Jerry Rice

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This article is about the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver. For his son, see Jerry Rice Jr.

Jerry Rice
refer to caption
Rice in 2016
No. 80
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1962-10-13) October 13, 1962 (age 59)
Starkville, Mississippi
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Moor (Oktoc, Mississippi)
College:Mississippi Valley State (1981–1984)
NFL Draft:1985 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
NFL records
Career NFL statistics
Games:303
Games started:284
Receptions:1,549
Receiving yards:22,895
Yards per reception:14.8
Receiving touchdowns:197
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962)[1] is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. He played college football at Mississippi Valley State. Rice was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft with the 16th overall pick and spent 16 seasons with the 49ers. He also played for the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos. Due to his numerous records, accomplishments, and accolades, he is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, and one of the greatest players in NFL history.[1][2][3][4]

Rice is the career leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers,[5] including receptions, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards; he also once held the single season record for yards and touchdowns. He has scored more points than any other non-kicker in NFL history with 1,256.[6] Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl thirteen times (1986–1996, 1998, 2002) and named All-Pro twelve times in his 20 NFL seasons. He won three Super Bowls with the 49ers and an AFC Championship with the Raiders. In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players".[7] In 2010, he was chosen by NFL Network's NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players as the greatest player in NFL history.[8] Rice was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Rice was also inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, and in that same year was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

Early life[edit]

Childhood[edit]

Rice was born on October 13, 1962, and raised in Crawford, Mississippi; the sixth of eight children.[9] Rice's father, Joe, was a brick mason who built houses by hand; while holding other jobs to provide for the family.[10] According to his autobiography Go Long! My Journey Beyond The Game And The Fame, Joe was described by Rice as "intimidating" and held him and his siblings to a strict lifestyle, regularly giving out corporal punishment.[11] Eddie B., Rice's mother, raised Rice while Joe was working, and after Rice left would clean the houses of wealthy families.[12] Rice and his brothers would often work with his father building houses.[13] The Rice family struggled financially, with Rice sometimes not having many pairs of clothing or having a "hearty meal on the table."[14] To provide for his family, Rice and his brothers would work in fields picking corn, cotton, and hay.[15] Rice claimed he was shy as a child, and didn't have many friends.[16]

Rice attended B. L. Moor High School in Oktoc, Mississippi. Although he played mock games of basketball and football, Rice didn't initially play any sports in high school.[17] Originally not seeing football in his future, he rather enjoyed playing sandlot football and watching football on television. His mother didn't allow him to join the school's football team in his freshman year, as she thought that football was "too rough" for Rice.[18] When Rice was a sophomore, the school's principal caught Rice skipping class with a friend, causing him to panic and sprint away.[19] After Rice fled, the principal was impressed with his speed, and informed the school's football coach, Charles Davis. Thereafter, he was offered a place on the team.[18] Initially unhappy about this, Rice's mother allowed him to join the team after realizing that "the more I fought it, the more determined he was, so I gave it up."[18] Besides playing football, Rice also played basketball as a forward and was on the track and field team, competing in the high jump.[20][21]

High school career[edit]

Rice tried out for football in his sophomore year and made the team. Rice played several football positions in high school, including running back, defensive back, and quarterback. At times, he also played as a return specialist. Wide receiver was his favorite, however, and he was a Mississippi All-State selection at wide receiver in his senior year.[18] During the off-season before his junior year, Rice increased his training; running several miles back to his house because he didn't have a ride.[22] Rice had a breakout junior season; primarily playing wide receiver and defensive back.[22]

During his senior year, Rice was contacted by college recruiters from UCLA, USC, and LSU.[23] Though he was impressed by the football programs of those schools, Rice initially wanted to go to Mississippi State University, who wasn't interested in Rice. Mississippi State was one of over 40 NCAA Division I-A schools who contacted him, but didn't offer a scholarship.[24] He was drawn to Mississippi Valley State; in part, because the schools' coach, Archie Cooley, ran a pass-heavy offense—so much so that Cooley was nicknamed "The Gunslinger."[25] He caught 88 receptions in ten games; helping to lead the team to an 18–2 record over two seasons. After Cooley watched Rice play in person, and after visiting the schools' campus, Rice committed to playing at Mississippi Valley State.[23]

