Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962)[1] is an American former footballwide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. Rice spent 16 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championships during his tenure, along with five seasons playing for the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos. His accomplishments and numerous records, led him to be widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, and one of the greatest players off all time.[2][3][4][5] His biography on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website names him: "the most prolific wide receiver in NFL history with staggering career totals".[6] 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.[7] In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players".[8]
Rice played college football for four seasons with the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, setting several NCAA and team receiving records, including becoming the all-time leader in NCAA receiving touchdowns. He joined the 49ers in 1985 after being drafted with the 16th overall pick. After a lackluster rookie season, Rice emerged the following season as one of the best receivers in the league, leading the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns: a feat he would achieve four times. In 1987, Rice set the record for most receiving touchdowns in a season, with 22, despite playing only 12 games in a strike-shortened season. He won back-to-back championships in 1988 and 1989, and was the MVP of the former championship. Rice developed connections with quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young that are viewed as among the best in NFL history,[9] helping him lead the league in both receiving yards and touchdowns six times, and in receptions twice.
Going into the 1990's, Rice won a third Super Bowl in 1994, and a second Offensive Player of The Year Award. After recovering from a knee injury and his play regressing, San Francisco traded him to the Raiders in 2001, having strong seasons with the team and helping to lead them to Super Bowl XXXVII, where they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers season, affecting Rice's previously unblemished Super Bowl record. The Raiders would trade him to the Seahawks midway through the 2004 season, where he finished his final season. He briefly signed with the Broncos, before retiring shortly before the start of the 2005 season.
Rice is the career leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers,[10] including receptions, receiving touchdowns, receiving yards, scrimmage yards, and total touchdowns; holding the postseason records for these statistics; he once held the single season records for yards and touchdowns. He scored more points than any other non-kicker in NFL history with 1,256.[11] Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times (1986–1996, 1998, 2002) and named All-Pro twelve times in his 20 NFL seasons, including ten first-team All-Pros, tied for the most by any player. 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 the same year was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. The NFL honored him as a member of both the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Early life
Rice was born on October 13, 1962, and raised in Crawford, Mississippi; the sixth of eight children.[12] Rice's father, Joe, was a brick mason who built houses by hand; while holding other jobs to provide for the family.[13] 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.[14] Eddie B., Rice's mother, raised Rice while Joe was working, and after Rice left cleaned the houses of wealthy families.[15] Rice and his brothers often worked with their father building houses.[16] The Rice family struggled financially, with Rice sometimes not having many pairs of clothing or having a "hearty meal on the table".[17] To provide for his family, Rice and his brothers picked corn, cotton, and hay.[18] Rice claimed he was shy as a child, and had few friends.[19]
Rice attended B. L. Moor High School in Oktoc, Mississippi. Although he played mock games of basketball and football, Rice initially played no sports in high school.[20] He enjoyed 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.[21] While a sophomore, the school's principal caught Rice skipping class with a friend, causing him to panic and sprint away.[22] After Rice fled, the principal was impressed with his speed, and informed the school's football coach, Charles Davis who offered him a place on the team.[21] Initially unhappy about this, Rice's mother relented after realizing that "the more I fought it, the more determined he was, so I gave it up".[21] Rice also played basketball as a forward and was on the track and field team, competing in the high jump.[23][24]
Rice played multiple positions in high school, including running back, defensive back, and quarterback. At times, he was a return specialist. Wide receiver was his favorite. 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.[25] Rice had a breakout junior season; primarily playing wide receiver and defensive back.[25]
He was a Mississippi All-State selection at wide receiver in his senior year.[21] Rice was contacted by college recruiters from UCLA, USC, and LSU.[26] 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 did not offer a scholarship.[27] He was drawn to Mississippi Valley State; in part, because the school's coach, Archie Cooley, ran a pass-heavy offense—so much so that Cooley was nicknamed "The Gunslinger.[28] 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.[26]
