Best quarterback/wide receiver duos in NFL history

By Staff | Nov 1, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 16: Peyton Manning No. 18 of the Indianapolis Colts celebrates the touchdown of Marvin Harrison No. 88 for a 30-20 lead over the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 16, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – NOVEMBER 26: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young(R) hugs wide-receiver Jerry Rice(L) after he threw him a touchdown pass in the second half 26 November in San Francisco. The 49ers defeated the Rams, 41-13. AFP PHOTOS (Photo credit should read DINO VOURNAS/AFP/Getty Images) /

1. Steve Young and Jerry Rice

When Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison broke the record for most touchdowns by a quarterback-wide receiver tandem, the record they broke belonged to Steve Young and Jerry Rice.

That’s right. Rice is the only receiver on this list twice. He got it done with Joe Montana, and then when Montana was injured and moved on to Kansas City, Rice did it even better with Young slinging the rock.

Young was the first overall pick in the 1984 Supplemental NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent two years wasting away there before he landed as Montana’s back up in San Francisco.

When Montana suffered an elbow injury in the 1990 NFC Championship Game, Young got his chance. Montana missed all of 1991 and most of 1992, but Young stepped up with 54 touchdowns and 5,982 passing yards in that time. Rice put up 24 touchdowns and 2,407 receiving yards in that same span.

While only two of Montana’s Super Bowl titles came with Rice, Young actually has him beat with three. Young was Montana’s back-up when the 49ers won it all in 1988 and 1989. It wasn’t until 1994 that Young and Rice combined to win a Super Bowl as duo.

Young led the league with 35 touchdowns that year and threw for 3,969 yards while Rice had 13 touchdowns and caught 112 balls for a league-leading 1,499.

Some believe that a child could have played quarterback for San Francisco and thrown touchdown passes to Rice. There’s a reason why he’s referred to as the Greatest of All-Time (G.O.A.T.).

But it obviously didn’t hurt to have two Hall of Fame quarterbacks giving him the ball. Young and Rice set the record for touchdowns by a duo at 85 before Manning and Harrison came along.

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