Jerry Rice is a sporting legend who, with his exceptional talent and playing gimmicks, helped to resurrect the sport of football. He was a former American football wide receiver who spent 20 seasons on the field and went on to become the greatest wide out in NFL history. He is known as The G.O.A.T. because he is the all-time leader in receptions, touchdown receptions, and yards in the NFL. He has 1549 receptions for 22, 895 yards, 197 touchdown receptions, and 208 total receptions in his career. With 1295 points in his career, he is the highest-scoring non-kicker in NFL history. Rice has been named to the All-Pro team 12 times in his 20 seasons in the MFL. He also has three Super Bowl rings to his name, two with the San Francisco 49ers and one with the Oakland Raiders. Apart from his football career, he has written two books, ‘Rice’ and ‘Go Long: My Journey Beyond the Name and Fame,’ and has starred in a number of TV shows and advertisements.
Childhood and Adolescence
Jerry Rice was born in Starkville, Mississippi, on October 13, 1962, to a brick mason father. He was the eighth of the couple’s eight children. Young Rice and his siblings had been assisting their father through the hot summers since they were children. As a child, working as an assistant bricklayer helped him develop strong hands. It’s thought that his initial spell in football was a last-ditch effort to avoid being punished by his high school principal for skipping class. His outstanding running pace drew the notice of the principal, who offered him the choice of joining the school’s football team or being penalized.
He became a star football player for his squad and a belligerent menace to opposing teams while in school. Soon after, college scouts saw his quickness and polished playing methods, and he was offered a spot at Mississippi Valley State University. He was a member of the university football team from 1981 to 1984. Pro scouts were also impressed by his aggressive playing style and good statistics. Though the specific facts of his college career are unknown, it is reported that he caught 66 receptions for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore year. He hauled in 301 catches for 4,693 yards and 50 touchdowns throughout his four-year college career, setting 18 Division I-AA records. Only in 2006, when University of New Hampshire receiver David Ball scored his 51st touchdown, was the record broken.
Career of Jerry
His exceptional talent, light-footed play, and incredible skills all contributed to him becoming a professional star. Following his enormous exhibition of brilliance on the field, he was selected as the league’s overall #2 choice in the 1985 draft. With the 16th overall pick, he was finally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. Despite a poor start, he quickly picked up steam and finished the season with 49 catches for 927 yards and an average of 18.9 yards per catch. The following season established a legacy that would last for the next six years. He grabbed 86 receptions for 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns, giving him the breakout he so richly earned.
He only improved his record in 1987, winning him the Player of the Year title. He has 1,078 receiving yards and an NFL-record 22 touchdown receptions despite just playing 12 games. This great football player had a breakout season in 1988, averaging 20.4 yards per reception and catching 64 passes for 1306 yards and nine touchdowns. In the same year, he played a key role in the 49ers’ 28-3 victory over the Chicago Bears in the NFC championship game. With 11 throws for 215 yards and a score, he helped the San Francisco 49ers upset the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII, extending his 1988 success.
Riding high on his triumph, he increased the win ratio even more by supporting his team in not only making it to but also winning Super Bowl XXIV. While his previous effort of 82 receptions for 1483 yards and 17 touchdowns helped the team earn a Super Bowl berth, his Super Bowl performance of 7 catches for 148 yards and three touchdown receptions helped them win the title for the second time. The 1990 season started off well for him, and he finished with a career high of 100 receptions for 1502 yards and 13 touchdowns. Despite making it to Super Bowl XXV, the San Francisco 49ers were unable to complete a hat trick, falling 15-13 to the New York Giants in the NFC title game.
He had tremendous numbers in the following three seasons, with 80 catches for 1,206 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1991, 84 catches for 1,201 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1992, and 98 catches for 1,503 yards and 15 touchdowns in 1993. 1994 was a phenomenal year for him, as he set a career high with 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. Not only that, but in a game against the Los Angeles Raiders, he threw for 169 yards and two touchdowns, putting him in first place in NFL career touchdowns with 127.
He set a new career passing record in 1995, with 122 receptions for 1848 yards and 15 touchdowns. His graph grew even further the next year, with him leading the NFL with 108 receptions for 1254 yards and eight touchdowns. His three-year totals were 342 catches for 4,601 yards and 36 touchdowns by the conclusion of 1996. In 1997, he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee on a reverse, which ended his career. With a fighting mentality, he returned to the game within a few months, catching 82 passes for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns in 1998, earning him a spot in his 12th Pro Bowl.
In 1999, he saw a significant drop-off in performance, failing to break 1000 yards in all 16 of his games. In the year 2000, the decreasing graph continued, signaling the end of his more than decade-long affiliation with the San Francisco 49ers. He signed a deal with the Oakland Raiders in 2000. He caught 83 catches for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns with teammate Tim Brown. In 2002, he broke his own record by throwing 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns. He was chosen to the 13th Pro Bowl the following year. He even helped the team qualify for Super Bowl XXXVII, which they lost to the Buccaneers.
He was moved to the Seattle Seahawks in 2003, frustrated with the team’s success and disappointed with his status on the squad. Until 2004, he appeared in six games. He set the lifetime NFL record for combined net yards by collecting a 27-yard touchdown pass during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. He initially agreed to join the Denver Broncos for a year at the end of the 2004 season, but later turned down the offer to retire. In 2006, he signed a one-day deal with the San Francisco 49ers to officially retire as a 49er in recognition of his significant contributions to the franchise.
Achievements & Awards
He was voted second on Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players in 1999. In his first year of eligibility, in 2010, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On August 7, 2010, he was ultimately inducted in Canton, Ohio. On The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players in 2010, he was ranked first. He became the greatest football player at the highest level of the sport as a result of his position. On September 20, 2010, during halftime of a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints, his jersey number 80 was retired.
Personal History and Legacy
On September 8, 1987, he married Jacqueline Bernice Mitchell in a religious ceremony. Three children have been born to the couple. Two decades after their marriage, they filed for divorce. In December 2009, the marriage was officially declared null and void. The Jerry Rice Award was established by The Sports Network in 2011 to honor the best freshman Football Championship Subdivision player.
Estimated Net Worth
Jerry Rice has a net worth of $50 million as a retired professional football player in the United States. Rice had a 20-year career as a wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers, where he became well-known.
Trivia
This retired San Francisco 49ers football hero holds the record for being the only non-kicker in NFL history to score more than 1000 points.