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Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962 in Starkville, Mississippi) is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL, widely regarded as the best receiver to play the game, and arguably one of the greatest football players ever. He captured three Super Bowl rings as a wideout for the San Francisco 49ers, and also played for the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. He made the Denver Broncos roster in the summer of 2005, hanging up his shoes shortly before the 2005 season.
He is the holder of 38 NFL records, a record in itself. Rice has scored the most touchdowns in NFL history, and holds virtually every significant career record for receivers, including receptions (1,549), yards receiving (22,895), all-purpose yards (23,540), touchdown receptions (197), and consecutive games with at least one catch (274). In most cases, the next most prolific player isn't close; for example, he's 67 receiving touchdowns ahead of second place Cris Carter, who is also retired. He is the only one of the top 25 scorers in NFL history who didn't kick the football..
Early life
On October 13,1962,the greatest receiver ever was born in the town of Starkville,Mississippi.He was Joe and Eddie B.Rice's sixth child of eight.Jerry Lee Rice is the name they gave to their child that will later become a legend.They raised him in the countryside of a tiny town:Crawford Mississippi.The town had fewer than 500 residents at the time Jerry was in high school.Jerry and his seven siblings were always expected to help at home and with their dad's bricklaying business.During the summer months,Jerry and his brothers would often work from seven in the morning until five at night in 100 degree weather helping their dad lay bricks.His brothers would throw Jerry bricks,and of course not catching them would result in broken bricks,or perhaps hands.Many people think this is how Jerry developed such good hand and eye coordination. Rice later recalled that working for his father also taught him "the meaning of hard work."
As a child,Jerry was always active and energetic;he loved to ride horses,run,and of course play sports.The horses he rode were far from tamed.Jerry once said,"We had to chase them down first,and it took 45 minutes to an hour at times,but we got rewarded because we'd ride them for the rest of the day." During his sophomore year,Rice would sometimes play hooky.He had a spot behind a building at school where he would hide.One day the principal went on a campus sweep and snuck up behind Jerry.Jerry heard him coming and sprinted off out of sight.When Rice went to school the next morning,he was called to the principal's office.The principal lashed him 5 or 6 times with a thick strap,but also told the football coach about Jerry's speed.The football coach talked him into playing on the high school football team.Rice attended Mississippi Valley State University, becoming a standout on the football team. He acquired the nickname World, because there wasn't a ball in the world he couldn't catch. In college, he had a total of 51 touchdown catches and averaged 10 catches per game in 1984, when Mississippi Valley State averaged over 59 points per game. That season he was named an AP All-American. The school later named its football stadium Rice-Totten Stadium in honor of Rice and quarterback Willie Totten who threw Rice his many touchdown passes at Mississippi Valley State.Each day after football practice his coach,Charles Davis,would watch his players,in uniform,pads,and all sprint up and down a hill 20 times.The hill was 40 yards from top to bottom.One particular day,Jerry thouht 11 was enough.His lungs were gasping for air and his legs were heavy.He said,"To hell with this",and began a staggered walk to the locker room.He could have gotten away with it,but a voice in his head told him,"Don't quit,because once you get in the mode of quitting,then you feel like it's ok."So Rice went back and conquered the hill.A precedent had been established for himself.
Professional career
Despite attending an NCAA Division III school, 49ers headcoach Bill Walsh noticed Rice's potential and extreme work ethic and drafted him as the 16th pick in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft, dismissing scouting reports that his prospect was too slow to play the pro game. Rice struggled early in his rookie season with the 49ers as he learned their innovative West Coast system, but in the 1986 season, he caught 86 passes and led the league in receiving yards (1,570) and receiving touchdowns (15). The next season, he set the NFL record for touchdown receptions with 22, a feat even more astonishing considering the season was shortened due to a players' strike. By the late 1980's, Rice had become one of the biggest receiving threats in the NFL, teaming with quarterback Joe Montana and later his successor Steve Young. Those tandems led the 49ers to three championships in Super Bowls XXIII, XXIV and XXIX.
Following 11 consecutive Pro Bowl, 1,000-yard receiving seasons, Rice missed virtually the entire 1997 NFL season after he sustained a torn ACL in the 49ers' opening game. Rice returned to Pro Bowl form in 1998, but then endured two modest years in 1999 and 2000, the 49ers' only losing seasons during Rice's tenure, as teammate Terrell Owens emerged as the team's top receiver.
In 2001, the 49ers released Rice because of salary cap problems and he was quickly picked up by the Oakland Raiders. Rice, even at the age of 39, continued to excel, having his 13th and 14th 1,000-yard receiving seasons and scoring his 200th touchdown in 2002. He and Tim Brown formed a fearsome, if aged, tandem, eventually occupying the top two spots on the NFL's career receiving yardage list. Rice's played in his fourth Super Bowl in January 2003, though the Raiders lost badly in a blowout to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
By 2004, Rice's role with the Raiders had diminished as the team became focused on developing their younger receivers. Rice only caught five passes for 67 yards without a touchdown in the first six games of the season, and his streak of consecutive games with a catch ended on September 19, 2004 against the Buffalo Bills. He requested a trade to a team that would give him a more significant playing role and on October 18, 2004, Rice was traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. Interestingly, Rice wore number 80 for the Seahawks, which had previously been worn by Steve Largent, the Hall of Fame wide receiver who once held many of the receiving records that Rice later broke. The Seahawks temporarily unretired Largent's 80 for Rice with Largent's approval. Seattle concluded the season with a playoff loss to the St. Louis Rams, becoming the first team to lose a playoff game to an 8-8 team. Rice did not catch a pass in the game, the first time he failed to do so in his record 29 game post-season career.
During the ensuing offseason, Seattle released Rice at his own request. 49ers' head coach Mike Nolan offered to bring Rice onto the Niners' roster for one day, allowing Rice to retire where he spent most of his prodigious career, but was against using Rice on the active roster for the season. On May 25, 2005, Rice agreed to a 1-year, $765,000 deal with the Denver Broncos. However, Rice had a mediocre preseason with the Broncos, perhaps due to a foot injury. Darius Watts won the third receiver spot from Rice and receiver Charlie Adams appeared to have the fourth spot. Rice, his role diminished beyond his hopes and interests, opted for retirement, which he officially announced on September 5, 2005.
Rice won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1987 and was Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXIII. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl 13 times. Some speculate that Rice was reluctant to retire because of the threat that receivers such as Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Marvin Harrison posed to his many NFL records. Some of his marks, however, are simply out of reach. Rice's work ethic kept him in a state of sustained physical fitness unattainable for players with less discipline. His offseason workout regimen is renowned throughout the NFL.
Personal life
Rice currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, with his wife Jackie and their children. He is considering stepping into the broadcasting booth.