NFL records that could be broken in 2022: Patrick Mahomes, Jonathan Taylor, T.J. Watt on verge of history

One of the best aspects of watching the NFL is witnessing greatness before our very eyes. Every season, dozens of players find their way into the history books and climb their way up the all-time list in certain statistics. This is part of what makes the NFL — and sports in general — great. 

Records are made to be broken, which is what several players are on the verge of accomplishing in the 2022 season. Not only are some records at stake, but plenty of milestones are close to being matched as well. 

Here are 44 players and coaches that can break NFL records in 2022, or reach certain milestones and etch their place amongst the greats of the sport. 

Quarterbacks

Russell Wilson

• Needs 42 touchdown passes to surpass Peyton Manning (333) for the most by a player in his first 11 seasons in NFL history. Wilson has 292 career touchdown passes.
• Needs 13 wins to surpass Tom Brady (125) for the most wins, including the postseason, by a starting quarterback in his first 11 seasons. Wilson has won 113 starts since 2012. 
• Needs 3,000 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes to join Peyton Manning as the only players to reach those marks in each of their first 11 seasons.
  
  
• A Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks and a Week 6 or Week 18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers would give Wilson victories against all 32 teams. Wilson would join Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as the only quarterbacks in history to accomplish the feat. 

Patrick Mahomes

• Needs 4,500 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes to become the fourth quarterback ever with four career seasons of those totals, joining Tom Brady (five), Drew Brees (four) and Peyton Manning (four).
• Needs 35 touchdown passes to become the fifth quarterback ever with four career seasons with at least 35 touchdown passes, joining Tom Brady (six), Aaron Rodgers (six), Drew Brees (four) and Peyton Manning (four).
  
  
• Needs 2,264 passing yards in his first 12 starts to surpass Matthew Stafford (21,254) for the most passing yards ever by a player in his first 75 career starts. Mahomes has 18,991 passing yards in his career.
  
  
• Needs 23 touchdown passes in his first 12 starts to surpass Dan Marino (173) for the most ever by a player in his first 75 career starts. Mahomes is at 151 career touchdown passes. 

Tom Brady

• Needs at least 5,000 passing yards to join Drew Brees (2011-2013) as the only players in NFL history to record 5,000 passing yards in consecutive seasons and can join Brees (five seasons) as the only players with at least 5,000 passing yards in three different seasons.
• Needs at least 4,000 passing yards to tie Peyton Manning (14 seasons) for the most such seasons in NFL history. 
• Needs 2,431 passing yards to become the first player in NFL history with 100,000 career passing yards, including the postseason. Brady enters the season with 97,569 career passing yards.
• Needs at least 40 touchdown passes to become the first player in NFL history to record 40 touchdown passes in three consecutive seasons and can become the first player with at least 40 touchdown passes in four different seasons. 
• Needs at least 30 touchdown passes to tie Drew Brees (10 seasons) for the most such seasons in NFL history. 
• Needs 25 touchdown passes to surpass Peyton Manning (16 seasons) for the most such seasons in NFL history

Lamar Jackson

• Needs 827 rushing yards to become the fifth quarterback with at least 4,500 career rushing yards, joining Michael Vick (6,109 rushing yards), Cam Newton (5,628), Randall Cunningham (4,928) and Russell Wilson (4,689). Jackson has 3,673 rushing yards as he enters his fifth season.

Josh Allen

• Needs 4,000 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes to join Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterbacks with at least 4,000 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes in three of their first five seasons.
• Needs five rushing touchdowns to join Cam Newton (seven straight seasons from 2011-2017) as the only quarterbacks with at least five rushing touchdowns in five consecutive seasons.

Justin Herbert

• Needs 30 touchdown passes to surpass Dan Marino (98) for the most by a player through his first three seasons in NFL history.
• Needs 30 touchdown passes to become the first player ever to record at least 30 touchdown passes in each of his first three seasons. 
• Needs 3,608 passing yards to surpass Andrew Luck (12,957) for the most by a player through his first three seasons in NFL history. Herbert has 9,350 passing yards in his first two seasons. 
• Needs 4,000 passing yards to become the first player ever to record at least 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three seasons.

Joe Burrow

• Needs 4,500 passing yards to become the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,500 passing yards in two of his first three seasons. 
• Needs nine games with at least 300 passing yards to surpass Andrew Luck (19) for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history.
• Needs one game with at least 400 passing yards to surpass Dan Marino (four games) for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history.
  
