AFL's Release: AFL's Inside the Numbers: Week 9

More Accolades Coming for Tampa Bay's T.T. Toliver
May 26,2016

By Adam Markowitz
LAS VEGAS - One could write a book on veteran wide receiver T.T. Toliver and his place in Arena Football League history. Depending upon how things go the rest of the season for the Storm wide out, he could surpass all of the receiving records currently held by Damian Harrell to become known as the greatest receiver by statistical measures the League has ever seen. With Tampa Bay set to host Arizona this week, Toliver will almost surely be writing some more history to add to his legacy as one of the top receivers in the history of the AFL.
With 15,000 in Sight, Toliver Set To Become Member of 100/100 Club
There are not all that many players – AFL or otherwise – who have had 15,000 receiving yards in their careers. Tampa Bay's T.T. Toliver is 224 yards shy of that mark as it sits heading into Week 9. Though it would be a lofty goal for Toliver to get to that point this week against Arizona, one mark which definitely is reachable is the 100-touchdown plateau for his career as a member of the Storm.
Plenty of receivers can say they have had 100 touchdowns in their careers with one team, but there is only one right now who can say that he's done it with two. Chris Jackson had 100+ receiving touchdowns as a member of both the Los Angeles Avengers and the Georgia Force. No receiver has done so since, though Toliver will get there on Sunday with his first touchdown grab versus the Rattlers.
The 39-year old receiver had 148 receiving touchdowns as a member of the Predators from 2007-2013.
Week 9 Milestone Watch
Any time you can be mentioned in the same breath as the great Barry Wagner, you know you are in elite company. Jacksonville's Tiger Jones needs just three receptions to tie and four to pass Wagner for fifth all-time in catches in League history. Twelve catches for Jones against Orlando on Friday night would get him to 1,000 for his career, a mark only four others have reached.
LA's Donovan Morgan is within sight of the Top 10 in all-time receptions as well. He is sitting on 835 catches heading into Week 9. Just in front of him are Siaha Burley (843) and Cory Fleming (846). If Morgan can haul in a dozen passes this week, he will move from 12th to 10th all-time in League history in receptions.
Only one man in AFL history has ever caught a touchdown pass in 60 straight games. Damian Harrell's epic streak of 78 games with a receiving touchdown will stand as a record for at least one more season, but Jacksonville's Joe Hills can become the second to ever reach the 60-game plateau if he finds the end zone at least once against the Predators in Week 9.
Tommy Grady could be on the verge of some history in Week 9 as well. He will likely need at least one more game after this to get to 30,000 passing yards in his career, but a 440-yard effort against the Predators would make him the ninth man in AFL history to get to 30k.
Last week was a relatively slow one for Shaun Kauleinamoku, as he had just five catches for 55 yards in the win over Orlando. One of Philadelphia's top targets should get to 400 receptions for his career this week against Cleveland. SK needs just two catches to reach that mark. He also is 57 yards of reaching 5,000 yards and four touchdowns short of 100 scores in his career.
Week 8 Quick Hitters
KISS wide receiver Donovan Morgan moved into seventh place all-time in League history in receiving touchdowns last week, surpassing Barry Wagner with his 266th TD grab in the win over Portland.
Arizona's Rod Windsor had one of the great streaks in the AFL come to an end last week. Windsor was held without a touchdown for the first time after 36 regular season games in a row with a trip to the end zone.
The Gladiators needed overtime to dispose of Tampa Bay last Monday night. It was their second straight overtime game after they beat Portland in the extra frame the week prior. Cleveland became the eighth team to play overtime games in back-to-back weeks in League history and just the second to win in OT in consecutive weeks. The only prior team to pull off the feat was Arizona in 2003. The Gladiators also joined the Chicago Rush with six overtime victories in their franchise history, third-most in League history behind the Rattlers and Predators.
Cleveland's victory against Tampa Bay was the 86th in the coaching career of Steve Thonn, tying him with Hall of Fame coach, Perry Moss for the eighth most in League history. Thonn can surpass Moss with a win this week at home versus the Soul.
Clevan Thomas intercepted his first pass in the AFL way back in 2002. Now, 14 years later, LA's veteran DB has snared his 80th pick for his career. With his interception of Shane Austin last week, Thomas joined Kenny McEntyre as the only players in League history to reach the milestone of 80 interceptions.