Detroit Lions: A Golden Tate stat that might surprise fans

A revealing stat proves why Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate is likely the most under-appreciated wideout in the entire NFL.

News flash! Golden Tate is a really good wide receiver. Obviously, this isn’t breaking news for Detroit Lions fans. But the ninth-year wideout seems to be grossly under-appreciated league-wide.

Tate has been the Lions’ top receiver for the past four years. That includes the final two seasons of Calvin Johnson‘s career in Motown. In that span, the now 30-year old wideout has recorded a total of 372 receptions for 4,224 yards and 19 touchdowns during his time in Detroit.

Tate was originally drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. But during his four-year stint in the Emerald City, Golden never recorded more than 64 catches in a single season. That fact makes the following stat even more amazing.

In his weekly column, Football Morning in America, Peter King recently posted the following Football Quiz question: Two receivers who caught 90 or more passes every year for the past four NFL seasons. Name them. – Fans might be surprised by the answer.

"“I think the answer to the Football Quiz will get you to appreciate a terminally under-appreciated receiver, Golden Tate of the Detroit Lions. He and Antonio [Brown] are the only receivers with at least 90 catches in each of the last four seasons. Tate has caught 99, 90, 91 and 92 in his four Detroit seasons since signing as a free-agent from Seattle in 2014.”"

Antonio Brown and Tate sharing that statistic really highlights how under-appreciated the latter is, especially when it comes to league accolades. Brown has been nominated to five-straight Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams. He is widely considered to be the top wide receiver in the NFL. And Brown was drafted the same year as Tate but in the sixth round.

In comparison, Tate has only been nominated to a single Pro Bowl (2014). And he was named to the All-Pro first team the year before. But Tate does possess a Super Bowl ring from his time in Seattle, something Brown has yet to achieve.

Tate is entering the final year of his contract in Detroit. And although there have been rumblings that the two sides have at least had preliminary talks about an extension, no new deal has materialized. That fact has many wondering if this will be the final year Tate will play in the Motor City.

The Detroit Lions have a talented wide receiver corps including Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay, and T.J. Jones. But Golden Tate is undeniably quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s most reliable offensive weapon in Detroit. It’s hard to imagine Tate not being on the Lions’ roster beyond 2018.