  

Aaron Rodgers

• Needs 40 touchdown passes to become the first player ever with at least 40 touchdown passes in four different seasons.
• Needs 35 touchdown passes to become the first player ever with at least 35 touchdown passes in seven different seasons.
• Winning MVP would tie Peyton Manning for an NFL record five MVP awards. An MVP this season would make him the first player since Brett Favre to win three consecutive MVP awards — and the second player ever to accomplish the feat.
• If Rodgers leads the NFL in passer rating, he’ll join Steve Young (four times, 1991-1994) and Peyton Manning (three times, 2004-2006) to lead the league in passer rating for three straight seasons. 

Derek Carr

• Needs 3,300 passing yards to become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 35,000 passing yards in his
  
  first nine seasons, joining Matt Ryan (37,701), Peyton Manning (37,586) and Dan Marino (35,386). Carr enters the season with 31,700 career passing yards. 
• Needs 3,000 passing yards to become the third player in NFL history to record at least 3,000 passing yards in each of his first nine seasons, joining Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson.
  
  

Kirk Cousins

• Needs 25 touchdown passes to become the fifth player to accomplish the feat in at least eight consecutive seasons in NFL history, joining Peyton Manning (13), Drew Brees (11), Philip Rivers (11) and Tom Brady (10).
• Needs a season passer rating of 100-or-higher (min. 300 attempts) to become the fourth player ever to accomplish the feat in at least four consecutive seasons, joining Drew Brees (six from 2015-2020), Aaron Rodgers (four from 2009-2012) and Russell Wilson (four from 2018-2021).
  
  

Kyler Murray

• Needs 3,520 passing yards to become the fifth quarterback ever with at least 15,000 passing yards in his
  
  first four seasons, joining Peyton Manning (16,418), Dan Marino (16,177), Dak Prescott (15,778) and Ryan Tannehill (15,460). Murray has 11,480 career passing yards. 
• Needs 3,500 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes to join Peyton Manning as the only players ever to reach those marks in each of their first four seasons.
• Needs 214 rushing yards to become the fourth quarterback ever with at least 2,000 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in his first four seasons, joining Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton. Murray has 1,786 career rushing yards and 20 career rushing touchdowns.
• Needs five rushing touchdowns to join Cam Newton (33) and Josh Allen (31) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to rush for at least 25 rushing touchdowns in their first four seasons.
  
  

Jalen Hurts

• Needs 10 rushing touchdowns to become the first quarterback ever with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
• Needs 10 rushing touchdowns to join Cam Newton (three seasons) as the only quarterbacks ever with at least 10 rushing
  
  touchdowns in multiple seasons.
  
  

Running back 

Derrick Henry 

• If Henry averages 100 rushing yards per game, he’ll join Jim Brown (1958-1961) as the only players to lead the league in rushing yards per game for four consecutive seasons. 
• Needs 10 rushing touchdowns to become the fifth running back ever with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. LaDainian Tomlinson (nine), Adrian Peterson (seven), Shaun Alexander (five) and Michael Turner (five) are the others. 
  
  
• Needs two games with at least 200 rushing yards to surpass Adrian Peterson (six games) and O.J. Simpson (six) for the most such games in NFL history.
  
  

Jonathan Taylor

• Needs 16 touchdowns to surpass Barry Sanders (47) for the most ever by a player in his first three seasons. Taylor has 32 career touchdowns. 
• Needs eight games with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to surpass Earl Campbell (19 games) and Eric Dickerson (19) for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history. Taylor has 12 career games with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. 
• Needs six games with at least two touchdowns to surpass Marcus Allen (13), Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Larry Johnson, and Alvin Kamara for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history. Taylor has eight career games with at least two touchdowns.
  
  

Nick Chubb 

• Needs eight rushing touchdowns to become the fifth player in NFL history to accomplish the feat in each of
  
  his first five seasons, joining Jim Brown, Adrian Peterson, Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson.
  
  
• Can become the first player in league history to average 5.0 yards per carry (min. 100 carries in five consecutive seasons). 

Ezekiel Elliott

• Needs at least 1,250 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns to join LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players to accomplish the feat in each of their first seven seasons in NFL history.

Alvin Kamara

• Needs 62 catches to surpass Roger Craig (434 receptions) for the most receptions by a running back
  
  in his first six seasons in NFL history. Kamara has 373 career receptions.
• Needs five touchdown catches to become the first running back with at least five touchdown receptions in four career seasons since the merger. Kamara had five touchdown receptions in 2017, 2020 and 2021.
  