College career
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 left before the start of training camp. Rice studied receiving techniques from Gloster Richardson. stating: "I soaked up everything I could."[29]
In 1981, Rice's freshman season, he caught 30 passes, two for touchdowns.[29] In 1982, Rice played his first season with redshirt freshman quarterbackWillie Totten.[30] They became friends and practiced into the evening.[31] Under Cooley, Mississippi Valley State ran an unusual offense, playing four wide receivers who tended to line up on one side of the field.[32] Rice caught 66 passes for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore that year.[33] Together, Totten and Rice became known as "The Satellite Express."[31] Success on the field did not put any money in his pocket 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".[34]
Rice had a record-setting 1983 campaign, including NCAA marks for receptions (102) and receiving yards (1,450). He was named a first-team Division I-AA All-American.[35] He set a single-game NCAA record with 24 receptions against Southern University.[30] He acquired the nickname "World," because of his ability to seemingly catch anything thrown in his direction.[36][37]
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.[30] 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,[32] resulting in even more staggering offensive numbers; Rice caught 17 receptions for 199-yards against Southern,[38] 17 receptions for 294-yards and five receiving touchdowns against Kentucky State and 15 for 285-yards against Jackson State.[38][39] During the game against Kentucky State, Rice caught twelve passes and scored three touchdowns in a single quarter.[40] Rice was named to the Division I-AA All-America team and finished ninth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1984.[41][42][40]
In the Blue–Gray Classic all-star game played on Christmas Day, he earned MVP honors after four receptions for 101-yards and a 60-yard touchdown.[43] 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.[38] Rice became a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity at the Delta Phi chapter.[44] In 1999, the school renamed its football stadium from Magnolia Stadium to Rice–Totten Stadium in honor of the players.[45] Rice was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006,[46] he was in the inaugural class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2010.[47]
During this time, Rice met Jackie Mitchell at an MVS basketball game, while she was still in high school.[48] Rice eventually approached her, and they dated 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.[49]
Professional career
San Francisco 49ers (1985–2000)
Rice's record-breaking season at Mississippi Valley State caught the attention of NFL scouts. Sources vary on his 40-yard dash time, which was measured between 4.45 and 4.71 seconds.[50][51][52] The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers showed interest in him.[53] 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.[54] In a 2022 interview with Fox News Digital, Rice expressed his doubts about being drafted at the time: "To be honest, I never thought I was going to get drafted," he told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I downplayed everything because I didn’t want that disappointment of getting up here and then come down in disappointment if it didn’t happen".[55]
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 seeing highlights of his performance against Prairie View A&M.[56] The 49ers traded their first, second, and third-round picks for the New England Patriots' first and third-round picks.[57] The 49ers had the 16th selection overall and selected Rice before the Cowboys had a chance.[58] 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."[57] 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.[59] Rice had to compete with 49ers Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon.[60]
Joe Montana and first two Super Bowl's (1985–1989)
In July 1985, Rice was one of 21 rookie players who had not yet signed a contract.[60] Rice then signed a rookie contract for five years that paid him $377,000 per year.[61] He wrote that during training camp, he was nicknamed "Fifi" because of his haircut.[62] His teammates would later remark about his work ethic.[63] Rice scored his first receiving touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5.[64] He had a ten reception, then franchise-record 241-yard (10/241) game against the Los Angeles Rams in December, his first over 100 receiving yards.[65] San Francisco lost 20–27.[66] After a 7/111 performance in a 31–16 victory against the Dallas Cowboys; while scoring a rushing touchdown,[67] 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."[68] He recorded 49 catches, for 927 yards, and three receiving touchdowns, averaging 18.9 yards per catch in his rookie season;[1]United Press International (UPI) named him the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.[69] Nevertheless, Rice struggled, dropping numerous passes that season.[68] 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.[70] He started only four out of sixteen games.[64] 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.[64]
Bill Walsh (pictured in 2007), coached Rice for four seasons, from 1985 to 1988.
