Randy Moss reportedly joining FOX with his NFL career likely over
Randy Moss is third all-time in career receiving yards and second in touchdown receptions. (David Bergman/SI)
Randy Moss remains a free agent, even as teams across the NFL struggle with depth at wide receiver. With each passing day, though, it becomes more and more clear that Moss' playing days probably are over, following a sporadic 28-catch showing last season with the NFC champion 49ers.
The latest evidence that Moss may be about to hang up his cleats comes from Pro Football Talk, which reports that Moss "has a tentative deal with FOX" to be a part of NFL programming on the new FOX Sports 1. Moss would join Fox Football Daily, according to PFT, a show that also will feature the recently retired Brian Urlacher.
Moss' former team, the 49ers, is among that contingent of franchises searching for help on offense. San Francisco lost 2012 leading receiver Michael Crabtree to a potentially season-ending injury, while fellow wideout Mario Manningham (42 catches in '12) is working his way back from his own injury and TE Delanie Walker (21 catches) signed with Tennessee.
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Yet, the 49ers did not so much as inquire about Moss -- at least not to public knowledge -- prior to bringing in receivers like Austin Collie and Laurent Robinson for tryouts. Collie eventually signed with San Francisco; he had two catches in the 49ers' preseason opener.
Should Moss officially call it a career, it would start his Hall of Fame clock ticking. His current path has him in line for Hall eligibility beginning in 2018, and it would be very difficult to keep him out of Canton. Moss was the 1998 Offensive Rookie of the Year and a member of the NFL's All-2000s Team. He is third all-time in career yards receiving and second in touchdown receptions.
The lone gap on his NFL resume: no NFL ring, though he twice made it to the Super Bowl, once with New England and last season with San Francisco.
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