College career[edit]

Mississippi Valley State[edit]

Rice attended Mississippi Valley State University from 1981 to 1984. When Rice arrived at Mississippi Valley State, he attended summer school and freshman orientation before the regular season. Two of his former teammates from B.L. Moor were there as well, but both teammates left before the start of training camp. Rice was taught several receiving techniques by Gloster Richardson. "I soaked up everything I could."[26]

In 1981, Rice's freshman season, he caught 30 receptions, two of which were for touchdowns.[26] In 1982, Rice played his first season with redshirt freshman quarterback Willie Totten.[27] They became friends tended to practice into the evening.[28] Under Cooley, Mississippi Valley State ran a notably unusual offense that used four wide receivers and tended to line all of them up on one side of the field.[29] Rice caught 66 passes for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore that year.[30] Together, Totten and Rice became known as "The Satellite Express."[28] While having success on the field, Rice didn't have much money and many times relied on friends for food, stating that the food given to him at Mississippi Valley "were not enough for a growing man."[31]

Rice had a record-setting 1983 campaign, including NCAA marks for receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,450), and was named a first-team Division I-AA All-American.[32] He also set a single-game NCAA record by catching 24 receptions against Louisiana's Southern University.[27] He acquired the nickname "World," because of his ability to seemingly catch anything thrown in his direction.[33][34]

As a senior in 1984, he broke his own Division I-AA records for receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,845). His 27 touchdown receptions in the 1984 season set the NCAA record for all divisions.[27] The 1984 Delta Devils scored 628 total points in eleven games, an average of more than 58 points per game. After an August practice experiment, Cooley had Totten call all the plays at the line of scrimmage without a huddle,[29] resulting in even more staggering offensive numbers; Rice caught 17 receptions for 199-yards against Southern,[35] 17 receptions for 294-yards and five receiving touchdowns against Kentucky State and 15 for 285-yards against Jackson State.[35][36] During the game against Kentucky State, Rice caught twelve receptions and scored three touchdowns in a single quarter.[37] Rice was named to the Division I-AA All-America team and finished ninth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1984.[38][39][37]

In the Blue–Gray Classic all-star game played on Christmas Day, he earned MVP honors after catching four receptions for 101-yards and a 60-yard touchdown.[40] He finished his career with 301 catches for 4,693 yards and 50 touchdowns, (although some sources have his numbers as 310 receptions, 4,856 receiving yards, and 51 touchdowns); his NCAA record for total career touchdown receptions stood until 2006 when New Hampshire wide receiver David Ball recorded his 51st career receiving touchdown.[35] Rice became a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity at the Delta Phi chapter while at Valley.[41] In 1999, the school renamed its football stadium from Magnolia Stadium to Rice–Totten Stadium in honor of Rice and Totten.[42] Rice was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006,[43] he was in the inaugural class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.[44]

During this time, Rice met Jackie Mitchell at an MVS basketball game, who at the time was still in high school.[45] Rice eventually approached her, and they dated together casually before Rice met her mother. Her mother was initially unhappy about Rice and preferred that Mitchell see another boy that lived in Greensville, Mississippi, but after meeting Rice in person she approved of him.[46]

Professional career[edit]

San Francisco 49ers[edit]

Rice's record-breaking season at Mississippi Valley State caught the attention of many NFL scouts. Sources vary on his 40-yard dash time, which was measured as fast as 4.45, though later reported as slow as 4.71 seconds.[47][48][49] Nevertheless, the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers showed interest in him.[50] Rice later wrote in Go Long! that he was unsure about what success he would have in the league and that he would "often play head games" with himself; his backup plan if his football career didn't pan out was fixing electronics.[51]

In the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft, Dallas had the 17th selection and San Francisco, as Super Bowl champion from the previous season, had the last. 49ers coach Bill Walsh reportedly sought Rice after watching highlights of Rice the Saturday night before San Francisco was to play the Houston Oilers on October 21, 1984.[52] The 49ers traded their first, second, and third-round picks for the New England Patriots' first and third-round picks.[53] The 49ers had the 16th selection overall and selected Rice before as some reported the Cowboys intended to pick him.[54] Walsh described Rice as "a swift, smooth player who's got great instincts running with the ball, going to the ball and catching in a crowd."[53] Rice was also selected by the United States Football League (USFL), where the Birmingham Stallions selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1985 USFL Draft, but the league folded after its 1986 season.[55] The 49ers' starting quarterback, Joe Montana, was one of the most dominant players in the NFL at the time. Rice also had to compete with wide receivers, Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon.[56]

1985–1989[edit]

In July 1985, Rice was one of 21 rookie players who had not yet signed a contract.[56] Rice signed a rookie contract for five years that paid him $377,000 per year.[57] He wrote that during training camp, he was nicknamed "Fifi" because of his haircut.[58] His teammates would later remark about his work ethic.[59] Rice scored his first receiving touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5.[60] He had a ten reception, then franchise-record 241-yard game against the Los Angeles Rams in December, which was his first game going over 100 receiving yards.[61][62] San Francisco would lose the game 20–27.[63] After a seven reception, 111-yard performance in a 31–16 victory against the Dallas Cowboys; while scoring a rushing touchdown.[64] CBS announcer Pat Summerall stated that "When this guy (Rice) is finished (retires), he'll be considered one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play this game."[65] He recorded 49 catches, for 927 yards, and three receiving touchdowns, averaging 18.9 yards per catch in his rookie season;[66] United Press International (UPI) named him the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.[67]

Although Rice struggled, dropping numerous passes throughout the year.[65] In a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rice dropped two wide-open passes and later fumbled on an 8-yard pass that was intended to boost Rice's confidence.[68] He only started four out of sixteen games.[69] The 49ers finished the regular season with a 10–6 regular season record and made the postseason. During the Wild Card Round against the New York Giants, Rice had four receptions for 44-yards in the 3–17 loss.[70]

Rice started all 16 games for the 49ers in the 1986 season. Joe Montana tweaked his back in the first game of the season, causing him to miss Week 2.[71] In Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, Rice caught six receptions for 157-yards and a 66-yard touchdown in the 16–13 loss; he would have a seven reception 120-yard game the following week against the New Orleans Saints.[71][72] In Week 5, Rice would have six receptions for 172-yards and three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts.[73] Against the St. Louis Cardinals in Week 10, Rice had four receptions; three of which would go for a touchdown, and 156-yards in the 43–17 victory.[74] Rice had his second career 200-yard receiving game against the Washington Redskins; catching 12 receptions for 204-yards in the 6–14 loss.[75] Overall, he caught 86 passes for 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns, both of which led the league; the first of four seasons in which Rice led the NFL in both receiving yards and touchdown receptions.[76] He was named to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[77][78]

The 49ers finished the regular season with a 10–5–1 regular season record and made the postseason.[79] Rice would struggle in the Wild Card Round against the eventual Super Bowl-winning New York Giants, fumbling what would have been a long touchdown on the first drive of the game; the 49ers would lose the game 49–3.[80] Rice had asked Jackie Mitchell to marry him two months after they met in 1984; Mitchell declined due to her age, as she was a high school senior while Rice was a college senior.[81] After a year of living together, Mitchell became pregnant, prompting Rice to once again ask her to marry him.[82] Mitchell initially declined, not wanting to marry only because she was pregnant, but later agreed.[83] On June 7, 1987, Rice's daughter, Jaqui Bonet, was born.[83] The wedding ceremony was scheduled for September 8, 1987.[83] During the ceremony, only Mitchell's family members, and Rice's teammates and coaches, including Bill Walsh, were in attendance; none of Rice's family members attended.[84]

Rice's No. 80 jersey from December 1987, when he set an NFL record for receiving touchdowns with the 49ers

In Week 1 of the 1987 season, Rice caught eight receptions for 108-yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[85] The following week against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rice had four receptions for 86-yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in a close 27–26 victory.[86] The NFL Players Association began a strike after Week 2, causing Rice to miss the next four games while backups played in his place.[87] He protested in pickup lines along with his teammates; the 49ers wanted to have notable players to be seen in the picket lines.[87] The strike ended and Rice was able to play again.[88] Rice scored a receiving touchdown in every game he played that season; he had three games in which he scored three touchdowns, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals—all three of which were victories.[89][90][91][92]

