When people think of the San Francisco 49ers, they think of two players Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice was one of the hardest workers the NFL had ever seen. He played 20 NFL seasons for the 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and the Seattle Seahawks. He leads all wide receivers in major categories including touchdowns and receptions. It all started in 1985 when the San Francisco 49ers drafted in the 1st round out of Mississippi State. It did not take long for him to impress because in his first year he averaged 18.9 yards per catch on 49 receptions for 927 yards and 3 TDs as a rookie. In 1986 he had one of the greatest seasons ever for an NFL wide receiver because he caught 86 passes for 1570 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the following season he broke the record with 22 touchdowns. Jerry Rice was one of the most prolific players in NFL history and in 2011 when NFL Network counted down the Top 100 players of all time which was voted on by former players and coaches; Rice was number 1. That says something because out of all the NFL players that have ever stepped on the field, he was number one. Even when Rice was nearing the end of his career when he was Oakland at the age of 41 he still managed to have over 1200 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns and he helped Oakland reach a Super Bowl. Jerry Rice won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and was named the MVP of Super Bowl 23 which was highlighted by Joe Montana’s 92 yard drive. Jerry Rice never was the always the fastest players on the field, but he ran such great routes and he always had some of the best hands. When people look back on Jerry Rice’s career 20, 30, and even 40 years from now and they are ranking the top players of all time I have no doubt in my mind that Jerry Rice will be ranked as the number one player of all time.
No comments:
Post a Comment