Moss, Randy (1977-…), ranks among the greatest wide receivers in the history of the National Football League (NFL) . Moss’s exceptional speed enabled him to distance himself from defenders, while his athleticism, height, and large size allowed him to make catches even when closely defended.
Randy Gene Moss was born Feb. 13, 1977, in Rand, West Virginia , just outside of Charleston. He attended DuPont High School, where he excelled in baseball , basketball , football , and track . Moss was accepted to the University of Notre Dame , but off-field controversies led the school to withdraw his acceptance. Off-field controversies also led to his expulsion from Florida State University during his freshman year. Moss then attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. In 1996, he recorded 28 touchdown receptions. This tied the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record set in 1984 by Jerry Rice , a player to whom Moss was frequently compared.
Moss left Marshall after his junior year to enter the 1998 NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round (21st overall). That season, he set an NFL rookie record with 17 touchdown receptions. Moss recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in his first six years in the NFL.
In 2005, the Vikings traded Moss to the Oakland Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders ). Moss spent two seasons with the team, during which he was hampered by injury and frustrated by the team’s poor performance. In 2007, the Raiders traded Moss to the New England Patriots . He immediately established a connection with New England’s star quarterback Tom Brady . Moss set a record for most touchdown receptions in a single season with 23. The Patriots won all 16 games during the 2007 regular season, but they lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
The Patriots traded Moss back to the Vikings during the 2010 season. The Vikings released him after just four games. He finished the season with the Tennessee Titans . After taking the 2011 season off, Moss played for the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. The team advanced to Super Bowl XLVII, but they lost to the Baltimore Ravens . Moss retired at the end of the season. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