In total, he had 22 receiving touchdowns in twelve games, gaining 1,078 receiving yards off of 65 receptions as well.[93] His touchdown number was a then-NFL-record previously held by Mark Clayton (18 receiving touchdowns), which Rice officially broke against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.[94] The record would be broken 20 years later by Randy Moss in 2007, scoring 23 receiving touchdowns.[93] After being selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams, Rice was awarded the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first wide receiver to do so.[66] He was named the NFL's MVP by the Newspaper Enterprise Association—which was voted on by NFL players—and the Pro Football Writers Association.[95] In 1987, the runner-up to Rice in touchdown receptions was Philadelphia Eagles receiver Mike Quick with 11, marking the first time in post-NFL–AFL merger history that a category leader doubled the total of his nearest competitor, and only the second time in the history of the NFL from its inception; the first being Don Hutson in 1942.[96][97] The 49ers finished the season 13–2 and made the postseason; Rice and the 49ers would lose in the Wild Card Round to the Minnesota Vikings 24–36.[98]

Before the season, Rice signed a $5.05 million contract in June 1988 that kept him with the 49ers through 1992.[99] In 1988, Rice was plagued by a sore ankle throughout the season.[100] Despite this Rice still put up high numbers in the games he played; catching six receptions for 163-yards and three touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks, and six receptions for 171-yards and two touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers.[101][102] In the latter game, he caught a 96-yard touchdown pass.[102] He finished the season with 64 receptions for 1,306 yards and nine receiving touchdowns; he averaged a career-high 20.4 yards per reception.[66] His receiving total was second in the league, and his touchdown total was fifth.[103]

Picture of Bill Walsh in 2007
Bill Walsh (pictured in 2007), coached Rice for four seasons, from 1985 to 1988.

The 49ers won the NFC West with a 10–6 record, after winning four out of their final five games.[104][105] In the postseason, he caught five receptions for 61-yards and three touchdowns; scoring all three in the first half, in the 49er's 34–9 win against the Minnesota Vikings.[106] In the 49ers' 28–3 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC title game, recording five catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns.[107] In Super Bowl XXIII, Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for five yards, helping the 49ers to a narrow 20–16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.[108] His receptions and receiving yards were both Super Bowl records.[109] For his performance, Rice was named the Super Bowl MVP; Rice called the win "stupendous".[108] He became the third wide receiver to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.[110] Despite winning the MVP of the game, he didn't say the famous "I'm going to Disney World!" line; Joe Montana said it instead. Rice assumed that it was due to racism.[111]

After the 1988 season, 49ers head coach Bill Walsh retired from coaching in the NFL; Walsh had been under much speculation for weeks about the matter.[112] Rice was saddened by this, calling Walsh his "West Coast father".[113] Rice started the 1989 season with three consecutive games going over 100 receiving yards.[114] By the end of the regular season, Rice had gained 82 receptions for 1,483 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns; both his yards and touchdown numbers led the league.[115] For the fourth straight season, Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[116][117]

San Francisco finished the regular season with a 14–2 record, the highest in the NFL, and received a first-round bye.[118] Rice caught six receptions for 114-yards and two touchdowns in the Divisional Round against the Minnesota Vikings; the 49ers would win the game 41–13.[119] In the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, he had six receptions for 55-yards in the 30–3 victory.[120] Before the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, the Broncos defensive players had said that they were going to inflict hard hits on Rice.[121] Rice finished Super Bowl XXIV with seven catches for 148 yards and three touchdown receptions in the 49ers 55–10 blowout victory.[121]

1990–1994[edit]

Rice started all 16 games for the 49ers in the 1990 season.[122] In Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Rice caught a career-best five touchdowns to go along with catching 13 receptions for 225-yards.[123] Rice would have a successful season in 1990, leading the NFL in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,502), and receiving touchdowns (13) and becoming the first player to lead the NFL in all three categories in the Super Bowl Era; only Sterling Sharpe (1992), Steve Smith Sr. (2005), and Cooper Kupp (2021) have managed the feat since.[124][125][126] His efforts helped San Francisco finish the year with an NFL-best 14–2 record.[121] During the Divisional Round against the Washington Redskins, Rice caught six receptions for 68-yards and a touchdown in the 28–10 victory.[127] But Joe Montana injured his elbow in the NFC title game against the New York Giants; and despite Rice practicing with backup Steve Young throughout the season, the 49ers would lose 15–13, failing to repeat as NFC champions for a third time.[128][129]

Rice surpassed Steve Largent as the career leader in receiving touchdowns during the 1992 NFL season.

