It only took one season for one of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua’s NFL rookie records to be surpassed.

On Sunday, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers broke Nacua’s league record of 105 receptions as a rookie.

With one game left in the 2024 season, Bowers now has 108 on the year, after finishing with a team-high seven catches for 77 yards in the Raiders’ 25-10 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

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How did Brock Bowers break Puka Nacua’s NFL record for rookie receptions?

Bowers went into the day needing five receptions to pass Nacua, and he caught passes on the first two plays of the game.

He added a 17-yard catch just before halftime to tie Nacua with 105 receptions — that grab helped set up a go-ahead touchdown for Las Vegas.

Bowers then broke the record with an 11-yard catch that picked up a first down with under three minutes left in the third quarter.

Earlier in the game, Bowers passed Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s 63-year-old record for most receiving yards in a season by a rookie tight end. He surpassed Ditka’s 1,076 receiving yards, set in 1961, and now Bowers has 1,144 receiving yards on the year.

“I mean, it’s pretty awesome,” Bowers said, according to ESPN.

“It’s always been a childhood goal to play in the NFL, obviously, and then to come in here and be able to catch as many balls as I did and get as many yards as I did ... it’s pretty shocking to me, I guess. It’s pretty cool.”

Nacua, the former BYU and Orem High star who also played collegiately at Washington, became a household name in NFL circles last year when he broke the NFL rookie record for receptions and receiving yards (1,486) in a season.

The previous NFL record holder for receptions by a rookie in a single season was the Miami Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle, who had 104 in 2021.

Will another rookie catch Puka Nacua in receptions?

Another rookie this season, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, is also closing in on Nacua’s 105 receptions mark.

Nabers had seven receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, moving him to 104 receptions on the season, with one game remaining.

Is Puka Nacua’s rookie receiving yards record in danger of being broken?

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Nacua’s NFL rookie record for receiving yards in a single season, though, is more secure.

Bowers, with his 1,144 receiving yards, is 342 behind Nacua.

Nabers has 1,140, 346 fewer than Nacua.

The Raiders will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, while the Giants play at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua runs onto the field during introductions before an NFL football game Arizona Cardinals in Inglewood, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. | Alex Gallardo
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