Larry Centers – The Last Of The Great Pass Receiving Fullbacks?

Larry Centers led a long career playing mostly for teams out of the limelight. He was drafted in 1990 by the Phoenix Cardinals and played his first nine seasons there. He then went on to play two seasons for the Washington Redskins, two seasons for the Buffalo Bills, and a final season winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots.

In 1995, while playing for the Cardinals, Centers caught 101 passes for 962 yards setting the record for pass receptions by a running back. Centers’ 862 career receptions are also the record for most career pass receptions by a non-wide-receiver.

But Centers was more than just a great receiver, he was a great blocking back and that skill is most likely what kept him in the league after he left the Cardinals following the 1998 season.

With fullbacks being used primarily as blocking backs these days, numbers the like that Larry Centers put up may never be seen again.