As BYU fans, let’s take a moment to celebrate Andy Reid, Fred Warner, Puka Nacua, and Taysom Hill for being the best in the NFL at their respective positions.
The NFL is experiencing a BYU revolution, and that’s a major indication of the state of Kalani Sitake’s program. While many are aware of some excellent players’ roots in Provo, Utah, have you ever stopped for a moment to consider just how great BYU’s crop has yielded in the highest level of football? The Cougars are invading the league and making their mark.
Andy Reid – NFL’s Best Coach
The former BYU lineman and graduate assistant is the NFL’s best active head coach, hands down.
The reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will be playing for their third consecutive Super Bowl win, and no team in NFL history has won three consecutive Super Bowls. Under Reid’s leadership the Chiefs have appeared in seven straight AFC Championship games, a feat of consistent excellence that boggles the mind.
Reid’s 301 career victories including the playoffs ranks fourth all-time trailing only Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (333), and George Halas (324). His 28 postseason victories trails only Belichick’s 31.
When his coaching career is over, Andy Reid will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Fred Warner – NFL’s Best Middle Linebacker
The greatest honor NFL players can receive is First Team All-Pro, a status that has been bestowed on Fred Warner in four of the last five seasons. Warner earned this honor in 2024 despite playing much of the season with a broken bone in his ankle.
In seven NFL seasons Warner has recorded 897 tackles, averaging 128 tackles per year. In addition to stuffing the run, the former BYU standout is widely considered to be the best middle linebacker in pass coverage in the league. He has been credited with 28 passes defended over his last three seasons.
At 28 years old, Fred Warner is still in his prime. When his career comes to an end years down the road, Warner will be a Hall of Famer.
Puka Nacua – NFL’s Best Wide Receiver
Yes, Puka Nacua is the NFL’s best wide receiver. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s see what Pro Football Focus has to say on the matter:
Yes, PFF ranked Puka Nacua as the No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL in 2024. And it’s not really a surprise, either. While the former Orem High star missed six games early in the season due to injury, his per-game stats were off the charts.
Puka’s 90.0 receiving yards per game ranked third in the league as did his 7.2 receptions per game. In 2024 Nacua’s combination of efficiency and productivity was unmatched. This past season he was targeted 106 times with a 74.5% catch percentage while averaging 12.5 yards per reception. No other wide receiver with at least 65 targets reached those thresholds.
As a rookie in 2023, Puka Nacua rewrote the NFL record books. In his second NFL season, he staked his claim as the league’s best wide receiver.
Taysom Hill – NFL’s Best All-Around Player
The NFL has never seen a “football player” like Taysom Hill.
The former BYU quarterback has done just about everything in his brilliant eight-year NFL career. He has thrown for 2,369 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has rushed for 2,437 yards and 33 touchdowns, averaging an absurd 5.6 yards per attempt. As a receiver he has 99 receptions for 943 yards and 11 more scores.
As a special teams ace he has 17 career tackles and returned 20 kickoffs for 489 yards. He has also blocked punts, recovered fumbles, and forced a safety.
In 2023 Taysom Hill became the first player in NFL history with 10 passing, rushing, and receiving touchdowns in his career.
In a dominant 2024 performance against the Cleveland Browns, Taysom became the first player in NFL history to have over 100 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 50 receiving yards, and 10 passing yards in a single game.
While none of Taysom’s individual stats qualify him for the Hall of Fame, his singular career on the whole has never been matched by another NFL player and one day he could be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.
