DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett breaks records of Seahawks legends during first half vs. 49ers
DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are replacing legends in the Seahawks’ record book.
Metcalf had catches on consecutive plays early in the second quarter Sunday during Seattle’s regular-season finale against San Francisco. Those first two receptions of the game for Metcalf were for 9 yards, the second for 4 yards and a first down. That latter catch was enough for Metcalf to pass Hall of Famer Steve Largent for the franchise record for most yards receiving in a season.
Largent had 1,287 yards in 16 games for Seattle in 1985. That was in his 10th NFL season.
The 23-year-old Metcalf is in his second year in the league.
Minutes after Metcalf set his record, Lockett set his. He caught his seventh pass in eight targets within the game’s first 19 1/2 minutes. That gave him 95 receptions this season, one more than the previous franchise record previous shared by Bobby Engram and Doug Baldwin.
Lockett and Metcalf became the second pair in Seahawks history with 1,000 yards each in a season. Brian Blades and Joey Galloway in 1995.
Largent responded with a message he posted online minutes after Metcalf broke his record Sunday.
“Got my DK jersey on. How about that, buddy?” Largent said into his camera phone he held at arm’s length.”
He was wearing a gray, Seahawks number 14 jersey, Metcalf’s number.
“Yes, sir,” Largent said. “I’m really proud of you.”
Metcalf knew for the last year what Largent’s record was, how attainable it might be for him in the 2020 season.
“I kind of looked up the record last year,” he said this past week.
Yes, when he was a rookie.
“I saw how far it was toward the end of the (2019) season,” Metcalf said, “so I knew it was it was gonna be on the agenda, this year to break it.”
Metcalf has already made his first Pro Bowl team, named in late December. Becoming an All-Pro this year is not out of the question but is unlikely. He is sixth in the NFL in yards receiving (1,282) and touchdowns (10). Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams are having monster seasons are likely to be the All-Pros.
Now that Largent’s record is basically his, Metcalf has his sights set beyond Seahawks marks.
He’s eyeing Calvin Johnson’s NFL single-season record of 1,964 yards receiving from 2012. Johnson broke the previous mark of some guy named Jerry Rice. Johnson’s mark is mammoth. It’s an average of almost 123 yards per game.
“I got to start small, start with a Largent’s record,” Metcalf said, coyly, “and then hopefully move on to Calvin’s record.”
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he wouldn’t doubt Metcalf.
“I don’t know what’s not attainable for DK,” Carroll said this past week.
“We shouldn’t set any boundaries for him, at all.”
This story was originally published January 3, 2021 at 2:40 PM.
