It used to be unusual to end an NFL game without a single wide receiver touchdown. It appears frequently enough these days to be noticeable, and not just in backup quarterback spot starts or snow games.
Furthermore, it’s common to witness successful offenses triumph without a wide receiver score and unsuccessful offenses falter for weeks at a time.
Fans are wondering why “WR-TD zeros” are becoming more common in the box score era that seems to be designed for receivers, as well as which teams are engaging in this pattern.
That’s why in this blog post, we are going to explore more about this segment and provide valuable insights to the readers.
Let’s begin!
Key Takeaways
- Looking at the historical benchmark of the 2014 Kansas City Chiefs
- Decoding the modern drought
- Looking at the betting marketing angle
- Discovering common traits of teams
Historically, the most famous example is the 2014 Kansas City Chiefs, who became the first team in the 16-game era to complete an entire season without a touchdown catch by a wideout. That milestone is still a useful anchor when we talk about receiver droughts because it shows how scheme, quarterback style, and red-zone design can converge to erase a position group from the scoring ledger over a long sample.
Not just a single game. You can scan that season’s team receiving log and confirm how touchdowns clustered around tight ends and running backs rather than boundary receivers.
Interesting Facts
The league is composed of 32 teams, split equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).
If we shift to the current decade, week-by-week data show a steady trickle of WR-TD zeros across the schedule, even among playoff contenders. On any given Sunday, several teams cash in with tight ends on shovel motions, running backs on flats and angle routes, and slot hybrids on jet sweeps credited as receptions.
League-level splits underline the direction of travel: receiving TD shares for non-WR positions have remained sturdy in the red zone, with tight ends and backs combining for a meaningful chunk of scores each year. Tracking the distribution of those touchdowns by team and season, then comparing the trend line to previous periods, is made simple by Pro-Football-Reference’s season pages.
There’s a betting-market wrinkle to all of this. Props that price “anytime TD” by position or player sometimes lag behind usage shifts, especially when a team changes coordinators midseason or leans into a rookie tight end as a first-read finisher.
For a primer on how markets frame NFL props—and the risk in assuming WRs always own red-zone equity—see this overview at GamblingNerd.com’s NFL betting hub.
These WR-TD zeros appear precisely at the backfield or inline alignments, where role changes and motion usage can shift TD probability away from the perimeter. GamblingNerd.com frequently highlights this phenomenon.
So, which teams are most likely to finish games without a touchdown from a wide receiver? Every fingerprint is the same. Teams with run-first identities that major on condensed formations often craft red-zone reads for tight ends slipping behind flow or for backs released late after play-action.
Offenses piloted by quarterbacks who prefer middle-field throws also tilt scoring toward non-WRs, because slants, seams, sticks, and half-roll flats produce safer windows inside the 10. If your favorite team’s coordinator loves heavy personnel in goal-to-go, you’ll see WRs drawing coverage and traffic for the true target rather than catching the score themselves.
Injury clusters are a second driver. When top perimeter receivers are out or limited, coordinators compress the route tree and keep the quarterback’s eyes between the numbers, where timing is easier to rehearse with backups. That naturally channels targets to tight ends and running backs.
It also pushes motion and “eye candy” usage higher to win leverage without risking low-percentage fades. Over a month of injuries and weather, that mix can create a mini-season where WRs are productive between the 20s but invisible at the goal line.
Quarterback archetype matters as well. Some passers are elite at lofted boundary throws; others are quick-game surgeons who prefer outlet-friendly designs. The latter archetype pairs with sprint-outs, shovel series, and leak concepts that turn tight ends and backs into primary scorers.
Scan recent league seasons and you’ll notice that teams with high tight-end target shares in the red zone can still rank top-10 in points despite relatively modest WR-TD totals. Those splits are visible if you sort a season’s receiving tables by position and team, then isolate red-zone attempts and touchdowns. (pro-football-reference.com)
Defenses share blame—and credit—too. Modern red-zone coverage is built to choke off perimeter isolation while passing off crossers inside. That dares offenses to win with tight ends released off traffic and with running backs who can run option routes versus linebackers. When defenses rotate safeties late to the boundary, coordinators happily pivot to schemed touches for non-WRs. A wide receiver may go 9-108-0 while the tight end records two one-yard touchdowns, resulting in a box score that looks like it belongs in the past.
All of this doesn’t mean wide receivers are less important; it means they’re sometimes doing the heavy lifting to set up somebody else’s six points. Receivers stretch coverage, pull brackets, and occupy corners on rub designs that spring the eventual scorer. The Chiefs’ 2014 precedent is still extreme, but it illustrates the principle that you can win—and score plenty—without a wideout actually crossing the stripe. It’s why season-long “receiver droughts” can coexist with efficient offenses when the tight end room and backfield are genuine threats.
For fans tracking this trend in 2025, the watchlist is straightforward. Look for teams with new play callers who emphasize heavy sets near the goal line. Watch injury reports for WR1/WR2 availability; even a snap-count cap can reroute red-zone design. Inside the 10, keep an eye on the quarterback’s tendencies.
Some steer clear of boundary throws unless the matchup is perfect. Next, examine the red-zone splits and weekly receiving logs to determine the true source of touchdowns. Public databases make this homework practical, and over a few weeks you’ll spot which offenses are quietly producing WR-TD zeros while the highlight shows focus on yardage totals.
The conclusion is straightforward: games without a wide receiver touchdown are no longer weird; rather, they are a result of how defenses clamp the perimeter and modern offenses seek leverage. In an NFL obsessed with efficiency, points are points.
The player position is secondary to the probability of an uncontested throw. As coordinators keep scripting motion-driven red-zone answers and quarterbacks prize risk control, expect WR-TD zeros to keep showing up—sometimes for a month at a time—without saying anything damning about a team’s passing game.
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Ans: The Green Bay Packers hold the record for the most wins in NFL history.
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