  

Christian McCaffrey

• Needs 78 catches to surpass Roger Craig (434) for the most receptions by a running back in his first six seasons in NFL history. McCaffrey enters the season with 357 career receptions. 
• Needs 838 receiving yards to surpass Marshall Faulk (3,852 receiving yards) for the most receiving yards by a running back in his first six seasons since the merger. McCaffrey enters the season with 3,015 career receiving yards.

Austin Ekeler

• Needs one touchdown catch to surpass James White (24 touchdown receptions) for the most touchdown catches by a running back in his first six seasons since the merger. 
• Needs four games with both a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown to become the first player ever with 10 such games within his first six seasons.
• Needs 237 receiving yards to surpass Priest Holmes (2,962 yards) for the most receiving yards by an undrafted running
  
  back in the common-draft era. Ekeler enters the season with 2,726 career receiving yards.
  
  

James Robinson

• Needs eight touchdowns to become the first undrafted player in the common-draft era to record at least eight touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. 
• Needs seven touchdowns to become the third undrafted player in the common-draft era to record at least 25 touchdowns through his first three seasons, joining Arian Foster (33) and Antonio Gates (25). Robinson has 18 career touchdowns.
  
  

Melvin Gordon

• Needs eight rushing touchdowns to become the fifth running back in NFL history with at least eight rushing touchdowns in six consecutive seasons, joining LaDainian Tomlinson (nine), Jim Brown (seven), Adrian Peterson (seven) and Emmitt Smith (seven).
  
  

Wide receiver

Mike Evans

• Needs 1,000 receiving yards to become the first player with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first nine seasons in NFL history and can join Jerry Rice (11 seasons, 1986-1996) and Tim Brown (nine, 1993-2001) as the only players with at least 1,000 receiving yards in nine consecutive seasons. 
• Needs 13 touchdown receptions to become the fourth player in NFL history with at least 13 touchdown receptions in three consecutive seasons, joining Lance Alworth (1964-1966), Terrell Owens (2000-2002) and Jerry Rice (1989-1991, 1993-1995).

Tyreek Hill

• Needs six touchdown catches to become the fifth player in NFL history to record at least six touchdown receptions in each of his first seven seasons, joining Larry Fitzgerald, Marvin Harrison, Don Hutson and Randy Moss. 
• Needs seven touchdowns to join Randy Moss as the only wide receivers in NFL history with at least seven touchdowns in each of their first seven seasons.

Justin Jefferson

• Needs 1,148 receiving yards to surpass Randy Moss (4,163) for the most receiving yards by a player through his first three seasons in NFL history. Jefferson has 3,016 receiving yards in his first two seasons. 
• Needs 1,400 receiving yards to become the first player ever to accomplish the feat in each of his first three seasons.
• Needs 104 catches to join Michael Thomas (321) and Christian McCaffrey (303) as the only players ever with at least 300 catches through their first three seasons. Jefferson has 196 catches in his career.
• Needs six games with at least 100 receiving yards to surpass Odell Beckham Jr. (19 games) and Randy Moss (19) for the most such games by a player through his first three seasons in NFL history. Jefferson has 14 career games with at least 100 receiving yards.
  
  

Cooper Kupp

• Can become the fourth player since the merger to lead the league or tie for the lead in touchdown receptions in consecutive seasons, joining Jerry Rice (1986-1987, 1989-1991), Terrell Owens (2001-2002) and Larry Fitzgerald (2008-2009). Kupp led the NFL with 16 touchdown receptions last year.
• Can become the first player since the merger to win the receiving triple crown twice (lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in the same season). Don Hutson is the only player in NFL history to capture the triple crown twice. 

Ja’Marr Chase

• Needs 1,562 receiving yards to surpass Justin Jefferson (3,016) for the most receiving yards by a player through his first two seasons in NFL history.
• Needs 1,250 receiving yards to join Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson and Randy Moss as the only players to accomplish the feat in each of their first two seasons in NFL history.

Jaylen Waddle

• Needs 93 catches to surpass Justin Jefferson (196) and Michael Thomas (196) for the most ever by a player in his first two seasons. Waddle had an NFL rookie-record 104 receptions in 2021.
• Needs 100 receptions to become the first player ever to record at least 100 receptions in each of his first two seasons.
• Needs two games with at least 10 receptions to surpass Odell Beckham Jr. (four) and Christian McCaffrey (four) for the most
  
  such games by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history. Waddle had three such games as a rookie in 2021.
  
  

Davante Adams

• Needs 115 catches to become the first player ever to reach the mark in three consecutive seasons.
  
  

Keenan Allen

• Needs 100 catches to join Antonio Brown (six from 2013-2018) and Marvin Harrison (four from 1999-2002) as the only players ever to record at least 100 receptions in four consecutive seasons.

