When Randy Moss Became The First Rookie To Catch Three Touchdowns On Thanksgiving

Rookie Randy Moss’s game vs. the Dallas Cowboys is widely considered one of the best performances on Thanksgiving. The legendary wideout efficiently scored three touchdowns on three receptions, prompting one of the coolest highlight reels in NFL history. Every year, we look back on the performance and wonder what made it so special. 

The Minnesota Vikings were simply on fire when they took on the Cowboys in 1998. Heading into the game, they were 10-1 and riding a three-game winning streak. That’s why nearly 65,000 people packed Texas Stadium on Thanksgiving, when they took on the 8-3 Cowboys. It was supposed to be a thrilling contest. 

The game did not disappoint. Minnesota ended up running away with a high-scoring 46-36 victory. But the star of the game was Moss, who caught three passes for 163 yards and three TDs. 

27 years ago on #Thanksgiving: Randy Moss, as a rookie, dropped one of the most iconic stat lines of all time vs. the Dallas Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/g8V895Y7t2

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 27, 2025

This performance made Moss the first rookie to catch three TDs on Thanksgiving in NFL history. What’s wild, though, is that Moss had already achieved a three-TD game earlier that season. By the end of his rookie campaign, he led the league with 17 TD receptions. 

When former Cowboys legend Troy Aikman thinks back on the Thanksgiving performance, he remembers one moment from the sidelines quite vividly. 

“What I remember more than anything was the last one he caught, I was standing right there. It was like a hitch route. It was right in front of me where he caught it. I was standing with [backup QB] Jason Garrett. I remember thinking, I may have said it out loud to Jason, at least he’s not going to score a touchdown on that one,” Aikman told NFL.com. 

Moss did end up scoring on the play. He used his elusiveness to spring free down the sideline for a 56-yard catch and run TD. 

When Moss thinks back on that play, it reminds him of being a kid. 

“The one where I stutter-stepped him at the end, shrugged my shoulder at the end when he tried to grab me. My best friend, when that comes up, will say, you remember that play? Yeah, that’s the stuff we used to do growing up. That was backyard, go down to the fire hydrant. Talk about razzle-dazzle stuff growing up in West Virginia,” Moss said. 

The TD capped off an incredible day at the office for the rookie receiver. It was also a glimpse of what we were about to see with Moss’s entire career. He had great hands, could make big plays, and single-handedly won the Vikings games at times. 

All in all, it’s a great reminder that Moss was one of the best receivers to ever play the game. And this Thanksgiving Day game was a signature performance in his Hall of Fame career. But he would go on to have 9 career games where he caught three TD passes, and even had one game where he caught 4 in 2007 with the New England Patriots.