Ranking the 30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era
By Brad Weiss
In the modern era, there have been plenty of elite QB-WR duos, including those who are both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here are the top-30.
In the NFL, the quarterback gets all the glory, as they are the ones with the ball in their hands on every play. However, they have to have people to throw to, and a quarterback is sometimes only as good as their best wide receiver.
In this ranking, we look at the best QB-WR duos in modern history, which is since the Super Bowl began, and we do not include tight ends, like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, or Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates. With that said, here are the top-30 QB-WR duos in modern NFL history.
30 Best NFL QB-WR duos in the modern era
No. 30: Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson
Both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson were top-2 picks in the NFL Draft, Johnson going No. 2 overall in 2007, and Stafford being the top overall selection in 2009. Together for seven seasons in Detroit, these two lit up the NFL, and despite all the losing, became one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in football.
From 2009 through the 2015 season, Stafford connected with Johnson 56 times for a touchdown, a remarkable tally, and helped Megatron to set an NFL record in receiving yards during the 2012 season with 1,964. Johnson retired in 2015 in his prime, fresh off a 1,200-yard season, and is a member of the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.