Art Monk makes history with his 820th career catch
On the eve of the Redskins’ Monday Night Football matchup with the Broncos at RFK Stadium in 1992, Monk knew he had the opportunity to break the NFL receptions record that night in front of nearly 53,000 fans, only needing a few catches to reach the record of 820 career receptions.
Monk wanted to get it out of the way, and so did Washington. The team, fresh off its Super Bowl run from the previous year, was 2-2 heading into the matchup and had a tough slate ahead, including two division games and a road game against a talented Minnesota Vikings squad.
For a moment, it looked as though the record would have to wait, but Gibbs called three pass plays in a row for the eventual Hall of Famer during a final fourth quarter drive. The final play — the record-setter — was a 10-yard reception near the Broncos’ sideline. The players in the huddle knew the significance of the moment with one of them saying, “This is it.”
That created some pressure, Monk said, but he did what Hall of Famers normally do: he made the catch, pushing him past Steve Largent, and had a grin on his face as his teammates rushed the field to lift him off his feet.
“It was a play designed for me to catch,” Monk said after the game. “I’m glad it’s over. I was nervous before the game — that’s something I’m not used to. I was glad to be able to do it here.”