San Francisco 49ers: 10 best single-season performances in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
No. 7: Wide Receiver Terrell Owens Breaks Out for 49ers in 2000
In 2000, the Niners were looking to phase out Jerry Rice and had identified the player to do it, now-Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, who already made a name for himself two seasons before in 1998.
But in 2000, it was evident San Francisco’s pass-catching efforts were going to go Owens’ way, and he certainly seized the opportunity to make a massive impact.
That year, Owens set a career high with 1,451 receiving yards, doing so on 97 catches to go along with 13 touchdowns. Those were outstanding numbers, yes.
Yet what puts Owens’ 2000 campaign on this list is the fact he averaged 103.6 receiving yards per game.
Per game. Think about that. Most top receivers in today’s NFL hover around 70 or 80 yards per game, which would put them into All-Pro consideration. Owens’ 283-yard performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 16 sure helped, too.
Oh, for what it’s worth, that receiving-yards-per-game average led the league that year.