Welker is on the brink of becoming the first player in NFL history to record five seasons with 100 or more catches.
FOXBOROUGH – Wes Welker is sitting on the cusp of history, but it doesn’t seem to matter to him.
He didn’t care last week when he began to approach it, and it doesn’t matter now that he’s five receptions away from becoming the first wide receiver in NFL history to record five seasons with 100 or more catches. Asked about the feat Friday – and whether it matters to him or if he’s thinking about it – the New England Patriots slot star simply said, “No.”
But that doesn’t mean those around him haven’t taken a step back to marvel at Welker’s consistency and durability.
“That’s a lot of catches for a lot of years,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “To be able to go out there and do it week after week against all the different coverages, all the different matchups that we see and all that, it’s a real credit to, like you said, to Wes’ ability, but also his toughness and his durability because he’s taken a lot of hits out there.”
Welker was limited to three catches for 52 yards Monday night against the Houston Texans, but he otherwise hasn’t been held to fewer than five since Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, when he was playing behind wide receiver Julian Edelman. Welker now comes up against a San Francisco 49ers defense that ranks second in the league with 184.7 passing yards allowed per game.
But tough assignments have been the norm for Welker, and the key to his success, his teammates and coaches believe, is his heart.
“He’s a tough kid,” Belichick said. “He’s in there on a lot of plays and it’s not all catches – he’s in there blocking in the running game. He had a big block on (Stevan) Ridley’s touchdown run last week and has returned kicks for us, punts.”
“I think that’s what makes Wes really special is his selflessness as a player,” quarterback Tom Brady said earlier this month. “But the ball always seems to find a way to him.”