Jerry Rice

Jerry Rice is an American former professional football player who played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons.

Widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the most dominant players in NFL history, he won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers.

He holds virtually every major career receiving record in the NFL and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Player Profile, High School, and College Career

Jerry Lee Rice was born on October 13, 1962, in Starkville, Mississippi, United States. The Wide Receiver stands 188 cm tall, and his weight was last listed at 91 kg.

He attended B. L. Moor High School in Oktoc, Mississippi. Surprisingly, he did not play football until his sophomore year, when the school's principal noticed his incredible sprinting speed after Rice cut class and ran away from him.

He attended Mississippi Valley State University (1981–1984), a Division I-AA (now FCS) program. Playing alongside quarterback Willie Totten in a pass-heavy offense, Rice set the college football world on fire.

He set numerous NCAA records, including the all-time mark for receiving touchdowns. In his senior year in 1984, he broke his own records by catching 112 passes for 1,845 yards and 27 touchdowns, earning First-team All-American honors. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Personal Life

Growing up in rural Mississippi, he worked alongside his father, a brick mason. Rice often credited catching bricks thrown to him by his father and brothers in the sweltering heat for developing his famously strong and reliable hands.

Professional Career

Rice was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round (16th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft.

In San Francisco, he formed the most lethal passing combinations in NFL history with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young. Over his 16 seasons with the 49ers, Rice won three Super Bowl championships (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX) and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXIII after catching 11 passes for a record 215 yards.

Known for his flawless route running and exceptional yards-after-catch (YAC) ability, he led the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns six times each. In 1987, he caught a staggering 22 touchdowns in a strike-shortened 12-game season.

After leaving the 49ers in 2001, Rice proved his longevity by signing with the Oakland Raiders. He played at a Pro Bowl level in his late 30s and early 40s, helping the Raiders reach Super Bowl XXXVII. Midway through the 2004 season, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks. Following a brief offseason stint with the Denver Broncos in 2005, he officially retired from professional football.

Rice finished his legendary career holding the NFL records for career receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), receiving touchdowns (197), and total touchdowns (208)—records that stand as some of the most untouchable in sports history.

Career Highlights:

• 3× Super Bowl champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
• Super Bowl XXIII MVP
• 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1987, 1993)
• 10× First-team All-Pro
• 13× Pro Bowl
• NFL Career Records: Receptions (1,549), Receiving Yards (22,895), Receiving Touchdowns (197)
• NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams
• 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee