| Jerry Rice was born on October 13, 1962 in Crawford, | | | | American teams. He followed this up with an equally |
| Mississippi. Although Rice never had the physical | | | | good season as a senior in 1984. All of his college |
| abilities of some other great athletes, he always had | | | | football accomplishments led him to being inducted into |
| the work ethic and determination to get the job done. | | | | the College Football Hall of Fame in August of 2006. |
| For this reason, Rice is widely regarded as the best | | | | Rice was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers with the |
| wide receivers to ever play the game. And many | | | | 16th pick of the first round in the 1985 NFL Draft. |
| people feel that he is the greatest football player of all | | | | Although Rice struggled with drops during his first year |
| time regardless of position. | | | | in the NFL, he turned some heads. He finished the |
| In high school Rice played on the defensive side of the | | | | season with 927 yards on 49 catches. And ever since |
| football, and was good enough to make the All State | | | | that first season Rice was off and running. At the time |
| team. But although he accomplished a lot in high school, | | | | of his retirement he held many NFL records including |
| no NCAA Division I football programs offered him a | | | | receptions, receiving yards, touchdown receptions, |
| scholarship. | | | | touchdowns, all purpose yards, and many more. |
| With no other options, Rice decided to attend | | | | It is safe to say that Jerry Rice is the best wide |
| Mississippi Valley State University, an NCAA Division | | | | receiver to ever play the game of football. In addition |
| I-AA program. In 1983 Rice had a great season, and | | | | to his great football skills he had the heart of a |
| set many records along the way. He had 102 | | | | champion, and the work ethic to match. |
| receptions, 1,450 yards, and was named to several All | | | | |