Randy Moss, widely regarded as one of the most talented receivers in NFL history, stirred controversy recently when he claimed that Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill is “nowhere near” being an all-time great at his position. Moss acknowledged Hill as a top-five receiver right now, but stopped short of placing him in the conversation with the all-time elite. In contrast, Moss had glowing praise for Vikings star Justin Jefferson, calling him a complete football player and even suggesting he’s on pace to become the greatest wide receiver—and potentially the greatest Viking of all time.
Advertisement
A key point in Moss’s argument was that legendary wide receivers must score a lot of touchdowns. But that’s where the inconsistency, or even hypocrisy, comes into play, at least according to former All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel.
Samuel weighed in on Moss’s comments, pointing out the contradiction in praising Jefferson while downplaying Hill. He noted that Tyreek Hill has scored nearly twice as many touchdowns as Jefferson in his career.
In fact, Hill already has about 40 more TDs and could retire with more career receiving yards than Jefferson, depending on how both careers unfold. Samuel argued that Hill’s elite speed and ball-tracking ability give him a unique edge, an asset that keeps him valuable even as he ages.
Jefferson, on the other hand, isn’t known for his speed. Samuel warned that once Jefferson loses a step, his game could decline more rapidly compared to someone like Hill, who can still burn defenders even without top-tier route running.
This is where Samuel believes Moss’s take falls apart. Despite using touchdowns as a metric for greatness, Moss seemingly ignored Hill’s superior production in that area. To Samuel, Moss’s harsh words toward Hill felt personal, unwarranted, and poorly timed. If Hill continues to dominate and stay locked in, Samuel believes Moss will eventually change his stance.
” So Moss is a little contradicting because Tyreek Hill has 80 TDs right now in his ten seasons. That’s 40 more TDs than Justin Jefferson has. So, where does that factor in? Where does TDs factor in from Moss’s point of view? Tyreek Hill can still end up with more receiving yards than Justin Jefferson. You say it’s important for legendary receivers to score a lot of TDs, and Hill has two time more TDs than Jefferson. But you don’t want to give him that credit.”
So, how did the two receivers fare last year?
Jefferson outperformed Hill substantially
Hill had a down year last season compared to his explosive start with the Dolphins. He fell short of the 1,000-yard mark, recording just 81 receptions, though he still found the end zone six times. A key reason for the drop in production was Tua Tagovailoa missing time due to injury; the Cheetah had nearly 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns the year before when Tua stayed healthy.
Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson bounced back strongly from an injury-riddled 2023 season, in which he played only 10 games but still surpassed 1,000 yards on 68 catches. Last season, he added 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 103 receptions, reaffirming his elite status.
Despite the contrast in their numbers, both receivers remained vital to their offenses and will continue to be central this season, even with talented WR2s in Jaylen Waddle and Jordan Addison lining up alongside them.
Hill remains the heartbeat of Miami’s offense, with Tua relying on his elite speed and route-running for quick-release plays. Jefferson, on the other hand, will take on an even bigger role in Minnesota, now tasked with anchoring the offense and mentoring rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy as he adjusts to the NFL.
If Tyreek Hill retires today, he would get into the Hall of Fame, but would not be an all-time great when it comes to production. But a couple more 1500+ yard seasons and things change quickly. Justin, too, would get in but would probably not be first ballot or an all-time great. What do you think?
