NFL History: 50 greatest quarterback-wide receiver tandems in NFL history

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 27: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions celebrates with teammate Calvin Johnson #81 after a first quarter touchdown the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on October 27, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

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Tom Brady & Wes Welker (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

The 23rd greatest quarterback-wide receiver duo in NFL history: Tom Brady & Wes Welker

Wes Welker was considered too small, too fragile, and flat-out not good enough to make an impact in the league. In all fairness, those naysayers were 100% right. In his first few seasons under the bright lights, Welker wasn’t impressive or much of a factor as a member of the Miami Dolphins.

That said, once he made his way to the New England Patriots in 2007 and hooked up with quarterback Tom Brady, Welker proved everyone wrong. In five of his six seasons receiving the ball from arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, Welker registered at least 1,175 receiving yards. In 2011, call us crazy but he was quite possibly the best receiver in the NFL after catching a league-high 122 passes for 1,569 yards.

Welker enjoyed five Pro Bowl seasons in those six seasons and two All-Pros.

Brady, of course, needs no introduction. He should be considered the best signal-caller of all time and threw for over 4,000 yards in multiple seasons with Welker. Surprisingly, considering that Brady has seven Super Bowl rings, the duo of Brady and Welker never captured one together. They did, however, make two trips. They didn’t win of course, but that counts for something.

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