Roddy White Receiving Yards Record

Lore & Background

White attended James Island High School in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was a four-sport letterman in football, baseball, soccer, and wrestling. In wrestling, he was a two-time South Carolina state champion. He played college football at UAB under head coach Watson Brown, catching 163 passes for 3,112 yards and 26 touchdowns in four seasons. He was inducted into the UAB Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. White was drafted by the Falcons with the 27th overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. He became the first Falcon wide receiver since Terance Mathis in 1999 to reach 1,000 single-season receiving yards in 2007. In 2008, he broke Alfred Jenkins's team record of 1,358 receiving yards, finishing with 1,382 yards. He was named to the 2009 Pro Bowl.

In Their Own Story

The Georgia Dome hummed with the familiar roar of a home crowd on a crisp December night. Roddy White adjusted his gloves, watching the quarterback scan the defense. With one more catch needed to cement his legacy as the franchise's all-time receiving leader, he ran his route with practiced precision. The ball spiraled through the air, finding him in stride against a stiff defender. As he crossed the goal line, the stadium erupted, not just for the touchdown, but for the history being written in real time.

Reader's Guide

White played 12 seasons with the Falcons, from 2005 through 2016. He recorded 446 receiving yards as a rookie in 2005, 505 yards in 2006, and then surpassed 1,000 yards in 2007 (1,202 yards), 2008 (1,382 yards), 2009 (1,153 yards), 2010 (1,389 yards), 2011 (1,296 yards), and 2012 (1,351 yards). His career-high in receiving yards was 1,382 in 2008. He had six receiving touchdowns in 2007 and seven in 2008. White and the Falcons made the playoffs in 2008, losing to the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card Round. He had 11 receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown in that game.

Did You Know?

• White was a two-time South Carolina state champion in wrestling, often pinning opponents with a move called the 'Shanaz'.
• In 2007, White wore a 'Free Mike Vick' T-shirt after scoring a touchdown and was fined $10,000 by the league.
• White set the Falcons franchise record for single-game receiving yards in 2009 with 210 yards against the Washington Redskins.
• White helped lead UAB to their first bowl game in school history, the 2004 Hawaii Bowl.