Brock Bowers breaks Mike Ditka’s NFL record for receiving yards by a rookie tight end

Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers just broke one of the NFL’s oldest records.

On his third catch today in New Orleans, Bowers broke the record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history, which was set by Bears tight end Mike Ditka in 1961. Ditka had 1,076 receiving yards that year; Bowers is now at 1,087 and counting this year.

It’s a big accomplishment for Bowers and also a reminder of the greatness of Ditka, who was a Hall of Fame tight end before becoming a Super Bowl-winning head coach. It took 63 years, much more sophisticated passing offenses, rules favoring receivers and longer seasons for a rookie tight end to match Ditka’s yardage.

Bowers has already broken the rookie tight end reception record set by Detroit’s Sam LaPorta last year. LaPorta had 86 catches in 2023; Bowers has 104 catches so far this year and is closing in on Puka Nacua’s NFL rookie total of 105 catches set last year.

What Ditka did in a 14-game season and a very different NFL is an extraordinary achievement, and Bowers putting up bigger numbers doesn’t necessarily reflect a better season. But any time a record has stood for 63 years, breaking it is a major achievement. And Bowers has done it.