The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history

Ever wonder what it would be like to have two all-time greats, in their prime, on the same team for a year? The Minnesota Vikings found their answer in 1998 when first-round rookie Randy Moss suited up to join then-five-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro Cris Carter in the receiving corps.

Passing to the duo was Randall Cunningham, an electric signal-caller who’d won the Bert Bell Award two times already. It was assumed that the UNLV product was past his prime, but in 1998, he and his Hall-of-Fame receiving tandem proved the doubters wrong.

Moss and Carter both eclipsed 1,000 yards and had double-digit touchdowns, while Cunningham had a career-best year at age-35, throwing for 3,704 yards, 34 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and an outstanding passer rating of 106.0.

The 1998 Vikings went 15-1. While they ultimately lost in the NFC Conference Championship to the Atlanta Falcons, that offensive trio’s excitement would never quite die down. The Vikings amassed 556 points that year, a figure that was an NFL record at the time. Cunningham received serious NFL MVP consideration.

The group had high hopes heading into the next year, but longevity proved to be a fatal flaw for Cunningham, who saw his play hit a steep decline in quality in 1999. Carter had two more Pro Bowl seasons before he faded, while Moss enjoyed a Pro Football Hall of Fame career in the next decade, achieving greatness with the Vikings, the Oakland Raiders, and the New England Patriots.

This trio didn’t win the ring and it didn’t stand the test of time. But in its prime, it resembled one of the most efficient, electric machines in NFL history.