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 went 6/157 with a 66-yard touchdown in the 16–13 loss. He followed with a 7/120 game the following week against the New Orleans Saints.[71][72] In Week 5, Rice went for 6/172 and three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts.[73] Against the St. Louis Cardinals in Week 10, Rice went 4/156 with three touchdowns in the 43–17 victory.[73] Rice had his second career 200-yard receiving game against the Washington Redskins; going 12/204 in the 6–14 loss.[73] 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.[1] He was named to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] The 49ers finished the regular season with a 10–5–1 regular season record and made the postseason.[74] Rice struggled in the Wild Card Round against the eventual Super Bowl-winning New York Giants, fumbling what would have been a long touchdown on the game's first drive. The 49ers lost 49–3.[75] 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.[76] After a year of living together, Mitchell became pregnant, prompting Rice to once again ask her to marry him.[77] Mitchell initially declined, not wanting to marry only because she was pregnant, but later accepted.[78] On June 7, 1987, Rice's daughter, Jaqui Bonet, was born.[78] They were married on September 8, 1987.[78] 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.[79]
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 went 8/108 and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[80] The following week against the Cincinnati Bengals, Rice went 4/86 and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in a close 27–26 victory.[80] The NFL Players Association began a strike after Week 2, causing Rice to miss the next four games while backups replaced him.[81] He picketed along with his teammates; the 49ers wanted to have notable players be seen in the picket lines.[81] When the strike ended, Rice resumed playing.[82] Rice scored a receiving touchdown in every game he played that season; he had three games with three touchdowns, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals—all three of which were victories.[80] In total, he scored 22 receiving touchdowns in twelve games, gaining 1,078 receiving yards off of 65 receptions.[1] His touchdown number broke a then-NFL-record previously held by Mark Clayton (18 receiving touchdowns), which Rice officially broke against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.[83] The record would be broken by Randy Moss in 2007, when he scored 23 receiving touchdowns.[84] After being selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams, Rice was awarded the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, the first wide receiver to do so.[1] 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.[85] In 1987, the touchdown runner-up was wide 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 the second time in the history of the NFL from its inception; the first was Don Hutson in 1942.[86][87] The 49ers finished the season 13–2 and made the postseason; losing in the Wild Card Round to the Minnesota Vikings 24–36, with Rice having 3/28.[80]
Before the season, Rice signed a $5.05 million contract in June that kept him with the 49ers through 1992.[61] In 1988, Rice was plagued by a sore ankle throughout the season.[88] Despite this Rice still put up high numbers in the games he played; going 6/163-yards and three touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks, and 6/171 and two touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers.[89] In the latter game, he caught a 96-yard touchdown pass.[90] He finished the season with 64 receptions for 1,306 yards and nine receiving touchdowns, averaging a career-high 20.4 yards per reception; his receiving total was second in the league, and his touchdown total was fifth.[91] Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] The 49ers won the NFC West with a 10–6 record.[74] In the postseason, he went 5/61 and three touchdowns; scoring all three in the first half, in the 49er's 34–9 win against the Minnesota Vikings during the Divisional Round.[89] In the 49ers' 28–3 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC title game, going 5/133 and two touchdowns.[89] In Super Bowl XXIII, Rice went 11/215 and a touchdown while also rushing for five yards, helping the 49ers to a narrow 20–16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.[89] His receptions and receiving yards were both Super Bowl records.[92] For his performance, Rice was named the Super Bowl MVP; Rice called the win "stupendous".[93] He became the third wide receiver to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.[94] Despite Rice's MVP win, Montana uttered the famous "I'm going to Disney World!" line instead of Rice; Rice would attribute this to racism.[95] Overall, Rice caught 21 receptions for 409 yards and six touchdowns; his yards and touchdown numbers stood as postseason records until Larry Fitzgerald broke both of them in 2008.[96][97]