Rice's son, Jerry Rice Jr, was born in the summer of 1991, during training camp; the birth made Rice more receptive to his family.[130] Despite Joe Montana being ruled out for the season with the elbow injury he suffered in the NFC Championship Game the previous season; therefore backup Steve Young starting in his place.[131] Rice recorded 80 receptions for 1,206 yards and led the league in receiving touchdowns with 14 in the 1991 season, Rice also was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[132][133][134] During a Week 2 game against the San Diego Chargers, in which Rice put up nine receptions for 150-yards and two touchdowns, he suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), but the injury didn't result in any games missed.[135][136] San Francisco won their final six games to finish with a 10–6 record but failed to make the postseason, marking the first time in Rice's career that the 49ers failed to do so.[137]

During the 1992 season, when there was a quarterback controversy surrounding whether or not Joe Montana should start, Rice openly supported him; Steve Young would eventually start due to Montana still rehabbing from his injury.[138][137] Wanting a high-value contract, Rice didn't show up for training camp.[139] He eventually settled with the 49ers for a three-year, $7.5 million contract and returned to training camp.[140] Rice was knocked unconscious against the Buffalo Bills and was taken out of the game with a concussion.[141]

Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7, Rice caught seven receptions for 183-yards and two touchdowns to go along with a 26-yard rush for a touchdown, totaling 209 scrimmage yards in the 56–17 victory.[142] Steve Largent's career receiving touchdown record was broken by Rice against the Miami Dolphins, with Rice scoring his 101st touchdown.[137] Overall, Rice followed the 1991 season with 84 catches for 1,201 yards and ten touchdowns in the 1992 season.[143] With a 14–2 record and making the postseason, the 49ers won in the Divisional Round against the Washington Redskins, but lost in the NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys; Rice caught 14 receptions for 211-yards and a touchdown during that postseason.[144]

Rice caught 98 receptions for 1,503 yards and 15 touchdowns in the 1993 season.[145] His single-game stats included eight receptions for 172-yards and four receiving touchdowns in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[146] Both his receiving yards and touchdowns numbers led the league.[145] The 49ers finished the season 10–6, and made the postseason.[147]

Rice made it back to the Super Bowl with the 49ers in the 1994 season, recording 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. During the 49ers' first game of the 1994 season against the Los Angeles Raiders, he caught seven passes for a season-high 169 yards and two touchdowns (and rushed for one more), moving into first place in the NFL records for career touchdowns, with 127. In Week 3, his 147 receiving yards moved him past Art Monk as the NFL's active leader in that category and past Charlie Joiner for third all-time. He would pass Steve Largent for 2nd place in Week 16.[148] Although he only caught six passes in San Francisco's 2 playoff games that year, he proved to be a vital component in their 49–26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX; recording ten receptions for 149 yards and three touchdowns; despite playing with a separated shoulder for much of the game.[149][150]

1995–1999[edit]

In 1995, Rice caught a career-high 122 passes for a then-NFL record 1,848 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns; his receiving yards record would be broken by Calvin Johnson in 2012.[151] He also scored at least one touchdown by of rushing, passing, and recovering a fumble.[152] However, the 49ers would lose in the divisional playoffs to the Green Bay Packers, despite a 11-reception, 117-yard performance by Rice.[153]

The following year, he recorded 108 receptions (again leading the NFL) for 1,254 yards and eight touchdowns. San Francisco won in the wild card round but lost to the Packers again in the divisional playoffs. In his three seasons between 1994 and 1996, Rice had racked up 342 catches for 4,601 yards and 36 touchdowns.

During the 49ers' opening game of the 1997 season, he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee on a reverse. Warren Sapp of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers grabbed Rice by the face-mask and wrenched him to the ground with it, drawing a 15-yard personal foul.[154] The injury broke his streak of 189 consecutive games played. Fourteen weeks later, he made his return, much earlier than doctors wanted him to. He scored a touchdown, but when he came down with the catch, he cracked the patella in his left kneecap.[155] He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time in 11 years due to the injury. However, he made a full recovery, coming back in 1998 to record 82 catches for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 1999 season was the first that Rice failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving while playing in all 16 games. This would repeat itself in the 2000 season, his final season in San Francisco.