Tight ends

Travis Kelce

• Needs 1,000 receiving yards to become the first tight end in NFL history with seven seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. Kelce has at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past six seasons, the most in NFL history for a tight end. 
• Needs 103 receptions to surpass Jason Witten (806) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first 10 seasons in NFL history.
• Needs 994 receiving yards to become the fifth tight end in NFL history with at least 10,000 career receiving yards, joining Tony Gonzalez (15,127), Jason Witten (13,046), Antonio Gates (11,841) and Shannon Sharpe (10,060).
• Needs 96 catches to become the fifth tight end in NFL history with at least 800 career receptions, joining Tony Gonzalez (1,325), Jason Witten (1,228), Antonio Gates (955) and Shannon Sharpe (815). Kelce has 704 receptions in nine seasons.
  
  
• Needs four games with at least 100 receiving yards to surpass Rob Gronkowski (32 games) and Tony Gonzalez (31 games) for the most such games by a tight end in NFL history. Kelce has 29 career games with at least 100 receiving yards.
  
  

Mark Andrews

• Needs 1,034 receiving yards to become the third tight end in NFL history with at least 4,500 receiving yards in his first five seasons, joining Jimmy Graham (4,752) and Kellen Winslow Sr. (4,513). Andrews has 3,466 career receiving yards.
• Needs seven receiving touchdowns to become the third tight end ever with at least seven touchdown receptions in four consecutive seasons, joining Antonio Gates (nine from 2004-2012) and Jimmy Graham (four from 2011-2014).

George Kittle

• Needs 65 catches to become the sixth tight end with at least 400 receptions in his first six seasons, joining Zach Ertz (437), Jimmy Graham (434), Jason Witten (429), Travis Kelce (410) and Antonio Gates (400). Kittle has 335 receptions. 
• Needs 511 receiving yards to become the sixth tight end in NFL history with at least 5,000 receiving yards in his first six seasons, joining Rob Gronkowski (5,555), Jimmy Graham (5,357), Travis Kelce (5,236), Kellen Winslow Sr. (5,176) and Antonio Gates (5,066). Kittle has 4,489 receiving yards.
• Needs 500 receiving yards to become the fifth tight end all-time with at least 500 receiving yards in each of his first six seasons, joining Rob Gronkowski, Keith Jackson, Ozzie Newsome and Jeremy Shockey.
  
  

Kyle Pitts

• Needs 955 receiving yards to surpass Mike Ditka (1,980) for the most receiving yards by a tight end in his first two
  
  seasons all-time. Pitts had 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie. 
• Needs 77 catches to surpass Keith Jackson (144) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first two seasons in NFL history. Pitts had 68 catches as a rookie.
  
  

Defensive players

Aaron Donald

• Needs 12 sacks to become the fourth player since sacks became an official stat (1982) with at least 110 sacks in his first nine NFL seasons, joining Reggie White (137), Jared Allen (117) and DeMarcus Ware (117). Donald has 98 sacks in his first eight seasons.
• John Randle is the only player of the 100-sack club who spent the majority of his career as a defensive tackle. Donald will join him with two sacks. 
• Needs 12 sacks to become the second player since since sacks became an official stat (1982) with at least 12 sacks in five consecutive seasons, joining Lawrence Taylor (1985-1989).
• Needs eight sacks to become the third player since 1982 with at least eight sacks in each of his first nine NFL seasons, joining Derrick Thomas (first 10 seasons) and Reggie White (14 seasons).
  
  

T.J. Watt

• Needs nine sacks to surpass DeMarcus Ware (80) for the second-most sacks by a player in his first six NFL seasons (since sacks became an official stat in 1982). Only Reggie White (95) has more. Watt has 72 career sacks. 
• Needs 13 sacks to become the first player since 1982 to record at least 13 sacks in five consecutive seasons. 
• Needs 15 sacks to join Reggie White (1986-1988) as the only players since 1982 to record at least 15 sacks in three consecutive NFL seasons. 
• Needs 20 sacks to become the first player since 1982 to record at least 20 sacks in consecutive seasons.
• Can become the first player to lead the league in sacks in three different seasons since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
  
  

Micah Parsons

• Needs 13 sacks to become the third player since sacks became an official stat in 982 to record at least 13 sacks in each of his first two NFL seasons, joining Reggie White (1985-1986) and Aldon Smith (2011-2012).
  
  

Shaquille Leonard

• Needs four interceptions to become the third linebacker in the Super Bowl era with at least 15 in his first five seasons, joining Jack Ham (17) and Stan White (16). Leonard has 11 career interceptions in his first four years. 

