- Jerry Rice is a former professional football wide receiver regarded as one of the greatest NFL players of all time
- During his 20 seasons in the NFL, Jerry Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times and named in All-Pros twelve times
- The legend is a College Football Hall of Famer, Mississippi Hall of Famer, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bay Area Sports Hall of Famer.
Jerry Rice is a former professional football wide receiver regarded as one of the greatest NFL players of all time. He is among the most awarded athletes in NFL history.
Jerry Rice was nicknamed “World” because there was no ball in the world he couldn’t catch. He made numerous game-winning catches throughout his career, and as a result, he is considered to be one of the best clutch players in football history.
Jerry Rice. Photo/ NFL.com.
He is a career leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers, including total touchdowns, receiving touchdowns, scrimmage yards, receptions and receiving yards.
The American scored more points than any other non-kicker in NFL history, 1,256, and many of his records are considered by sports analysts to be unbreakable.
During his 20 seasons in the NFL, Jerry Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl 13 times and named in All-Pros twelve times.
The legend is a College Football Hall of Famer, Mississippi Hall of Famer, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bay Area Sports Hall of Famer. He was included in the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team and the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.
Early Life
Jerry Rice was born on October 13, 1962, in Starkville, Mississippi. He was one of the eight children born to Joe, a brick mason.
Rice and his brother used to work with their father building houses. He attended B. L. Moor High School, where he initially didn’t play any sport. His favourite thing was watching football on television and playing sandlot football.
During Rice’s sophomore year, his principal caught him skipping class. Rice panicked and ran away, impressing the principal with his speed. The principal informed the school’s football coach about Rice, and he was offered a place on the team.
Jerry Rice’s mother was initially unhappy about it because she thought football was too tough for his son. However, she relented after realizing her son was determined to play.
Rice played multiple positions in high school, but the position he was most skilled at was wide receiver. His speed caught the attention of college scouts, who offered him the opportunity to play at Mississippi Valley State University. During his four years in college, he managed 301 catches for 4,693 yards.
Career
Jerry Rice was the overall #2 pick for the 1985 draft for the league and was roped by the San Francisco 49ers with the 16th overall pick. He started the season at a slow pace but soon gained momentum and managed 49 catches for 927 yards.
The following season, Rice caught 86 passes for a league-leading 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns. Things got even got better for the American in the 1987 season as he won the Player of the Year award. He gained 1,078 receiving yards and an NFL-record 22 touchdown receptions in 12 games.
During the 1988 season, Jerry Rice helped the 49ers beat Chicago Bears in the NFC game title 28-3. He also played a massive role as he helped his team beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII.
Jerry Rice. Photo/ Niners Nation.
Rice continued with his impressive performance as he helped his team make it to Super Bowl XXIV and win the championship again. The San Francisco 49ers made it to the Super Bowl XXV but lost to the New York Giants in the NFC title game.
Jerry Rice, one of the greatest NFL players, recorded his career-high 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns in 1994. He continued with his impressive performances until 1997 when injuries got the better of his game.
His performance declined in 1999 as he failed to make it to the 1000 yards in the 16 games he played. In 2000, Jerry Rice signed a contract with Oakland Raiders, and alongside Tim Brown, he caught 83 passes for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns.
The following year, he managed 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named to the 13th Pro Bowl that same year. Rice was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2003 and played six games until 2004.
Jerry Rice set the NFL career record for combined net yards by catching a 27-yard touchdown pass while playing for the Seattle Seahawks.
The legend returned to the San Francisco 49ers in 2006 and signed a one-day contract so as to retire as a 49er.
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