After the 1988 season, 49ers head coach Bill Walsh retired from coaching after much speculation, and was to be replaced by George Seifert.[98] Rice was saddened by this, referring to Walsh his "West Coast father".[99] Rice started the 1989 season with three consecutive games going over 100 receiving yards.[100] In Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons, Rice went 3/81 and two touchdowns against Falcons cornerback Deion Sanders in a 45–3 victory.[100] 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.[1] For the fourth straight season, Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] San Francisco finished the regular season with a 14–2 record, the league's best.[74] Rice went 6/114 and two touchdowns in the Divisional Round against the Minnesota Vikings; the 49ers won 41–13.[100] In the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams, he went 6/55 in the 30–3 victory.[100] Before the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, the Broncos defensive players had said that they were going to inflict hard hits on Rice.[101] Rice finished Super Bowl XXIV 7/148 and three touchdowns in the 49ers 55–10 blowout victory.[101]
Steve Young years (1990–1994)
Steve Young's Pro Football Hall of Fame bust; Young was Rice's starting quarterback for much of the 1990's
Rice started all 16 games for the 49ers in the 1990 season. 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.[1][102][103] He was named to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] In Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Rice caught a career-best five touchdowns to go along with 13 receptions and 225 yards.[104] Against the Green Bay Packers, Rice had an 6/181 performance with a touchdown in the 24–20 victory.[104] His efforts helped San Francisco finish the year with an NFL-best 14–2 record.[74] During the Divisional Round against the Washington Redskins, Rice went 6/68 and a touchdown in the 28–10 victory.[104] Montana injured his elbow in the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants; and despite Rice's practice with backup Steve Young throughout the season, the 49ers lost 15–13, failing to repeat as NFC champions for a third time; Rice went 5/54 in the game.[105][106][104]
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.[107] Montana was ruled out for the season, which pushed Young as the starting quarterback.[108] Along with Montana, teammates Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig had left in free agency, making Rice "the last of the Mohicans" as he described himself; the last remaining star player from San Francisco's 80's dynasty.[109] Rice recorded 80 receptions for 1,206 yards and led the league in receiving touchdowns with 14 in the 1991 season, he was again selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] During a Week 2 game against the San Diego Chargers, in which Rice went 9/150 and two touchdowns, he suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), but the injury did not cost him any games.[110] San Francisco managed to win 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.[111]
During the 1992 season, a quarterback controversy swirled around Montana and Young. Rice openly supported Montana; Young ended up starting, while Montana rehabbed.[112][111] Wanting a high-value contract, Rice skipped training camp.[113] He eventually signed with the 49ers for a three-year, $7.5 million contract and returned to training camp.[114] Rice was knocked unconscious in a game against the Buffalo Bills and was taken out of the game with a concussion.[115] Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7, Rice had an 7/183 performance with two touchdowns to go along with a 26-yard touchdown rush, totaling 209 scrimmage yards in the 56–17 victory.[116] Rice surpassed Steve Largent's career receiving touchdown record against the Miami Dolphins, with Rice scoring his 101st touchdown.[111] Overall, Rice finished the season with 84 catches for 1,201 yards and ten touchdowns; he would be selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] Rice helped the 49ers to an NFL-best 14–2 record and making the postseason. San Francisco won in the Divisional Round against the Washington Redskins, but despite an 8/123 performance and a touchdown by Rice, lost in the NFC Championship game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys; being unable to stop the offense of Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.[116] His touchdown in the Championship Game was his 13th of his postseason career, an NFL record.[117] After the season in April 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs; Rice wasn't able to properly say goodbye to him, and believed that San Francisco should have "treated Joe with more class" when they traded him.[118]
Rice surpassed Steve Largent as the career leader in receiving touchdowns in 1992
Rice caught 98 receptions for 1,503 yards and 15 touchdowns in the 1993 season; both his receiving yards and touchdowns numbers led the league.[1] His single-game stats included an 8/172 and four receiving touchdowns game in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an 9/155 performance with two receiving touchdowns against the Phoenix Cardinals in Week 8, and an 8/166 performance with two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13; all three were victories.[119] He was awarded his second career NFL Offensive Player of The Year Award, making him the only wide receiver to have multiple of them; along with being selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] San Francisco finished the season 10–6, and made the postseason.[74] Rice and the 49ers won in the Divisional Round against the New York Giants, but once again lost in the NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys; Rice went 9/126 with no touchdowns during that postseason.[119]
