Rice, Jerry

in full J erry Lee Rice

(born October 13, 1962, Starkville, Mississippi, U.S.) American professional gridiron football player whom many consider the greatest wide receiver in the history of the National Football League (NFL). Playing for the San Francisco 49ers, he set a host of NFL records, including those for career touchdowns, receptions, and reception yardage.

The son of a brick mason, Rice was celebrated for having developed strong, reliable hands by catching bricks that his brothers threw to him while working for their father. He attended Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena on a football scholarship. There he earned All-America honours and set 18 records in Division I-AA of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, including most catches in a single game (24).

Rice was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1985 NFL draft. He initially struggled to hold on to the ball as he concentrated on the intricate pass patterns of the San Francisco offense, but in his second season he caught 86 passes and led the league in reception yardage (1,570) and touchdown receptions (15). He set a single-season record for touchdown receptions (22) in 1987, even though a players' strike limited the season to 12 games, and was named NFL Player of the Year. Standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.9 metres) tall, Rice was larger than the typical NFL wide receiver, and he used his size and strength to overmatch defenders. He was also an exceptional runner after making a catch.

Rice played on three Super Bowl championship teams with the 49ers (1988, 1989, and 1994 seasons), and he, along with quarterback Joe Montana and defensive back Ronnie Lott, became virtually synonymous with the team. He was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIII (1988 season), and he set numerous Super Bowl records, including most career points. Rice was named to the annual Pro Bowl from 1986 through 1998. In a controversial move to develop younger players, the 49ers traded Rice to the Oakland Raiders before the 2001 season. After three full seasons with the Raiders, he was traded in the middle of the 2004 season to the Seattle Seahawks.