NFL Research spotlights the best nuggets from each slate of games. Here are the most eye-popping statistical accomplishments from Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season.
1) Jayden Daniels adds finishing touches to stellar rookie season
Daniels is quickly becoming one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL, from Hail Mary throws to double-digit comebacks, to overtime moments and playoff-clinching touchdown drives in prime time -- Daniels has had a plethora of shining moments in his soon-to-be Offensive Rookie of the Year season.
Daniels now has 12 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and overtime, the most by a rookie in NFL history. He has five touchdown passes in the final 30 seconds of regulation or overtime -- two more than any quarterback, rookie or veteran, has had in any single season since the 1970 merger.
With the Commanders' 14-point comeback in Week 16 against the Eagles and their 10-point deficit erasure versus the Atlanta Falcons, Daniels became just the fifth rookie quarterback since 1950 to lead his team to back-to-back double-digit comeback wins -- and the first to do so since Andrew Luck in 2012.
Against the Falcons, Daniels became the first quarterback, rookie or not, with at least three passing touchdowns and 100 yards rushing in a prime-time game.
2) 2024 NFL Draft class makes history
On Sunday, Malik Nabers joined three of his fellow rookies in the "1K" club -- as he, Brock Bowers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Ladd McConkey have each surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2024.
This is the first season in NFL history in which four rookies all reached 1,000 receiving yards. Twice previously have three rookies done so in the same season: 2021 (Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle and Kyle Pitts) and 2014 (Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin).
Those four rookies in 2024 -- Bowers, McConkey, Thomas and Nabers -- combine to represent only two colleges (Georgia and LSU, respectively). Prior to 2024, there had only been one pair of college teammates to each have 1,000 receiving yards in the same rookie season -- Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson in 2022 (from Ohio State).
3) Brian Thomas Jr. joins exclusive receiving club
Speaking of rookies, the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has been on an all-time hot streak as far as rookie receivers go, surpassing 75 receiving yards in each of his last six games (only Odell Beckham Jr., nine games in 2014, has a longer streak among all rookies since the 1970 merger).
Thomas, who finished with seven catches for 91 yards and a touchdown in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans, has 10 career games with at least 75 receiving yards -- breaking a tie with Beckham, Justin Jefferson, Anquan Boldin and Terry Glenn for the most by a rookie in the Super Bowl era.
Thomas also joined Beckham, Ja'Marr Chase and Randy Moss as the only rookies in NFL history with at least 1,100 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns.
Factor in that Thomas has remained productive even after Trevor Lawrence's season-ending injury, and the former LSU star's rookie season is all the more impressive.
4) Brock Bowers breaks tight end records
Speaking of rookies who have been ultra productive despite lackluster quarterback play, Bowers broke a pair of rookie records in the Las Vegas Raiders' win over the New Orleans Saints.
Bowers, who finished with seven receptions for 77 yards in Week 17, has totaled 108 receptions and 1,144 receiving yards in his first NFL season.
Those 108 receptions surpassed Puka Nacua's NFL rookie record of 105 set just last year, and are the fifth-most by any tight end in NFL history (not just rookies).
Bowers' 1,144 receiving yards also surpassed the great Mike Ditka's 63-year-old record for the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history (Ditka had 1,076 yards in a 14-game season way back in 1961).
Week 17 was Bowers' eighth game with at least seven catches and 70 yards receiving, tying Odell Beckham Jr. (2014) for the most such games by a rookie in NFL history.
5) Giants rookie duo a bright spot in New York's tough season
Keeping with the theme of record-setting rookie production, look no further than the Giants' leading rusher Tyrone Tracy Jr. and leading receiver Malik Nabers.
Both rookies reached 1,000 yards from scrimmage on the season in the Giants' Week 17 win over the Colts, making them the second rookie duo in the Super Bowl era to each have 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
The only other instance in the Super Bowl era of rookie teammates each going for 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage was in 2006, when Reggie Bush (1,307 scrimmage yards) and Marques Colston (1,038) each did so.
6) Aaron Rodgers becomes most sacked QB
It wasn't just the rookies setting records in Week 17.
Rodgers entered Week 17 having been sacked 564 times in his regular season career -- one behind Tom Brady (565) for the most sacks taken by any player since the 1970 merger.
After being sacked four times in the blowout loss to the Bills, Rodgers has now surpassed Brady for the most-sacked player since 1970.
A positive milestone for Rodgers to look forward to? He is just one touchdown pass away from 500 in his career -- something only four players in NFL history have accomplished (Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre).
7) Josh Allen makes Bills history on rushing touchdown
After sneaking past the three-win Patriots, 24-21, in Week 16, the Bills left no doubt with a 40-14 win against the Jets in Week 17.
In a game in which he did not play in the fourth quarter, Allen added to his MVP-worthy touchdown total with two through the air and one on the ground -- the latter being the 65th rushing touchdown of his career.
Allen tied Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas for the most rushing touchdowns (65) in Bills franchise history -- joining Cam Newton (63) are the only quarterbacks to lead (or be tied for the lead) for the most rushing touchdowns in a franchise's history.
8) Myles Garrett showcases why he's one of the best pass rushers
Not to be forgotten in what has been a dismal season for Cleveland, but the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Garrett has continued his excellent play into his eighth NFL season.
Garrett, who turned 29 on Sunday, had two sacks in the Browns' 20-3 loss to the Dolphins in Week 17, bringing his total to 14 sacks this season. This is Garrett's fourth consecutive season with at least 14 sacks, the longest such streak by any player since individual sacks were first tracked in 1982.
The only players with more than four seasons of 14.0-plus sacks at any point in their careers are Reggie White (seven), Bruce Smith (five) and Kevin Greene (five).
