When you think about wide receivers in the NFL, the one name that immediately pops in the mind is that of Jerry Rice. He is arguably the best wide receiver in the history of the game. He is miles ahead of the competition and with everything he has achieved in the game as a receiver, it will take a monumental effort on someone’s behalf to surpass him.
As a wide receiver, it is almost unthinkable that someone can give two decades of his life at the highest level this brutal sport has to offer. On top of that, his durability is a testament to his strong work ethic as in those twenty years he only missed 18 games. Even at the age of 40, having played for nearly twenty years by then, Rice still had over 1,200 receiving yards.
But all these records and achievements did not come to him by luck or talent. Rice was completely obsessed with the game and his work ethic was second to none. Steve Young, one of his quarterbacks once said that even after their Super Bowl XXIX victory, Jerry Rice was at the field practicing his routes and getting ready for the next season within days.
Who did Jerry Rice play for?
In spite of the fact that Jerry Rice actually played for three teams in his career, the majority of his tenure was spent with the San Francisco 49ers. After an enthralling 16-year career with the 49ers, he was traded to the then-Oakland Raiders (Las Vegas Raiders). He then last stepped on the field as a professional NFL player with the Seattle Seahawks.
Jerry Rice with the 49ers
In his rookie year with the 49ers, Rice had to compete with two well-established receivers for a spot on the team. Featuring in all 16 games, he started only 4 of them. Slowly and steadily he started earning his place on the team and by year two he became a permanent starter. With 1,570 yards and 15 receiving touchdowns Rice led the league in both categories in 1986. Unknown at the time, but his second year in the league kickstarted a run of 11 consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons which came to a halt only during the 1997 season when he suffered a knee injury causing him to miss all but 2 games that year.
In 1987, Rice caught an NFL record at the time 22 receiving touchdowns in a year en route to his first Offensive Player of the Year Award. This record was broken years later by Randy Moss who caught 23 in spite of playing 4 more games.
Continuing his excellent form, Rice along with quarterback Joe Montana were instrumental in leading the team to a Super Bowl victory in 1988. His 11 receptions, 215-yard game with 1 touchdown earned him the Super Bowl MVP in his first victory.
1989 was again a wonderful year for Rice and the 49ers as a whole as the team repeated as Super Bowl Champions with Rice once again leading the league in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Following a couple of seasons where his production levels dropped just a bit, Rice was back to his best once again in the 1993 season. This time with Steve Young as his quarterback, the duo helped lead the team to yet another Super Bowl victory giving Rice the third and final ring of his glorious career.
Following the 1993 campaign, the former 49ers receiver was still in great shape and in good touch. He kept up his performances but the team was not able to win any more championships. Prior to the start of the 2000 season, Rice was informed by the management that it would be his last season with the team as they needed more money to fund other areas with more talent and the wide receiver unit was looking good especially with Terrell Owens taking over the WR1 spot on the team.
Jerry Rice with the Raiders and Seahawks
After being released by the 49ers, Rice signed a four year deal with the Raiders where he was once again able to show how good he still was. In his first two years, he again crossed 1,000 receiving yards but started to fade away ever so slightly in his next two years. As a result of which the Raiders traded him to the Seahawks around the midway part of the 2004 season.
In Seattle, Rice played 11 games starting 9 of them even at the age of 41, but it was clear that his best days were already behind him. His last NFL game came in the Wild Card Round in which the Seahawks lost to the then St. Louis Rams (Los Angeles Rams) and Rice had no contributions in the receiving department.
FAQs
A. Jerry Rice played for three teams in his career, the San Francisco 49ers, The Oakland Raiders, and the Seattle Seahawks.
A. Jerry Rice has won two Offensive Player of the Year Awards.
A. Jerry Rice was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
A. Jerry Rice officially retired from the NFL on September 5, 2005, just days before the new season was about to start.
