Randy Moss was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 by the Hall's board of selectors Saturday. Here's what you need to know about Moss, who will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 4:
Résumé: Wide receiver, 1998-2004, Minnesota Vikings; 2005-06, Oakland Raiders; 2007-10, New England Patriots; 2010, Minnesota Vikings; 2010, Tennessee Titans; 2012, San Francisco 49ers.
Why he was selected: The short answer? Because what Moss did over the course of his 14-year career makes him one of the greatest receivers of all time. His statistical production puts him in an elite category, and the numbers Moss achieved weren't the byproduct of an innovative scheme, such as the West Coast offense. So much of what he was able to do came from his individual skill set, and he was proficient in every category. Teams struggled mightily against Moss on deep passes so much so that the "Randy Rules" became a widely used strategy to try and eliminate the receiver from one-on-one matchups. Moss forced teams to enhance their coverages during an era where the concepts of bracket coverage and using a safety over the top weren't seen all that often. Having to play against the Minnesota Vikings twice a year after Moss' arrival in 1998 forced the Green Bay Packers to change their draft strategy for the next season when they drafted three cornerbacks, two of them at least 6-feet tall, as a way to better defend against Moss. He finished his career ranked second all time with 156 touchdowns, fourth in receiving yards (15,292) and 15th in receptions (982)
Remember this? Moss is as well known for his on-field exploits and jaw-dropping plays as he is for the antics that surrounded him throughout his career. Moss' infamous "fake mooning" incident in the end zone at Lambeau Field during the playoffs after the 2004 season is synonymous with the receiver. On the field, his lateral to Moe Williams for a touchdown after he caught a deep pass from Daunte Culpepper at the end of the first half against the Denver Broncos in 2003 was almost as memorable.
Moss also had some of the best one-liners that have worked their way into popular culture, including his "straight cash, homie" line in regard to the fine for the fake moon incident. "You got Mossed" has become its own segment on ESPN's NFL Countdown, where the receiver voices over highlights (some that aren't football-related) when one athlete often jumps or leaps above another to make an incredible play. And for better or for worse, Moss' "I play when I want to play" proclamation has followed him throughout his career.
He said it: "All I know is I just played the game to the best of my ability," Moss said. "I put my mark, I put my stamp, I put my name, I put my family's name on the game of football, the National Football League; you can't get any higher. Wherever people hold me at and wherever they put me, that's up to them, but I know deep down in my heart, when it's all said and done, I know where I stand. I stand up there with the greats, first ballot or not."