On Sunday, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey did something that hasn’t been done in pro football in 17 years. McCaffrey threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Aiyuk with 12:10 left in the first half.
Christian McCaffrey really does it all, touchdown pass to Aiyuk, 34 yards!pic.twitter.com/WfdF2ODjjs
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 30, 2022
Then, with 1:51 left in the third quarter, McCaffrey extended his short route as Jimmy Garoppolo rolled around to avoid pressure, coming up with this great nine-yard touchdown catch.
Jumpman! Jumpman!
First @CMC_22 touchdown catch in the red and gold 🙌
📺 #SFvsLAR on FOX pic.twitter.com/cwGhwF7YH8
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 30, 2022
And THEN, with 12:07 left in the game, McCaffrey bashed it in for this one-yard touchdown run.
It’s been since 2005 since any player has touchdowns in all three ways in a single game, and only 11 players have done it in pro football history. Who else has pulled off this impressive feat?
LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders, October 16th, 2005
In a 27-14 win over the Raiders, Tomlinson single-handedly put the Chargers on his back. He had a 35-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees, a four-yard touchdown run, and he threw a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Justin Peelle.
David Patten, New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts, October 21st, 2001
In a 38-14 win over the Colts, Patriots receiver David Patten had a 29-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, caught a 91-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the second quarter, and threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Troy Brown before the half. Patten doubled down with a six-yard touchdown pass from Brady in the fourth quarter.
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings, October 21st, 1979
Payton was probably the greatest versatile offensive player in pro football history, and he threw eight touchdown passes in his Hall of Fame career, so his inclusion on this list should come as no surprise. The Vikings had no answer for Payton on this day. Payton threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brian Baschnagel in the first quarter, caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Bob Avellini in the second, and had a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Sadly, it wasn’t enough to beat Minnesota, who eked out a 30-27 win with a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback.
Harmon Wages, Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints, December 7th, 1969
Wages took No. 5 for his jersey because he wanted to be as versatile as the great Paul Horning, and while his career didn’t have the same staying power, Wages was as versatile as anybody on one particular day against the Saints. In a 45-17 thrashing of New Orleans, Wages threw a first-quarter touchdown pass to receiver Paul Flatley, caught an 88-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bob Berry in the second quarter, and got himself a 66-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Dan Reeves, Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles, December 10th, 1967
Reeves was another do-it-all guy who tallied 25 rushing touchdowns, 17 receiving touchdowns, and two passing touchdowns in his career as a player. And he went all-in against the Eagles in this 38-17 dumping. Reeves caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Craig Morton in the second quarter, ran it in from one yard out in the third quarter, and threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to receiver Lance Rentzel in the fourth.
Keith Lincoln, San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos, November 7th, 1965
The Charges are the only franchise with two players on this list, and Lincoln did it back in the old AFL days for head coach Sid Gillman against the Broncos in a 35-21 win. Lincoln caught two touchdown passes from quarterback John Hadl in the second quarter, threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Hall of Fame receiver Lance Alworth in the third quarter, and put the game away with a one-yard run in the fourth.
John Henry Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles, December 11th, 1960
The Steelers were a moribund franchise for the most part until Chuck Noll came on board in 1969, but they did have their occasional moments before then. One such moment came in their 27-21 win over the Eagles in which Johnson caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Layne in the first quarter, had an 87-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and threw a 15-yard pass to Buddy Dial, also before the first half was over.
Gene Gedman, Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers, November 16th, 1958
Sadly, we don’t have a picture of Gedman in our archives — he played in the NFL just four seasons (1953, a break for military service, and then 1956 through 1958), and then, his career was over. But on November 16-1958, Gedman stood out as never before, and as he never would again. In a 35-21 beatdown of the 49ers, Gedman threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Howard “Hopalong” Cassady in the first quarter, ran in a two-yard touchdown in the second, and caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Tobin Rote in the fourth.
Frank Gifford, New York Giants vs. Washington, December 2nd, 1956
The Hall-of-Famer was Giants offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi’s favorite player from 1954 through 1958 — when Lombardi took the Packers’ head coaching position in 1959, he tagged Paul Horning as his do-it-all guy as Gifford had been. Gifford showed it all in this 28-14 win over Washington. He threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ken MacAfee in the first quarter, and then came back and ran for a six-yard touchdown. Gifford completed the trifecta with a 14-yard third-quarter touchdown pass from Charlie Conerly in the third quarter, and added an 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. So, if you wanted to sat that the score was Frank Gifford 28, Washington 14, we wouldn’t argue with you too much.
Ray Renfro, Cleveland Browns vs. New York Giants, December 6th, 1953
Renfro, selected by the Browns in the fourth round of the 1952 draft out of North Texas, put it all together in his second NFL season against the Giants in a 62-14 waxing of the Giants in Paul Brown’s progressive offense. Renfro ran for a 58-yard touchdown in the second quarter, threw a 36-yard pass to Pete Brewster (also in the second quarter), and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Otto Graham in the third quarter.
