National Football League

Moss: 'I'm the greatest receiver' ever

Published Jan. 29, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

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Randy Moss felt empowered Tuesday by his own greatness. That, and with the teeming masses parked at his Super Bowl XLVII Media Day stage at the Superdome, which gave him a handy platform to proclaim this to the world.

"Now that I'm older, I do think I'm the greatest receiver to ever do it," said Moss, 35. He added that he meant no disrespect for others who might want to command the Greatest Of All Time moniker, like, say, Jerry Rice.

There’s no question that Moss, who admits he has been a role player in his first season with the San Francisco 49ers (28 catches, 434 yards, three touchdowns), has put up some fairly impressive receiving statistics in a 14-year NFL career: 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns.

His finest performances came during the Patriots’ perfect regular season in 2007, when Moss set a single-season NFL record for TD receptions (23) while catching 98 passes for 1,493 yards.

Among the all-time greats, however, Moss has some ground to make up. Rice finished as the NFL’s all-time leader with 1,549 receptions; Moss is currently ninth in NFL history, trailing, among others, Hines Ward and Isaac Bruce and No. 2 Tony Gonzalez (1,242 catches). Moss is third in receiving yards behind Terrell Owens and Rice.

Then again, Moss is second in receiving touchdowns all-time behind Rice (197), who played 20 NFL seasons, six more than Moss to date.

So while Rice can statistically command the greatest-receiver-ever title, the free-spirited Moss – speaking more openly during Super Bowl XLVII week than he ever did in his years with the Vikings, Raiders, Patriots and the regular-season 49ers – also reminded everyone Tuesday that he “revolutionized defensive coverages” in the NFL.

If drawing double teams is considered revolutionary, well, he’s got us there.

To further bolster his G.O.A.T. claim, Moss announced Tuesday that he plans to play in 2013.

“I’ve thought about it. I do want to play another year,” said Moss, who is a free agent after this season.

Watch out, Rice. Moss is coming to get you — even if he thinks he's caught you already.

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