When Jerry Rice opened up about being a Hall of Fame WR - “It’s unbelievable”
Jerry Rice was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 after one of the greatest careers in NFL history. Rice spent the majority of his 20 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, where he set a seemingly countless number of records. His skills, production, and longevity are unmatched among wide receivers in NFL history.
The legendary 49ers wide receiver appeared on an episode of the "Cold as Balls" show last year to discuss many parts of his career with Kevin Hart. They talked about what made him so great during his run that spanned three decades as one of the most iconic NFL players ever.
Here's a comical explanation that Jerry Rice had to offer for some of his success:
“I used to run just like I stole something. When you steal something, it’s unbelievable the speed that you can get up. Defense in general, if they were chasing me, I knew they wanted to hurt me, so that gave me that extra edge.”
While Rice wasn't exactly known as a speedster, he surely possessed enough quickness to ultimately succed as a wide receiver. His dominance was more a product of his elite football knowledge and relentlessly hard-working approach to the game.
Is Jerry Rice really the GOAT WR?
Not only is Jerry Rice the undisputed greatest wide receiver to ever step on the football field, but a strong case can be made that he is the best non-quarterback in NFL history.
He dominated his position as much or more than any other player ever. His infinite list of accomplishments, statistics, and records clearly demonstrate how he was a class above the rest.
He holds almost every cumulative career receiving record, including his 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, and 208 touchdowns. He also exceeded 1,000 yards 14 times during his career, more than any other player ever. He also led the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns six times each, while surpassing 100 receptions four times.
Rice also has an impressive trophy case to go along with all of his various records. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro 10 times and was selected as the Offensive Player of the Year twice.
While no wide receiver has ever won an NFL MVP award, Rice did win it as a part of his three rings with the San Francisco 49ers.
What makes Rice's career even more impressive is the fact that he played during an era of football that focused much more on running the ball and playing defense. He didn't have the luxury of playing in the modern style of high-flying passing games.
It's entirely possible his numbers would be even more jaw-dropping if his career occurred in the modern era.