Randy Moss and Terrell Owens: Who Earned More in Their Legendary NFL Careers?
The story of the 2000s NFL cannot be told without mentioning Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.
Charismatic, talented, and sometimes divisive, Moss and Owens dominated the sport for years. Moss, who once caught 23 touchdowns in a season for the New England Patriots, shined as a deep-ball threat and a game-changing weapon.
Owens caught touchdowns with ease and bullied opposing defenders, both in scoring and in celebrations.
The two receivers are intertwined in NFL history and will continue as such. But who earned more in the NFL: Moss or Owens?
Randy Moss and Terrell Owens are legendary receivers
Randy Moss and Terrell Owens didn’t need much time to become two of the greatest receivers in NFL history.
A third-round pick in 1996, Owens totaled 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns in 15 seasons. The 21st overall pick in 1998, Moss retired with 982 catches, 15,292 yards, and 156 touchdowns in 218 career games.
Both receivers stepped up in the postseason, too. Owens, who played for five teams, had 54 catches for 751 yards and five touchdowns in 12 career postseason outings.
Moss had 47 career playoff catches for 865 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 playoff games across 13 seasons with four teams.
Neither Moss nor Owens won a Super Bowl
Randy Moss and Terrell Owens both earned plenty of accolades throughout their careers.
Moss earned six Pro Bowl nods and first-team All-Pro honors four times. Owens made six Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors five times.
Unfortunately for Moss and Owens, they both retired without having won a Super Bowl ring. Both reached the Big Game, however, on opposite sides of games involving the Patriots and an NFC East team.
Playing on a broken leg, Owens snagged nine catches for 122 yards in Super Bowl 39. New England defeated Owens and the Eagles, 24-21, in February 2005.
Moss had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in New England’s loss to Eli Manning and the Giants in Super Bowl 42. New England entered that game with a perfect 18-0 record.
While on the San Francisco 49ers, Moss also hauled in two catches for 21 yards in Super Bowl 47. San Francisco, quarterbacked by Colin Kaepernick, lost that game to the Baltimore Ravens.
That night marked the final time Moss stepped onto an NFL field.
Who earned more money? Randy Moss or Terrell Owens?
Randy Moss and Terrell Owens each entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Moss earned enshrinement in his first year, while it took Owens three times to enter the hall.
Not only did both receivers enter the Hall of Fame in the same year, but they also made similar amounts of money during their playing days. According to Spotrac, both earned over $79 million in salary.
Owens earned $79.6 million in his career, with most of that money coming — almost $35 million — coming in his three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 2006-08.
However, Moss earned just a bit more money. Moss walked away with $82.4 million in his career.
All contract figures courtesy of Spotrac.
