Jerry Rice is an iconic athlete who changed the face of american football with his exceptional talent and playing style. He was a professional American football wide receiver who played for 20 seasons before becoming the greatest wide receiver in NFL history. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in catches, touchdown receptions, and yards, earning him the nickname “The Greatest Of All Time.” His career total of 1549 receptions for 22, 895 yards includes 197 touchdown receptions and 208 total receptions. He has 1295 career points, making him the highest-scoring non-kicker in NFL history.
In his 20 seasons in the MFL, Rice has received 12 All-Pro selections. He also has three Super Bowl rings, one with the Oakland Raiders and two for the San Francisco 49ers. Apart from his football career, he has written two books, ‘Rice’ and ‘Go Long: My Journey Beyond the Name and Fame’, and has participated in various television shows and ad campaigns.
Biography:
Born: October 13, 1962 in Starkville, Mississippi, USA
Birth name: Jerry Lee Rice
Nicknames: Flash 80, The man with the hands, Gentleman Jerry
Height: 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
Childhood & Personal Life:
Jerry Rice was born in 1962 to a brick worker in Starkville, Mississippi. He was one of the couple’s eight children.
Young Rice and his siblings began assisting their father during the hot summers as children. Working as an assistant bricklayer helped him develop strong hands as a child.
It is speculated that his first stint in football was an opportunity to avoid punishment from his high school principal for skipping classes. His impressive running pace drew the attention of the principal, who gave him two options: join the school’s football team or be penalised.
During his time at school, he developed into a standout football player for the team and a dangerous menace to rival teams. His quickness and precise playing strategies quickly drew the attention of college scouts, who invited him to attend Mississippi Valley State University.
On September 8, 1987, he married Jacqueline Bernice Mitchell. The couple is blessed with three children. Two decades after their marriage, they filed for divorce. The marriage was officially dissolved in December 2009.
In 2011, The Sports Network established the Jerry Rice Award to recognise the most outstanding freshman Football Championship Subdivision player.
Net Worth:
Jerry Rice’s net worth is $50 million. Jerry Rice spent 20 years as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, where he rose to prominence.
Rice is now regarded as the best wide receiver to have ever played in the NFL, and many believe him to be one of the best players in NFL history. This is primarily owing to Jerry’s numerous record-breaking career achievements. This includes the most receptions, touchdown receptions, and receiving yards. Jerry has also scored more points than any other non-kicker in NFL history, totaling 1,256. Rice has over 100 records in total, far surpassing any other player. Rice was a three-time Super Bowl winner with the 49ers. Jerry Rice was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Awards & Honours:
- 3× Super Bowl champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
- Super Bowl MVP (XXIII)
- 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1987, 1993)
- 10× First-team All-Pro (1986–1990, 1992–1996)
- Second-team All-Pro (2002)
- 13× Pro Bowl (1986–1996, 1998, 2002)
- 6× NFL receiving yards leader (1986, 1989, 1990, 1993–1995)
- 2× NFL receptions leader (1990, 1996)
- 6× NFL receiving touchdowns leader (1986, 1987, 1989–1991, 1993)
- NFL scoring leader (1987)
- NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
- NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- Bert Bell Award (1987)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (1985)
- San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
- San Francisco 49ers No. 80 retired
- 2× First-team I-AA All-American (1983, 1984)
Fun Facts:
- This retired San Francisco 49ers football icon is the only non-kicker in NFL history to have scored more than 1,000 points.
