Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase already had an NFL record in the books ahead of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The stud pass-catcher recorded north of 100 receiving yards in each of his first two playoff games this season, becoming the first rookie to ever accomplish that feat.
As dominant as Chase has been this season, the following stat still has to be considered eye-opening. By virtue of this 22-yard pass from Joe Burrow, Chase broke the record for most receiving yards for a rookie in playoff history.
Let’s not ignore just how good of a play this was from Burrow. The sophomore quarterback avoided a ton of pressure to hit Ja’Marr Chase and set up a field goal to pull Cincinnati to within 21-13.
But it’s the 22-yard catch from Chase that made history here. He just surpassed the great Torry Holt for the most receiving yards for a rookie in playoff history.
A seven-time Pro Bowler during his time with the then-St. Louis Rams, Holt caught 13 passes for 242 yards in the playoffs during his rookie season. Said campaign culminated in the “Greatest Show on Turf” pulling off a dramatic 23-16 win over the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl.
As for Chase, he entered Sunday’s game having caught 14 passes for 225 yards in two playoff games. He added a two-yard touchdown catch from Burrow later in the third quarter to pull Cincinnati within 21-19. A two-point conversion tied the game heading into the fourth quarter.
The rookie wide receiver continues to impress.
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