The greatest player to ever lace up a pair of football cleats retired Monday. Jerry Rice, owner of three Super Bowl rings, vanquisher of Father Time, and holder of 38 NFL records, called it quits rather than serve as the fourth receiver for the Denver Broncos this season. Just how good was (is?) Rice? His 208 touchdowns are 42 more than Emmitt Smith's second place; his 22,895 receiving yards are about 8,000 yards more than nearest competitor Tim Brown; he broke Steve Largent's touchdown reception mark in 1992, leaving him twelve more seasons to pad his record. Rice's most impressive feat is 23,540 yards from scrimmage, which he obtained despite essentially having but one way--through the air--to rack up those yards. Is Jerry Rice the best ever? While ESPN.com's experts put him second to Jim Brown, their readers give him more votes than Brown and Joe Montana combined. With the experts and fans at a standstill, my deciding vote breaks the deadlock: Jerry Rice is the greatest football player ever.
Dan, I'm just philosophically opposed to the title of "greatest ever" at anything, particularly when so many players in so many different eras played so many different positions.
How does one compare a Sammy Baugh, who not only played QB and DB, but punted as well, to a Jerry Rice? Both were incredible players in their own ways. Consideration must also be given to what the early players might have accomplished had they enjoyed the advantages of superior nutrition, training, and particularly, modern sports medicine.
Regardless, Rice was undeniably an incredible receiver, one of the best, if not the best, ever. More importantly, he conducted himself with a class and deportment sadly lacking in the likes of T.O. and Keyshawn, who truly aren't worthy to carry Jerry's jockstrap!
I have 3 words to say about about Jerry Rice:
Greatest.
Receiver.
Ever.
No receiver was better. No one's stats are close. No one had first Joe Montana and then Steve Young pitching them passes. Those were amazing football teams.
Although he has the most impressive stats, to call him the greatest ever is tough. He was great, no question, but he was on powerhouse SF team and had he advantage of receiving for two of the most prolific QB's of our times.
I agree that he is the best receiver ever but he was also a selfish player. I lost all respect for the guy when he was at the tail end of his career and he decided to go to Seattle and take Steve Largent's number which was retired. Numbers are retired for a reason and no matter what records Rice broke it was classless act to where Largent's number. It is too tough to decide whether or not he is the best player ever though. Joe Montana could have made Jerry Rice the player he was? However I wouldn't be so quick to dub Jim Brown the best ever either.
by the way are we doing the football pool again this year?
Morris: the football pool post has been lurking in the shadows. All I have to do is press "post," and it will appear. And appear it will later this afternoon.
Why don't we just skip this season and hand the Lombardi trophy back over to the Patriots again? Why all the suspense?
Oh, nevermind. We might as well trudge through all of the preliminary games and then give it to them after the Superbowl.
The NFL pool is my reason for living. Please post it soon, as I need a fix for my very nasty grambling habit. Rice was the best receiver, statisticly, ever. Is he the best player ever? I say no. He did not dominate the sport (or that team). Montana did. He was a part of the greatest offensive team in NFL history. He did not alter the way the game was defensed or played, the way others did.Although he was part of an offnse that did. He was the best at his position for a very long time and he was a gentleman and a winner. Lets leave it at that.
It bears some impact on Rice's greatness to compare his on- and off-field behavior to the Joe Horns, Terrell Owenses, and Randy Mosses of the NFL. Rice was better than all these guys, and he never called someone on a cell phone, borrowed a cheerleader's pom-poms, or removed a Sharpie from his sock after scoring; nor did he leave the field before the game had ended or blast his all-pro quarterback on a regular basis. I think you appreciate Rice even more when you look at some of his wannabe heirs.
Calling Rice the greatest player ever is sheer silliness. Top 10? Maybe. Let me offer two of the many arguments (both against Rice and for others) that could be given.
From the standpoint of ability, Rice is surpassed by a number of receivers past and present (though he certainly is one of the ablest - again, top 10 - in history). His claim to be the best is of the fantasy football variety, i.e., stat worship. It is my contention that his amazing stats are due as much to the following three factors as to his prowess as a receiver: [1] Scheme. The "West Coast" offense developed by Walsh, especially when it was a novelty to defenses, allowed the receivers to catch more passes (in much the same way that Mike Leach's offense at Texas Tech allows his quarterback's to lead division-1 passer's every year; incidentally, Tech quarterbacks never win the Heismann because the success is attributed to the scheme). [2] Longevity. [3]. Joe Montana.
Barry Sanders was the greatest player in NFL history. Had he stayed in league, he would have broken Sweetness's record long before Emmett did (and the record would still be his). He was the most gifted runner to ever play the game. And he did it all on lousy Lions teams with no other offensive threats and garbage offensive lines.
Ralph: Rice caught more touchdown passes from Steve Young than he did from Joe Montana, which makes your point #3 "sheer silliness." Your second point is just plain "silliness" without the modifier. Since when is "longevity" a negative? Rice's 1200+ receiving yards in 2002, coming as they did via "longevity," should be a factor against rather than for Rice. Point #1? All of the teams Rice played on were offensive powerhouses. At what point do you concede this had something to do with Rice and little to do with fortune? C'mon now.
Flynny I really disagree with you about Rice. He may not have pulled a Sharpie from his sock,etc,etc, but I think you have to dig a little deeper into your bag of tricks and u would find that Jerry Rice wasn't the consumate pro you make him out to be. He was a baby and a selfish teamate at times. Not a total distraction like Moss or Keyshaun but not a gentleman like Tim Brown or Troy Brown for that matter. Not bringing up the Steve Largent number fiasco was something you should look at. Excellent piece by Mr.Veno, I still had his name on from my last post and didn't notice till after.
For the most part I agree with Ralph. It's actually kind of a silly discussion. Who is the best wrestler of all time?
Don't start that argument Morris! (The answer, of course, is Kevin Von Erich).
Kevin Von Erich??? You cannot be serious! The greatest wrestler of all time is Duke the Dumpster Droese, of course.
OK, I almost typed that with a straight face. The greatest wrestler of all time, in my mind, is Bret "Hitman" Hart.
Kevin I actually may agree with you there! Any barefoot grappler is my favorite and Kevin was always my favorite von erik
I'd have to side with Walter Payton as the greatest of my lifetime. And not just for the rushing - he is Mr. Intangible.
I have never seen a player as mentally and physically determined.
Jim Brown was a oversized anomaly--like putting a Division I back against JV High All Star. With Walter you'd see the same expression on a DB's face coming up to seal the corner.
E. Smith may hold the all-time rushing yardage record, but do they miss his effectiveness on picking up blitzing LBs? Not that it mattered Bear QBs knew what to do with the extra protection...
Did other great players have to overcome defenses that keyed completely on him, because for so many years the genius offensive schemes consisted of "Let's hand it to Sweetness, again" (Case in point Minnesota 6.8 yds per carry on 40 Attempts).
Later in his career the Bears added some offensive talent, but how should you be judged when your typical supporting cast member consisted of QBs like Huff, Douglas, Avellini, Evans, et al. I guess they helped pad his stats for tackles made on interceptions, but hopefully I've made my point.
