Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t lack for accomplishments so far in his young career.
Already the best wideout in the NFL, Chase just posted a Triple Crown season after listing it and Bengals franchise records as goals.
Mission(s) accomplished, but he’s looking for more in 2025.
Among other things, Chase highlighted that epic 2019 season from Mike Thomas with the New Orleans Saints which featured 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns on 185 targets.
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com summed up the situation:
“I had that many targets,” says Chase, who was targeted 175 times on his 127 catches. “I have to catch it more. Be like Mike Thomas.”
It turns out when Thomas had his 1,700-yard season for the Saints in 2019 (1,725), he caught 80.5% of his targets. For his career, Thomas is at 76%. This year, Chase caught 72.6% of his targets. It’s 67.9 for his career.
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Chase stressed, of course, that he doesn’t even want another Triple Crown triumph if his team isn’t making the playoffs and threatening to take a Super Bowl.
But the fact Chase is still aiming higher and pushing hard after 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns registers as impressive.
Luckily for Chase, last year could be an anomaly — those 2019 Saints, fueled by Thomas’ elite year, went 13-3.