Professional Career
Stokes was selected with the first round (tenth overall pick) of the 1995 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, and he played for the 49ers from 1995 to 2002. The 49ers traded up to the No. 10 spot in the first round of the draft to select Stokes as the successor to the team's Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. After a slow start to his rookie season, the former Bruin ultimately netted 38 receptions for 517 yards and four touchdowns, the last of which was tossed by Rice.
During the 1996 season, Stokes suffered a broken hand and missed most of the season, leading to the emergence of the 49ers' third round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft, wide receiver Terrell Owens.
In 1997, with Rice sidelined with a torn ACL, Stokes and Owens formed a formidable tandem for quarterback Steve Young, with Stokes hauling in 58 passes for 733 yards and four touchdowns. Once Rice returned, Stokes' production did not falter as he would achieve career highs in receptions (63), yards (770) and touchdowns (eight). Stokes was also the recipient of Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski spitting in his face during a Monday Night Football game in December 1997.
Along with the rest of the team, Stokes' production dropped in 1999 as a result of Young's career ending concussion in a Monday night game in Arizona. Football Outsiders called Stokes "the league's least valuable receiver" in 1999.
The 49ers released him in 2003 and he was initially signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars before going to New England. Stokes was rarely used in the Patriots offense, only contributing 15 catches for 154 yards during the 2003 campaign. New England released him and activated fullback Larry Centers near the end of the season.
Read more about this topic: J. J. Stokes
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