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.[1] During the 49ers' first game against the Los Angeles Raiders, he made a season-high 7/169, two touchdown game (rushing for one more), moving into first place in the NFL records for career touchdowns, with 127.[120] In Week 3, his 147 receiving yards off of 11 catches moved him past Art Monk as the NFL's active leader in that category and past Charlie Joiner for third all-time.[121] He passed Steve Largent for second place in Week 16.[122] Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams.[1] With a 13–3 record and making the postseason, the 49ers won against the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Round.[123] Moving on to the NFC Championship game, where they faced the Dallas Cowboys for the third straight year.[124] After two previous defeats, the 49ers were victorious against the Cowboys 38–28. Rice was a vital component in their 49–26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX; combined with a six touchdown performance by Young. Rice caught ten passes after catching only six in the 49ers last two postseason games, along with 149-yards and three touchdowns, despite playing with a separated shoulder for much of the game.[125][126]
Final 49ers' seasons (1995–2000)
During the 1995 season, Rice had a historic campaign. In Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints, Rice had 6/87 and a touchdown in the 24–22 victory.[127] The following week, Rice had 11/167 and two touchdowns in a 41–10 win against the Atlanta Falcons.[127] In Week 4, Rice had 11/181 against the Detroit Lions.[127] With an 8/108 performance, he surpassed James Lofton as the all-time leader in receiving yards in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, with 14,040.[128] Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11, he had 5/161, including an 81-yard touchdown reception.[127] Rice had one of the best statistical games in his career against the Minnesota Vikings the following week; catching 14 passes for a career-high 289-yards (at the time the fifth-most ever in a game), and three touchdowns.[129] Vikings head coach Dennis Green said of Rice: "We did take the 49ers out of their running game, but Jerry was the one ingredient we had a hard time stopping", "In fact, we had a hard time slowing him down".[130] In the final game of the regular season, he surpassed Art Monk as the all-time leader in receptions, with 942; his performance included 12/153, a 41-yard touchdown throw, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown; his yards total was enough to break the record for most receiving yards in a season, with 1,848 yards. Along with that, he caught 122 receptions and 15 touchdowns.[131] He was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro teams. His season was impressive because Young was often injured, and there was no running game to support Rice.[132] His single-season receiving yards record was not broken until Calvin Johnson broke it in 2012.[133] With an 11–5 record and making the postseason, the 49ers lost in the divisional playoffs to the Green Bay Packers; Rice had 11/117 in the game.[127]
During the offseason of 1996, Rice and Jackie were expecting their third child; on May 16, 1996, Jada Rice was born.[134] Minutes after the birth, however, Jackie suffered complications and nearly died from blood loss and paralysis.[135] She would make a recovery after many surgeries.[135] This caused Rice to miss almost all of June mini-camp and one week of training camp; he was supported by his teammates and coaches along the way.[136] Even through these troubles, he recorded 108 receptions (leading the NFL) for 1,254 yards and eight touchdowns; he accumulated these stats despite only three games with 100+ receiving yards.[137] Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro.[1] With a 12–4 record and making the postseason, San Francisco won in the wild card round against the Philadelphia Eagles, but lost to the Packers in the divisional playoffs; as the 49ers were unable to gain any ground with their offense, with only 196-yards of total offense.[137][138] Through 1994 and 1996, Rice racked up 342 catches for 4,601 yards and 36 touchdowns.[139]
Before the 1997 season, Rice signed a seven-year, $32 million contract.[61] During the 49ers' opening game of the season, Rice 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, drawing a 15-yard personal foul.[140] The injury broke Rice's streak of 189 consecutive games played; throughout high school, college, and the NFL he had never missed a game excluding three strike games.[139] Wanting to make it back in time for the retirement of Montana's jersey number, he made his return 14 weeks later, much earlier than doctors wanted him to; He scored a touchdown, but when he came down with the catch, he cracked his left patella.[141][142] He missed the Pro Bowl team for the first time in 11 years due to the injury.[1] San Francisco still made the postseason with a 13–3 record, beating the Minnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round, but lost for the third straight time against the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.[143]
