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Every player who enters the NFL via the draft or switches teams in the offseason is desperate to make a good impression early on. Despite coaches preferring players to take it easy to avoid injury, these men are fighting for roster spots and starting positions.
Plenty of NFL players have had outstanding performances in preseason games, and here are three of the best.
3 best single-game preseason performances in NFL history
#3 – Brett Hundley
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Brett Hundley served as Aaron Rodgers’ backup for the Green Bay Packers, meaning starts would be hard to come by. Despite this, he turned a few heads during the 2015 preseason in a game against the New Orleans Saints.
Hundley completed 16 of 23 passes for 236 yards, as well as passing for four touchdowns in the 38-10 victory.
However, Hundley would never get close to a starting role in Green Bay, and has bounced around the league since. Hundley has played for the Seahawks, Cardinals, Colts and Ravens, and has only started nine NFL games in his seven-year career thus far.
#2 – Mack Brown
We don’t often see huge rushing numbers in the preseason, as teams don’t tend to give many carries to one running back. However, this didn’t stop the Washington Commanders from giving Mack Brown 19 carries in a 2016 preseason outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brown didn’t let the opportunity pass him by, rushing for 149 yards and a touchdown. He would go on to lead the entire preseason in rushing yards in 2016, but that didn’t stop the Redskins from cutting him shortly before the season.
Brown has bounced around the league since, and the 30-year-old was last seen in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders in 2019.
#1 – Victor Cruz
Arguably the most memorable single preseason game in league history belongs to former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz. Cruz was an undrafted free agent coming out of UMass, he shined against the Giants’ city rivals the New York Jets.
Cruz caught six passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns, making the NFL world stand up and take notice.
The Giants then made sure to keep him in the building. After missing much of his rookie year through injury, Cruz would go on to have two successive 1,000 yard seasons in 2011 and 2012. Cruz was also part of the Giants side that won Super Bowl XLVI against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