2000–2004[edit]

Oakland Raiders[edit]

With the emergence of Terrell Owens in San Francisco and because of their desire to rebuild the team and clear salary, Rice left the 49ers and signed with the Oakland Raiders, following the conclusion of the 2000 season.[156] He joined a Raiders team coming off a loss in the AFC playoffs to form one of the oldest receiver duos with Tim Brown.

The two played well together, as Rice caught 83 passes for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2002, he caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns, was named to his 13th Pro Bowl, and assisted Oakland to an AFC championship and appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII. His team lost 48–21 to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl, with Rice recording five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. His 48-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter made him the first player to catch a touchdown pass in four Super Bowls.

On November 11, 2002, against the Denver Broncos, Rice scored his 200th career touchdown and surpassed Walter Payton to become the NFL's career leader in total yardage. Oakland dropped from an 11–5 record in 2002 to a 4–12 record in 2003, leading to frustration from Rice about his role on the team. He eventually requested to be traded.[157]

Seattle Seahawks[edit]

Rice was traded to the Seattle Seahawks six games into the 2004 season in exchange for a conditional 2005 7th round pick (condition not met) and reunited with Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren, who had previously worked with Rice as San Francisco's offensive coordinator. After speaking with Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent, Rice was permitted to wear Largent's retired jersey number 80.[158]

In a Monday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Rice set the career NFL record for combined net yards by catching a 27-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck.[159] He finished that game with eight catches for 145 yards and a touchdown.[160] Rice played his last non-preseason professional game for Seattle—a wildcard loss to the St. Louis Rams in which he did not catch a pass.

In total Rice had 362 receiving yards and three touchdowns with the Seahawks. At age 41, he managed to play 17 games in a 16-game season. He was traded before Oakland's bye week and after Seattle's, and never missed a game, so he played six games for the Raiders and 11 for the Seahawks.

Retirement[edit]

After the 2004 season, Rice signed a one-year contract that would give him $790,000 in total salary with the Denver Broncos which was his lowest contract offer in his 24 years in the league.[161] However, Rice never played for the Broncos so he was only allowed his guaranteed money for a grand total of $25,000.

On September 5, 2005, Rice announced his retirement from the NFL, which many thought would be the end of the Jerry Rice era until the following year.[162]

In August 2006, the 49ers announced that Rice would sign a contract with them, allowing him to retire as a member of the team where his NFL career began. On August 24, he officially retired as a 49er, signing a one-day contract for $1,985,806.49. The number represented the year Rice was drafted (1985), his number (80), the year he retired (2006), and the 49ers (49). The figure was ceremonial, and Rice received no money.[163] There was a halftime ceremony to honor him during the 49ers' match-up with the Seattle Seahawks on November 19, 2006.[164]

Legacy[edit]

Rice with Joe Montana at Super Bowl 50

Rice holds numerous NFL receiving records. His 1,549 career receptions are 117 ahead of the second-place Larry Fitzgerald as of the conclusion of the 2020 NFL season. His 22,895 career receiving yards are 5,403 yards ahead of the second-place spot held by Larry Fitzgerald as of the conclusion of the 2020 NFL season. His 197 career touchdown receptions are 41 scores more than the second place of 156 touchdown receptions by Randy Moss; his 208 total touchdowns (197 receiving, ten rushing, and one fumble recovery) are 33 scores ahead of Emmitt Smith's second-place total of 175.[165] He also threw a touchdown pass against the Atlanta Falcons in a 1995 regular season game. His 1,256 career points scored make him the highest-scoring non-kicker in NFL history. During a career spanning two decades, Rice averaged 75.6 receiving yards per game.

