In 2021, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady set a new single-season NFL record by completing 485 passes. "Single-season" is a good descriptor for that record, because it only lasted one year.
On Sunday, Brady's newly-minted record was surpassed…by Tom Brady himself. In a 30-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in which he played less than a half, Brady completed 13 of 17 passes for 84 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Those 13 successful passes gave him 490 on the season and that is now the NFL's all-time record. Brady also established a new single-season standard for passes thrown, taking that mark from former Lions (and now Rams) quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Most Completions, Single Season, NFL History
| Player | Team | Season | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | Buccaneers | 2022 | 490 |
| Tom Brady | Buccaneers | 2021 | 485 |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | 2022 | 477 |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 2016 | 456 |
| Drew Brees | Saints | 2011 | 468 |
Most Pass Attempts, Single Season, NFL History
| Player | Team | Season | Att. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | Buccaneers | 2022 | 733 |
| Matthew Stafford | Lions | 2012 | 727 |
| Tom Brady | Buccaneers | 2021 | 719 |
| Tom Brady | Buccaneers | 2022 | 716 |
| Justin Herbert | Chargers | 2022 | 699 |
Brady was pulled before halftime as the Buccaneers, with nothing to play for in terms of playoff seeding, took measures to minimize their injury risks. Still, his 84 passing yards pushed his season total to 4,694, which ranked third in the NFL behind the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes (5,250) and the Chargers' Justin Herbert (4,739). Brady's final total is the third highest in franchise history and he now occupies three of the top five spots.
Most Passing Yards, Single Season, Buccaneers History
| Quarterback | Season | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | 2021 | 5,316 |
| Jameis Winston | 2019 | 5,109 |
| Tom Brady | 2022 | 4,694 |
| Tom Brady | 2020 | 4,633 |
| Jameis Winston | 2016 | 4,090 |
Brady's touchdown pass capped a 70-yard game-opening drive and found tight end Kyle Rudolph in the end zone for an eight-yard score. Not only did Rudolph collect his first touchdown as a Buccaneer but he became the 98th different player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady, postseason included.
Six of Brady's 13 completions went to wide receiver Chris Godwin, who also exited the game before halftime. Godwin saw enough action before his departure to become just the second player in team history to reach the 100-catch mark in a single season. In the end Godwin fell just two shy of Keyshawn Johnson's record in that category.
Most Receptions, Single Season, Buccaneers History
| Player | Season | Recs. |
|---|---|---|
| Keyshawn Johnson | 2001 | 106 |
| Chris Godwin | 2022 | 104 |
| Chris Godwin | 2021 | 98 |
| Mike Evans | 2016 | 96 |
| Mike Evans | 2018 | 86 |
| Chris Godwin | 2019 | 86 |
| Mark Carrier | 1989 | 86 |
Godwin picked up 55 yards on his six receptions, which put his final regular-season total at 1,023. That marks the third time in his career that he has surpassed 1,000 yards in a season. He is now tied for the second most 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in Bucs history.
Most 1,000-Yard Receiving Seasons, Buccaneers History
| Player | No. | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Evans | 9 | 2014-22 |
| Chris Godwin | 3 | 2019, 21-22 |
| Vincent Jackson | 3 | 2012-14 |
| Joey Galloway | 3 | 2005-07 |
Wide receiver Mike Evans didn't play against the Falcons due to illness but he still finished the season with a team-leading 1,124 receiving yards on 77 catches. With Godwin getting to four digits on Sunday, the Buccaneers have two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season for just the fourth time in franchise history. Evans has been involved in all four of those prolific pairings.
| Season | Player 1 | Yards | Player 2 | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mike Evans | 1,124 | Chris Godwin | 1,023 |
| 2021 | Chris Godwin | 1,103 | Mike Evans | 1,035 |
| 2019 | Chris Godwin | 1,333 | Mike Evans | 1,157 |
| 2014 | Mike Evans | 1,051 | Vincent Jackson | 1,002 |
Godwin's six grabs on Sunday extended his streak of consecutive games with at least five catches, which he started in Week Four after returning from a two-game absence due to a hamstring injury. Godwin's streak is the longest in the NFL this season and just shy of the longest such run in Buccaneer annals. He'll have a chance to continue his streak when the 2023 season begins.
