More than six decades after "Iron" Mike Ditka seemingly cast into stone a rookie record for all tight ends to strive for, Brock Bowers has moved aside the Hall of Famer.
Bowers set a new rookie receiving yards record for tight ends on Sunday, surpassing Ditka's mark of 1,076 set in 1961, during the Las Vegas Raiders' 25-10 win over the New Orleans Saints.
Needing just 10 yards, Bowers' record-setting grab went for 13 yards in the second quarter off an Aidan O'Connell pass. It was his third catch of the day.
When Ditka made history with the Chicago Bears, the Oakland Raiders were only in their second season as a member of the American Football League. Sixty-three years later, Bowers etched his name in the record books for Las Vegas.
After taking down a record set more than six decades prior, Bowers also eclipsed another standard that lasted but a season, as he surpassed Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua's rookie receptions record set in 2023. Nacua hauled in 105 catches last year and Bowers tallied the 106th grab of his season in the third quarter Sunday.
Bowers finished Sunday with seven catches for 77 yards, leaving him 108 receptions for 1,144 receiving yards on the season.
What a season it's been for Bowers, who just a week before became only the third rookie tight end to record 1,000 receiving yards, joining Ditka, of course, and the Atlanta Falcons' Kyle Pitts (1,026, 2021), and the first to surpass 100 catches. Bowers had already surpassed the Detroit Lions' Sam LaPorta for the TE rookie receptions record earlier in the campaign.
Though the Raiders have been mired in a season overflowing with strife and struggle, Bowers has been sensational for the Silver and Black and provided optimism for the season ahead, along with history.
Now he's put his name above the legendary Ditka and the burgeoning Nacua in the NFL record books.
