1. Most points in a season
176, Paul Hornung 1960. Playing a 12-game season, the Packers’ quadruple threat averaged an NBA-like 14.7 points per game, scoring 176 points on 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals and 41 extra points (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text). He also threw two TD passes. Even with a 16-game schedule, no player has come within 10 points of Hornung’s record.
2. Most consecutive games TD pass
47, John Unitas 1956-60. Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak is 12 games better than the next best. The Colts QB’s mark is 17 games better than second place. And that’s when NFL rules allowed defenders far more leeway covering receivers.
3. Highest average gain career for RB
5.2, Jim Brown 1957-65. All-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith averaged over 5 yards for a season once in his career. Ditto for Walter Payton. The Browns’ great averaged more than 5 yards per carry for nine years.
4. Most interceptions in a season
More Top Picks Dominoes
14, Dick Lane 1952. No defensive rookie had bigger impact than “Night Train,” who set the mark with the Rams in a 12-game season. No player has had more than 10 since 1981.
5. Most TDs in a career
205, Jerry Rice 1985-2003. The 49ers-Raiders star has 40-TD lead over Smith.
6. Highest kickoff return average
41.06, Travis Williams 1967. “The Roadrunner” ran back four kickoffs for TDs for Lombardi’s Packers. Gale Sayers is second at 37.69 in 1967.