Most Consecutive Games with Five-Plus Receptions, NFL, 2022
| Player | Streak | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Godwin (TB)* | 14* | Oct. 2 - Jan. 8 |
| CeeDee Lamb (DAL) | 10* | Oct. 30 - Jan. 8 |
| Tyreek Hill (MIA) | 9 | Sept. 29 - Dec. 4 |
| DK Metcalf (SEA) | 8 | Oct. 30 - Dec. 24 |
(* Active streak.)
Most Consecutive Games with Five-Plus Receptions, Buccaneers History
| Player | Streak | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Keyshawn Johnson | 15 | Dec. 18, 2000 - Dec. 16, 2001 |
| Chris Godwin | 14 | Oct. 2, 2022 - Jan. 8, 2023 |
| Keenan McCardell | 9 | Oct. 26, 2003 - Dec. 20, 2003 |
| Mike Evans | 7 | Dec. 18, 2017 - Sept. 30, 2018 |
| Joey Galloway | 7 | Sept. 25, 2005 - Nov. 13, 2005 |
Godwin finished the season with an average of 6.9 receptions per game, which ranked fourth in the NFL. It marks the second season in a row in which he has finished in the top five in the league, after ranking third in 2021 with a 7.0-catch average per game. Overall, he is second only to the Rams' Cooper Kupp in receptions per game over the past two seasons.
Most Receptions Per Game, NFL, 2021-22
| Player | Team(s) | Recs/Gm |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Kupp | Rams | 8.5 |
| Chris Godwin | Buccaneers | 7.0 |
| Justin Jefferson | Vikings | 6.9 |
| Tyreek Hill | Chiefs/Dolphins | 6.8 |
| Davante Adams | Packers/Raiders | 6.8 |
Quarterback Blaine Gabbert came into the game after Brady's departure and eventually gave way to second-year passer Kyle Trask midway through the fourth quarter. None of the Bucs' three quarterbacks in the game were dropped for a sack, marking the 16th time since Brady's arrival in 2020 that the Buccaneers have finished a game without allowing a sack. That is easily the highest total in the league in that span.
Most Games Allowing Zero Sacks, NFL, 2020-22
1. Buccaneers: 16
2. Chiefs: 11
3t. Lions: 10
3t. 49ers: 10
5t. Bills: 9
5t. Steelers: 9
Gabbert threw the Buccaneers' second touchdown pass of the game in the second quarter on a three-yard toss to wideout Russell Gage. That was Gage's fifth touchdown of the season, a new single-season high for him. The Bucs' other five points were provided by kicker Ryan Succop, who made his lone field goal try from 41 yards out and delivered on two extra point attempts. Succop just missed setting a new single-season record for the Buccaneers in field goal attempts.
Most Field Goals Made, Single Season, Buccaneers History
| Kicker | Season | FGM |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Bryant | 2008 | 32 |
| Martin Gramatica | 2002 | 32 |
| Ryan Succop | 2022 | 31 |
| Ryan Succop | 2020 | 28 |
| Connor Barth | 2012 | 28 |
| Matt Bryant | 2007 | 28 |
| Martin Gramatica | 2000 | 28 |
**
Additional Notes:
- Inside linebacker Devin White recovered a fumble by Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder in the second quarter, setting up Gage's touchdown. White has now recovered nine fumbles since entering the league as the fifth-overall pick in the 2019 draft. That ties the Bengals' Vonn Bell for the most in the NFL in that span.
- Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting made his fourth consecutive start, filling in for an injured Carlton Davis for the second time after previously starting twice in place of an injured Jamel Dean. Murphy-Bunting had one of the Bucs' two pass break-ups and has now recorded at least one pass defensed in each of the last four games. His total of six passes defensed in that four-week span is tied for the second most in the NFL in that span, just one behind the seven recorded by the Rams' Jalen Ramsey.
- Mike Evans crossed the 10,000-yard mark during the 2022 season and finished the campaign with 10,425 career yards. That is the ninth most in NFL history through a player's first nine seasons.
