Wide receiver Garrett Wilson made franchise history with his second reception of Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills.
Heading to the game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, the third-year player out of Ohio States needed 13 yards to become the second player (George Sauer was the first, 1966-68) in the franchise's 56 seasons to reach and surpass 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons and the first in each of his first three seasons.
On the Jets' first possession, Wilson caught a 5-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers in the right flat. Early in the second quarter, the two collaborated on a 9-yard completion that put Wilson past the 1,000-yard mark.
Four plays later, Wilson blew past the 1,000-yard mark when he took a pass from Rodgers on a crossing route and scampered 28 yards to Buffalo's 14 with his 92nd reception. Wilson added a 13-yard catch in the third quarter, but later in the quarter fumbled after making a catch and struggling for yardage.
Overall in the 40-14 loss to the five-time AFC East champions, Wilson led the Jets (4-12) with 7 receptions for 66 yards, capping it off with an eye-popping one-handed catch from Tyrod Taylor, who replaced Rodgers late in the game, for a 9-yard TD pass. It was Wilson's 7th TD grab of the season, a career high in the NFL.
"They brought cover zero a couple times towards the end of that drive," Taylor said. "One of them I had to throw away over his head, but I just thought I could give him a chance. I mean obviously Garrett is one of the better receivers in this league and if you give him a 50/50 chance its more 80/20 when he's around it. Gave him a chance to make a play and he went up and made a great play."
See all of the best game photos from the Week 17 game in Buffalo.
Wilson, the Green & White's 2022 first-round pick (No. 10 overall) became the fifth player in NFL history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards and 80 receptions in each of his first three seasons. He also became the first player in franchise history with 1,000 yards of each of his first three seasons. Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Michael Thomas and Odell Beckham Jr. are the others.
Wilson began the game with 90 catches (which was ninth in the league coming into the game) and now needs 3 more in the season final against Miami to pass 100 in his NFL career. The only other Jets player to reach and surpass that mark was Brandon Marshall with 109 catches (and 1,502 yards) in 2015. Wilson entered the game with 987 receiving yards (which was 12th in the league coming into the game) and now has 1,053 with a game to play.
