Derrick Mason
An undersized, relentless wide receiver who willed himself into the NFL record books through pure consistency and toughness.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American football player·Birthday: January 17·Generation X
Biography
Derrick Mason’s professional football career is a testament to the power of durability and precise route-running. Undersized by typical NFL standards, he was a fourth-round draft pick who refused to be overlooked. He spent his first eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, evolving from a special teams dynamo into Steve McNair’s most trusted target, playing a vital role in their run to Super Bowl XXXIV. In free agency, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens and immediately rewrote their record books, becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. Mason’s game was defined not by blazing speed but by fearless catches over the middle, an uncanny ability to get open, and an ironman streak of playing 112 consecutive games. He retired as one of the most productive receivers of his era, a player who built a remarkable career on grit and reliability.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Derrick was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Derrick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Derrick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Retired as the Baltimore Ravens' all-time leader in receptions (471) and receiving yards (5,777).
- Recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in a season eight times during his 15-year NFL career.
- Selected to two Pro Bowls (2000, 2003) and was a First-team All-Pro in 2000.
- Played in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Tennessee Titans, catching 5 passes for 43 yards.
Did You Know?
In college at Michigan State, he was also a standout kick returner, leading the nation in punt return average in 1996.
He is one of only a handful of players in NFL history with over 10,000 receiving yards and 5,000 return yards.
Mason played quarterback in high school in Detroit before converting to wide receiver in college.
After retiring, he founded the Derrick Mason Foundation, focused on supporting youth and families in need.
“They said I was too small, so I made sure they couldn't cover me.”