However, he made a full recovery, coming back in 1998 to record 82 catches for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns; becoming the oldest receiver ever to record a 1,000-yard season, at age 36, and returned to the Pro Bowl team.[144][1] His single game stats included: 8/162 and two touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, 10/169 and a touchdown against Atlanta in Week 11, and 5/115 and a touchdown against the New England Patriots in Week 16.[145] San Francisco made the postseason with a 12–4 record.[74] They faced the Green Bay Packers once again the Wild Card Round. Though Rice only had one catch for six yards in the game, the 49ers defeated the Packers 30–27.[145] San Francisco was defeated in the Divisional Round by the Atlanta Falcons 18–20.[145] Rice finished the 1999 season with 67 receptions for 830 yards and five touchdowns.[1] The season was the first that Rice failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving while playing in all 16 games. San Francisco struggled as a whole, going 4–12 and missing the postseason; losing 11 out of their last 12 games after Young had concussion troubles, leading him to retire after the season.[146] In the 2000 season, his final season in San Francisco, he also missed 1,000 receiving yards, with 75 receptions for 805 yards and seven touchdowns.[1] In his final home game against the Chicago Bears, he had 7/76; this was the same game in which Terrell Owens set a single-game reception record.[147][148] San Francisco once again struggled, going 6–10 and missing the postseason.[74]
Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and later career (2001–2005)
Oakland Raiders
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 for four years, $7.8 million dollars, following the 2000 season.[149][61] He joined a Raiders team coming off a loss in the playoffs to form one of the oldest receiver duos with Tim Brown (age 35).[150] During the season, he had an 8/131 performance with three touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers in Week 10, and an 9/108 performance against the Denver Broncos in Week 16.[151] The duo of Rice and Brown played well together, as Rice caught 83 passes for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns for the year; with Brown also having a 1,000-yard receiving season.[1] Oakland finished the season with a 10–6 record and made the postseason.[152] The Raiders played the New York Jets in the Wild Card Round, winning 38–24, with Rice having 9/183 and a touchdown. In the Divisional Round, the Raiders faced Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In what would be later called the "Tuck Rule Game", the Raiders lost in overtime 16–13, after officials ruled a Brady fumble was an incomplete pass, allowing the Patriots to kick the game-tying field goal; all in a severe snowstorm.[153]
In 2002, he caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns, while being named to his 13th Pro Bowl team, and the second-team All-Pro team.[1] Raiders starting quarterback Rich Gannon was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player for the 2002 season. During Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans, where Rice had 7/144 and a touchdown, he surpassed Walter Payton as the all-time leader in scrimmage yards, with 21,281 scrimmage yards.[154] He scored his 200th career touchdown against the Denver Broncos.[155] Oakland finished the season with an 11–5 record and made the postseason.[152] They won in the Divisional Round against the New York Jets, 30–10; and in the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans, 41–24, making it to the Super Bowl.[156] There, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coached by former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, they were defeated 21–48, with Gannon throwing five interceptions, including three for touchdowns, and Rice having 5/77 and a touchdown.[157] Up to this point, Rice had been undefeated in the Super Bowl, having already won four with San Franscisco.[158]
Through the 2003 season, Rice caught 63 passes for 869 yards; he didn't score a touchdown until Week 12, scoring only two in the entire season.[159] Oakland as a team regressed from their 11–5 record in 2002 to a 4–12 record in 2003, leading to the firing of head coach Bill Callahan.[152][160] This led to be frustrated Rice about his role with the team.[161] By the time the 2004 season was starting, Rice struggled, and by Week 4, Rice had only five receptions for 64-yards.[160] With injury concerns with Rich Gannon, he asked Raiders owner Al Davis to trade him.[160]
Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos
Rice was traded to the Seattle Seahawks six games into the 2004 season in exchange for a 7th round pick and reunited with Seattle head coach Mike Holmgren, who had previously worked with Rice as San Francisco's offensive coordinator; after speaking with Largent, Rice was permitted to wear Largent's retired jersey number 80.[162] 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.[163] He finished that game 8/145 and a touchdown.[164] 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.[164] In total Rice had 25 receptions for 362 receiving yards and three touchdowns with the Seahawks; having 30 receptions for 429 yards and three touchdowns in total for the season.[1] 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.[164] Rice failed to log any stats in the Seahawks 20–27 Wild Card loss against the St. Louis Rams.[164] 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.[165] Rice never played for the Broncos, therefore he was only allowed his guaranteed money for a grand total of $25,000.