Rice is remembered also as one of the best clutch players in football history. He was a crucial part of the 49ers' victory in Super Bowl XXIII. Down 16–13 with less than three minutes to play, quarterback Joe Montana led the 49ers in the game-winning drive with 34 seconds left on the clock. Rice was instrumental in that drive, catching three passes, and was voted the Super Bowl MVP. Rice often made game-winning catches throughout his career. He also was noted for being an effective blocking receiver.[141]

Rice is also remembered for his work ethic and dedication to the game. In his 20 NFL seasons, Rice missed only 17 regular season games, 14 of them in the 1997 season and the other three in the strike-shortened season of 1987. His 303 games are the most ever played by an NFL wide receiver. In addition to staying on the field, his work ethic showed in his dedication to conditioning and running precise routes, with coach Dennis Green calling him "the best route runner I've ever seen." One of the best-known examples of his dedication and ethic was "The Hill," a long and steep hill in Edgewood County Park & Natural Preserve that's "two and a half miles up." Rice would sprint across the hill every day during the offseason to improve his abilities. "The Hill" has served as an inspiration for many other players in the 49ers organization or has been their foil. Among the latter is former first-round pick wide receiver A. J. Jenkins, who neglected to train with Rice on "The Hill", and subsequently was traded.[166]

In 1999, Rice was ranked number two on the Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, behind only Jim Brown, and was 35 places ahead of the next-highest-ranked player then active, Deion Sanders.[7] In 2000, Rice won the ESPY Award for Pro Football Player of the Decade for the 1990s. On November 4, 2010, he was ranked number one on The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players.[167]

In 2011, The Sports Network awarded the inaugural Jerry Rice Award, to be given each year to the most outstanding freshman Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) player. The inaugural winner was Towson running back Terrance West.[168]

In January 2015, Rice stated that he put Stickum, a substance that makes the ball easier to catch and hold on to, on his gloves during his career, saying "I know this might be a little illegal, guys, but you put a little spray, a little stickum on them, to make sure that texture is a little sticky."[169] Stickum was banned in the NFL in 1981, four years before Rice joined the league.[170] His comments that "all players" in his era used stickum[171] were rebutted by Pro Football Hall of Fame contemporaries Cris Carter[172] and Michael Irvin.[173] Rice retracted his claim shortly thereafter, stating that "[He] never used Stickum."[174]

Rice was selected for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2010 in his first year of eligibility. He was inducted in Canton, Ohio on August 7, 2010, alongside Emmitt Smith, Floyd Little, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dick LeBeau, and John Randle.[175] On September 20, 2010, during halftime of a game against the Saints, the 49ers retired Rice's No. 80 jersey.[176]

NFL career statistics[edit]

Legend
AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year
Won the Super Bowl
Super Bowl MVP
NFL record
Led the league
Bold Career high

Regular season[edit]

Year Team Games Receiving Rushing Fumbles Other
TDs
GP GS Rec Yards Avg Lng TD Att Yds Avg Lng TD Fum Lost
1985 SF 16 4 49 927 18.9 66 3 6 26 4.3 15 1 0 0 —
1986 SF 16 15 86 1,570 18.3 66 15 10 72 7.2 18 1 0 0 —
1987 SF 12 12 65 1,078 16.6 57 22 8 51 6.4 17 1 0 0 —
1988 SF 16 16 64 1,306 20.4 96 9 13 107 8.2 29 1 0 0 —
1989 SF 16 16 82 1,483 18.1 68 17 5 33 6.6 17 0 0 0 —
1990 SF 16 16 100 1,502 15.0 64 13 2 0 0.0 2 0 0 0 —
1991 SF 16 16 80 1,206 15.1 73 14 1 2 2.0 2 0 1 0 —
1992 SF 16 16 84 1,201 14.3 80 10 9 58 6.4 26 1 2 1 —
1993 SF 16 16 98 1,503 15.3 80 15 3 69 23.0 43 1 3 0 —
1994 SF 16 16 112 1,499 13.4 69 13 7 93 13.3 28 2 1 1 —
1995 SF 16 16 122 1,848 15.1 81 15 5 36 7.2 20 1 3 3 2
1996 SF 16 16 108 1,254 11.6 39 8 11 77 7.0 38 1 0 0 —
1997 SF 2 1 7 78 11.1 16 1 1 -10 -10.0 -10 0 0 0 —
1998 SF 16 16 82 1,157 14.1 75 9 — — — — — 2 2 —
1999 SF 16 16 67 830 12.4 62 5 2 13 6.5 11 0 0 0 —
2000 SF 16 16 75 805 10.7 68 7 1 -2 -2.0 -2 0 3 2 —
2001 OAK 16 15 83 1,139 13.7 40 9 — — — — — 1 0 —
2002 OAK 16 16 92 1,211 13.2 75 7 3 20 6.7 12 0 1 1 —
2003 OAK 16 15 63 869 13.8 47 2 — — — — — 2 1 —
2004 OAK 6 5 5 67 13.4 18 0 — — — — — 0 0 —
SEA 11 9 25 362 14.5 56 3 — — — — — 0 0 —
Career[66] 303 284 1,549 22,895 14.8 96 197 87 645 7.4 43 10 19 11 2

