Legend Names Bengals Star Ja'Marr Chase Top Candidate to Break Historic NFL Record

It's been quite a few years since the NFL's single-season receiving record was smashed by former Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. Megatron did that in 2012, and the number is bound to get topped again in the pursuit of the first 2,000-yard receiving season.

Fellow legendary NFL wide receiver Torry Holt popped on Up & Adams with Kay Adams this week and declared Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase the top candidate to break the record. He's already topped Holt's best season. The former Ram notched 1,696 yards in 2003, while Chase has a career-high of 1,708 yards from the 2023 season.

BIG Number

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) takes the field prior to a Week 2 game — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) takes the field prior to a Week 2 NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The number to top is 1,964 yards. Cooper Kupp has gotten closest in 2021 (1,947 yards).

"That's a lot of yards, and if you look at this list, who could do it?" Holt said. "Ja'Marr, Justin Jefferson, George Pickens? I mean, they all are certainly capable of doing, if I had to guess with a healthy Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, I think will be first, then I will go with JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba), because he's just so good, and just really good at getting open, getting the ball, his hands being available, so those two come to mind, but I would say Ja'Marr Chase again with a healthy Joe Burrow probably will maybe scratch the surface of what Calvin Johnson was able to do."

Chase has been locked in on having the best season possible at age 26.

He was locked in for mandatory minicamp last week, as short as that was, and has always spent the needed amount of time to get healthy and monitor his body for seasons like a 2,000-yard reel-in run.

"Right now, I’m just trying to get in shape," Chase told reporters about missing some of the voluntary workouts this offseason. "Obviously, I can’t wait to be back. I’m going to be back soon. It’s not time away, it’s just giving my body more rest at the end of the day. My coaches can vouch for me, my teammates can vouch for me, at the end of the day, I’m not doing anything wrong.”

The Bengals faithful are hoping that defense is beefed up enough to not even need Chase to gun for 2,000 receiving yards due to less pressure on the offense, but a top-tier offense like the Bengals could still get him right back in range like 2023, even if the defense is much improved.

Check out the full take from Holt below:

Ja'Marr Chase 2K??????

Torry Holt says yessss @Bengals pic.twitter.com/Ndn7MDFZmY
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) June 17, 2026

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