Football League

Pierre Garcon breaks Redskins' single-season catch record

Published Dec. 22, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

In a season full of lows for the Washington Redskins, receiver Pierre Garcon broke Hall of Famer Art Monk's franchise record for most catches in a season by getting to 107 on Sunday with a game to go.

Garcon eclipsed Monk with his 11th and final reception of Sunday's 24-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, a 19-yard gain on a pass from Kirk Cousins that came with about six minutes left in the third quarter.

That gave Garcon one more catch than the 106 Monk had in 1984.

''It's pretty cool, but with the season going on, it's pretty hard to celebrate anything right now,'' said Garcon, whose Redskins have lost seven consecutive games to fall to 3-12.

Said Monk, who entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008: ''I'm excited for him. ... Records are meant to be broken. I didn't expect to have it as long as I had it. But I'm glad the pressure's off of me now. He has the opportunity to step forward and get all the praise.''

The 27-year-old Garcon, a sixth-round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts out of Division III Mount Union in 2008, had equaled Monk's team mark earlier in the second half on an 8-yard touchdown toss from Cousins, filling in for the benched Robert Griffin III. Garcon ended the day with 144 yards receiving.

''He's fearless. He plays very hard. He made some great plays for us today,'' Cousins said. ''He's the kind of guy that you want on your side when you're backed into a corner. You want Pierre standing with you. He's put together a good season individually.''

Garcon entered Sunday with 96 catches for 1,146 yards and four touchdowns this season, his second in Washington after leaving the Colts as a free agent.

Setting the franchise record, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said, ''tells a lot about Pierre, his preparation in the offseason, what he brings every week, week in and week out. He's a competitor. ... It's hard to find complete receivers like Pierre. He's a complete receiver.''

Garcon will head into next Sunday's Week 17 game at the New York Giants with 107 catches - at least five in each game - for 1,290 yards this season. His previous career highs of 70 catches and 947 yards both came with the Colts in 2011.

He had 44 catches for 633 yards last season with Washington, when he was hampered by a toe injury and appeared in only 10 games.

''It's cool - I'm not going to lie about that - to be up there with Art Monk and those guys,'' Garcon said. ''There's still a lot more that I can do, and I want to do, and will continue to try to do throughout my career here.''