Retirement
Just before the 2005 season, on September 5, 2005, Rice officially announced his retirement, ending his twenty-one season NFL career.[166]
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.[167] A halftime ceremony honored him during the 49ers' match-up with the Seattle Seahawks on November 19, 2006.[168]
Rice holds numerous NFL receiving records. His 1,549 career receptions are 117 ahead of the second-place Larry Fitzgerald. His 22,895 career receiving yards are 5,403 yards ahead of the second-place Fitzgerald. 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.[169] 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.[1] During a career spanning two decades, Rice averaged 75.6 receiving yards per game.[1]
Rice is remembered 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, Montana led the 49ers in the game-winning drive with 34 seconds left. 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 as an effective blocking receiver.[115]
Rice signing autographs in 2006.
Despite being keen about him public image early in his career, Rice is remembered for his work ethic and dedication.[170] 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 by an NFL wide receiver by a wide margin.[171] 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".[172] 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 2.5 miles (4 km) long.[173] Rice would sprint across the hill every day during the offseason to improve his abilities. "The Hill" runs served as an inspiration for many other players in the 49ers organization or has been their nemesis. 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.[174]
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.[8] 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.[175] 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.[176]
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."[177] Stickum was banned in the NFL in 1981, four years before Rice joined the league; he commented that "all players" in his era used stickum[178][179] The claims were rebutted by Pro Football Hall of Fame members Cris Carter, and Michael Irvin.[180][181] Rice retracted his claim shortly thereafter, stating that he "never used Stickum."[182]
Rice has co-authored two books about his life: Rice (with Michael Silver, published 1996, ISBN0-312-14795-3) and Go Long: My Journey Beyond the Game and the Fame (with Brian Curtis, published 2007, ISBN0-345-49611-6).[191] In 2019, he co-authored a book America's Game: The NFL at 100 (with Randy O. Williams, ISBN978-0062692900), celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Football League.[191]
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.[192] Rice served as an alumni captain for "Team Rice" during the 2014 and 2016 Pro Bowls.[108][193] In 2022, Rice partnered with the American Red Cross to raise awareness about blood donations.[194]
After Colin Kaepernick announced that he would be kneeling during the national anthem during games, Rice criticized his actions, stating in a twitter post: "All lives matter. So much going on in this world today. Can we all just get along! Colin, I respect your stance but don't disrespect the Flag".[195] He later backtracked these statements later that month, after being criticized by the public and other players.[196]
Personal life
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.[197][198] After three seasons and limited playing time, Jerry Rice Jr. graduated from UCLA and transferred to UNLV; and was eligible to play immediately.[199] Jerry Jr. played wide receiver for the Rebels, and participated in a 49ers local pro day before the 2014 NFL Draft, but was not drafted.[200] Jerry 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 to the University of Southern California.[201] As of October 21, 2019, Rice was married to Latisha Pelayo whom he had dated since 2008.[202]
Rice has played golf for over 20 years and woke 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.[203] He was a team captain on The Big Break Puerto Rico, where his team won.[204][205]
^"Jerry Rice". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017. whom many consider the greatest wide receiver in the history of the National Football League.
^Nissenson, Herschel (December 28, 1983). "Idaho Star Leads AP Team". Daily Sitka Sentinel. Associated Press. p. 5. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Gray boots Blue in all-star showcase". New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Associated Press. December 26, 1984. p. 5. Archived from the original on April 3, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Meet the man NFL players love to hate". New York Post. Associated Press. August 18, 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017. After all, Jerry Rice ran the 40-yard dash in a relatively pokey 4.71 seconds.
^"Rice is the NFC rookie of the year". Ukiah Daily Journal. United Press International. January 8, 1986. p. 10. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"49er Rice Named 'Most Valuable'". Tyrone Daily Herald. United Press International. January 21, 1988. p. 4. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Peterson, Anne (April 6, 2001). "It's official: Rice is a Raider". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
^ abc"Frustration grows in Rice". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 14, 2004. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
^Lee, Brenden; Gellerman, Jacob; Marini, Matt, eds. (2016). 2016 Official NFL Record and Fact Book(PDF). National Football League. Archived(PDF) from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
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