In his first season with the Dolphins, Tyreek Hill broke a long-standing team record that had been held by one of the franchise's all-time greats.
In just his 13th game as a Dolphin, Hill broke Mark Clayton's single-season franchise receiving yardage record of 1,389 yards set in 1984. Hill set the Dolphins' new mark on a 13-yard catch during the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Chargers. The NFL's leading receiver through 13 weeks, Hill entered Sunday's game with 1,379 yards on 96 receptions.
The previous mark was set by Clayton during a prominent year in Dolphins history. That season, the Dolphins captured their fifth (and most recent) AFC title behind an explosive offensive. Along with Clayton, the Dolphins offense featured fellow wideout Mark Duper, whose 1,306 receiving yards that year remains the fourth highest season-single total in franchise annals. Miami's offense was spearheaded by then-second year quarterback Dan Marino, who won league MVP honors after throwing for then-NFL records 5,048 yards and 48 touchdowns.
Clayton, whose 18 touchdown receptions during the '84 season remains the Dolphins single-season record (it was the NFL's single-season record at the time), was a five-time Pro Bowler during his 10-year Dolphins career. He twice led the NFL in touchdown receptions and is first in franchise history with 550 receptions. Clayton is second only to Duper in Dolphins history in receiving yards (8,643) and touchdown receptions (78).
🐬 OTD 1984: MIA clinched home-field thru the playoffs by beating DAL 28-21! Dan Marino tossed 4 TDs finishing '84 with a record 48 while also becoming 1st player to throw 5K yds in a single season. Mark Clayton sets NFL record for most TD RECs in a single season w/18. #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/5xovOmAYyo
— 80s Football Cards 🏈 🙌 (@80sFootballCard) December 17, 2020
Hill's name being alongside two Dolphins receiving legends should come as no surprise to anyone that's been following the NFL this season. A Pro Bowler during each of his six seasons with the Chiefs, Hill has a shot to become the league's first 2,000-yard receiver, a feat that would possibly put him in position to become the first receiver to be named league MVP.
