Welker Joins 4k/4k/2k Club

With a 9-yard punt return in the first quarter of Sunday’s game, Wes Welker reached a milestone that is a testament to his versatility. The return pushed Welker’s career yardage on punt returns to 2004. After three straight seasons floating near the top of the receptions and receiving yardage lists, Welker has more than 4500 receiving yards in his career. Although he does not do much in the way of kick returns any longer, three seasons as an excellent kickoff return man in Miami have moved his kickoff return yardage over 4000 as well.

Welker joins Eric Metcalf (3453 punt return yards, 5813 kickoff return yards, and 5572 receiving yards) as the only two players in NFL history to record a minimum of 4000 yards receiving and on kickoff returns plus 2000 or more on punt returns. Welker may not be the most versatile player in NFL history, as guys like Metcalf (2392 career rushing yards) and Brian Mitchell also contributed in the running game. He may, however, be one of the most dominant WRs to contribute at similarly elite levels in both the kick and punt return game (Tim Brown certainly could have, but after taking the league by storm as a kickoff returner in his rookie season, Brown would have only eight more kickoff returns in his career).