When Ditka made history with the Chicago Bears, the Oakland The Raiders were in only their second season as a member of the American Football League. 63 years later, Bowers entered the Las Vegas record books.

After breaking a record set more than six decades earlier, Bowers also surpassed another standard that only stood for one season by surpassing Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua’s 2023 rookie reception record. Nacua hauled in 105 catches last year and Bowers matched his season’s 106 catches in the third quarter on Sunday.

Bowers finished Sunday with seven catches for 77 yards, giving him 108 receptions for 1,144 receiving yards this season.

What a season it has been for Bowers, who just a week earlier became only the third rookie tight end to record 1,000 receiving yards, joining, of course, Ditka and Kyle Pitts of the Atlanta Falcons (1,026, 2021) and the first who exceeded this number by 100 catches. Bowers had already surpassed Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions in the rookie TE receptions record earlier in the season.

Although the Raiders are in a season full of conflict and struggles, Bowers was sensational for the Silver and Black, providing optimism for the upcoming season and history.

Now he has put his name in the NFL record books above the legendary Ditka and the up-and-coming Nacua.