Nacua breaks NFL rookie receiving yards record

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With his third catch on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua broke a 63-year-old record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL history.

Nacua passed Bill Groman, who had 1,473 receiving yards in a 14-game season in 1960. On the next play, Nacua caught his 105th pass of the season, giving him the rookie record for receptions in a season.

Nacua’s second catch of the game was a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carson Wentz, which gave the receiver 1,473 yards to tie Gorman’s record.

In Week 17, Nacua became the third rookie in NFL history with 100 receptions, joining Jaylen Waddle in 2021 (104) and Anquan Boldin in 2003 (101).

Nacua has seven games this season with at least 100 receiving yards. That ties Harlon Hill (1954), Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) and Justin Jefferson (2020) for the second-most 100-yard receiving games by a rookie in NFL history. The only rookie with more is Groman, who had nine 100-yard receiving games in 1960.