Another NFL record for Ladd McConkey

By Joe Johnson

The Los Angeles Chargers' season came to an end on Saturday in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, losing to the Houston Texans 31-12.

During the losing effort, former Georgia Bulldog Ladd McConkey had one last huge day in his first NFL season and set a record in his playoff debut.

With 197 yards receiving, McConkey set an NFL record for most receiving yards ever recorded by a rookie in postseason play, previously held by Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua.

McConkey caught nine passes for those 197 yards and scored the only touchdown of the day for his team (as well as the most exciting non-special teams play of the entire game) with an 86-yard catch-and-run on third-and-26.

It was an incredible performance for McConkey who had a remarkable first season with the Chargers, setting a franchise record for receiving yards by a rookie: 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns.

Meanwhile, fellow Bulldog and NFL rookie Brock Bowers set records in his first year with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The No. 13 overall draft pick finished the season with 112 catches for 1,194 yards. He set the NFL tight end rookie record for catches (86), receiving yards (1,076), overall receptions for a rookie (105) and the Raiders’ single-season reception record (107).

On Friday Bowers was named to The Associated Press 2024 NFL All-Pro First Team.

Bowers earns first-team All-Pro honors after ranking third in the league in receptions with 112, eighth in receiving yards with 1,194, and fourth in yards after catch with 596— all of which ranked first among tight ends this season.

He also set the Raiders' franchise record for most receptions in a single season and NFL records for most receptions by a rookie at any position and most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in a single season.

He became just the fourth rookie tight end in the NFL since 1960 to earn first-team All-Pro honors— the first since 2002, when Jeremy Shockey had the honors.