NFL records[edit]

As of the end of the 2020 NFL season, Rice holds the following league records:[66][177][178]

  • Most career receiving yards: 22,895
  • Most career receptions: 1,549
  • Most career touchdown receptions: 197
  • Most career yards from scrimmage: 23,540 (22,895 receiving, 645 rushing)
  • Most career touchdowns from scrimmage: 207 (197 receiving, 10 rushing)
  • Most career all purpose yards: 23,546 (22,895 receiving, 645 rushing, 6 kick returns)
  • Most career all purpose touchdowns: 208 (197 receiving, 10 rushing, 1 fumble recovery)
  • Most seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards: 14
  • Fastest player to reach 100 touchdown receptions: 120 GP
  • Fastest player to reach 14,000 receiving yards: 164 GP
  • Fastest player to reach 15,000 receiving yards: 172 GP
  • Most points scored by a non-kicker: 1,256

Media work[edit]

Rice and quarterback Steve Young appeared together in Visa, All Sport, and Gatorade commercials when they were both playing for the 49ers.[citation needed]

During the 2005–2006 broadcasting season, Rice competed in the reality show Dancing with the Stars. He paired with dancer Anna Trebunskaya, and they reached the final two before losing to singer Drew Lachey and his partner Cheryl Burke.[179] In 2009, Rice portrayed Hal Gore in the film Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling. In the same year, he guest-starred as himself in the episode "Lyin' King" on the sitcom Rules of Engagement.

Rice has co-authored two books about his life: Rice (with Michael Silver, published 1996, ISBN 0-312-14795-3) and Go Long: My Journey Beyond the Game and the Fame (with Brian Curtis, published 2007, ISBN 0-345-49611-6). He co-hosts[when?] Sports Sunday with NBC sportscaster Raj Mathai, a prime-time sports show shown in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rice and his dog, Nitus, were featured in Jerry Rice & Nitus' Dog Football, a video game for the Wii that was released on August 16, 2011.[180]

Rice served as an alumni captain for Team Rice during the 2014 Pro Bowl[131] and 2016 Pro Bowl.[132]

Personal life[edit]

Rice married Jacqueline Bernice Mitchell on September 8, 1987. Jacqueline Rice filed for divorce in June 2007, which became final in late December 2009. They have three children together: Jaqui Bonet (born 1987), Jerry Rice Jr. (born 1991), and Jada Symone (born 1996). Jerry Jr., who attended high school at Menlo School in Atherton, California, graduated in 2009. Jerry Jr. was a walk-on at UCLA and redshirted his first season.[133][134] After three seasons and limited playing time, Jerry Rice Jr. graduated from UCLA and transferred to UNLV; and was eligible to play immediately.[181] Jerry Jr. played wide receiver for the Rebels, and had participated in a 49ers local pro day before the 2014 NFL Draft, but was not drafted.[136] Jerry also has another son, Brenden Rice, who played football for the University of Colorado for two years. However, on January 1, 2022, it was announced that Brenden was transferring out of Colorado. He currently plays for the University of Southern California.[182] As of October 21, 2019, Rice is married to Latisha Pelayo whom he has dated since 2008.[183]

Rice has played golf for over 20 years and would wake up early to play golf during his football career. He competed in the Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae on the Nationwide Tour on April 15–16, 2010. He received a sponsor's exemption to play in the tournament. Rice missed the cut and finished one shot ahead of last place; 17-over and 151st among the 152 players who completed two rounds.[184] He also competed as a team captain on The Big Break Puerto Rico, where his team won.[185][186]

References[edit]

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  185. ^ "Napa golfer rejoins 'Big Break,' teamed with Jerry Rice". Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  186. ^ "Jerry Rice Wins 'Big Break NFL'". Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2020.

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

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