Trevon Diggs

• Needs six interceptions to become the fifth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 20 interceptions in his first three seasons, joining Lem Barney (25), Everson Walls (22), Ed Reed (21) and Richard Sherman (20). Diggs enters the season with 14 career interceptions.
• Needs 10 interceptions to join Don Doll (1949-1950) and Tom Keane (1952-1953) as the only players in NFL history to record at least 10 interceptions in consecutive seasons.
  
  

Jamal Adams

• Needs 3.5 sacks to become the sixth defensive back since sacks became an official stat in 1982 with at least 25 career sacks, joining Rodney Harrison (30.5 sacks), Ronde Barber (28), Brian Dawkins (26), Adrian Wilson (25.5) and Carnell Lake (25).
• Needs five sacks to become the first defensive back since sacks became an official stat in 1982 with three career seasons with at least five sacks. Adams had 9.5 sacks in 2020 and 6.5 sacks in 2019.

Cameron Jordan

• Needs seven sacks to become the sixth player since sacks became an official stat in 1982 to record at least seven sacks in 11
  
  consecutive NFL seasons, joining Reggie White (14), Chris Doleman (13), John Randle (12), Robert Mathis (11) and Derrick Thomas (11). 
• Needs 12 sacks to become the sixth player since sacks became an official stat in 1982 to record at least six seasons with at least 12 sacks, joining Reggie White (10), Kevin Greene (eight), Bruce Smith (eight), Leslie O’Neal (seven) and Simeon Rice (six).
  
  

Von Miller

• Needs 14.5 sacks to become the fifth player since 1982 with at least 130 sacks in his first 12 NFL seasons, joining Reggie White (165.5), Bruce Smith (140), DeMarcus Ware (138.5) and Jared Allen (136). Miller has 115.5 sacks in his career. 

Coaches

Bill Belichick

• Needs four wins to surpass George Halas (324 combined wins) for the second-most wins by a head coach in NFL history. Belichick enters the season with 321 career wins. 

• Needs 10 regular-season wins to become the third head coach in NFL history with 300 career regular-season victories, joining Don Shula (328 regular season wins) and George Halas (318). 

• Can surpass Don Shula (19) for the most postseason berths as a head coach. Belichick-led teams have earned playoff berths in 19 different seasons.

Andy Reid

• Needs 10 wins to surpass Tom Landry (16 seasons) for the third-most 10-win seasons by a head coach in NFL history. Only Bill Belichick (20 seasons) and Don Shula (20) have more.
• Needs 10 wins to become the third coach in NFL history to record at least 10 wins in eight consecutive seasons, joining Bill Belichick (17 consecutive seasons from 2003-2019) and George Seifert (eight  consecutive seasons from 1989-1996).
  
  
• With a 9-7-1 record or better in 2022, Reid will join Don Shula, George Halas and Bill Belichick as the only coaches in NFL history who are at least 100 games over .500 in their NFL head coaching careers.

Matt LaFleur

• Can become the first coach since 1970 to win at least 13 games in each of his first four seasons as an NFL head coach. 
• Needs 14 wins to surpass George Seifert (52 wins) for the most-ever victories by a head coach in his first four seasons. LaFleur has 39 career regular season wins through three seasons.
• Needs 11 wins within the team’s first 12 games of the season to surpass Paul Brown (62 games) and George Seifert (62) as the fastest head coach in NFL history to reach 50 career wins. LaFleur has 39 wins through 49 games. 

Records that can be broken in Week 1

Lamar Jackson

• Needs one game with at least 100 rushing yards to surpass Michael Vick (10 games) for the most such games by a quarterback in NFL history. Jackson has 10 career 100-yard rushing games.

Tom Brady

• Needs one fourth-quarter comeback to tie Peyton Manning (43) for the most in NFL history. Brady (53) also needs one game-winning drive to tie Manning (54) for the most in NFL history.
  
  

Matthew Stafford

• Needs five passing yards to tie Drew Brees for the fewest games (183) to reach 50,000 career pass yards all-time. Stafford enters the season with 49,995 career passing yards. 
  
  

Joe Burrow

• Needs 400 passing yards in his first game to tie Ryan Fitzpatrick (three consecutive games, 2018) and Dak Prescott (three, 2020) for the most consecutive games with at least 400 passing yards in NFL history.

Christian McCaffrey

• Needs one game with both a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown to become the first player ever with 10 such games within his first six seasons.

Cordarrelle Patterson 

• Needs one kickoff-return touchdown to surpass Josh Cribbs (eight) and Leon Washington (eight) for the most in NFL history.