So is Jerry Rice the greatest football player ever?

[Back Burner]

Why shouldn't he be? Usually we give this honor to quarterbacks.

The numbers say it all.

38 NFL records, including....

Career


Receiving yards - 22,895

Receptions - 1,549

Receiving TDs - 197

Most seasons, 50 or more receptions - 17

Consecutive games with a reception - 274 (17 plus years? is my math right?)

Most games, 100+ yards receiving - 76

Season


Receiving yards - 1,848

Receiving TDs - 22
Games

Receiving TDs - 5


Super Bowl

Receptions, career - 33

Receptions, game - 11

Receiving yards, career - 589

Receiving yards, game - 215

Receiving TDs, career - 8

Receiving TDs, game - 3



Moss & T.O couldn't hold his jock strap!

 

[Fingers]

I would'nt say Moss could'nt hold his jock strap. Afterall at this point in both of there careers Moss has better numbers than Jerry did.

However I doubt Moss would even play for as many years as Rice so I guess we will never know, but if he did I'd put my money on Moss.

 

[Back Burner]

I would'nt say Moss could'nt hold his jock strap. Afterall at this point in both of there careers Moss has better numbers than Jerry did.

However I doubt Moss would even play for as many years as Rice so I guess we will never know, but if he did I'd put my money on Moss.

My comment was more about class, attitude and work effort.

 

[slowandeasy]

Greatest ever is a big title... especially in football where you have vastly different position players... kicker, punter, QB, RB, WR, Lineman, and most recently special teams, long snappers etc..

Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, Marino, and plenty of others come to my mind...

Moss is amazing, and can dominate a game. But unfortunately, he also disappears on a regular basis from the game.

Rice would get my vote just based on his accomplishments and work ethic...

 

[The Doctor]

Greatest receiver...yes. Of course next to Goober, but that's a whole different type of receiving. .

Greatest football player...definitely not. Records are skewed towards the ofensive side of the ball so it would be misleading to come to that conclusion based primarily on the records.

 

[slowandeasy]

Greatest receiver...yes. Of course next to Goober, but that's a whole different type of receiving. .

Wonder how many receptions Goober has to his credit.... frightening thought...

 

[The Doctor]

He rewrote the record book!

At the same time, Fang's completion rate is pretty impressive too.

 

[Darius]

Jerry Rice

Just had this conversation with Friends selecting our Fantasy football pool. It was agreed that he was the best receiver of all times. However, if there is one blemish on his hall of fame career its that he did not know when to call it quits!

 

[Goober Mcfly]

He rewrote the record book!

At the same time, Fang's completion rate is pretty impressive too.

Fang has a tough time getting penetration.

 

[jetfuel]

Best player was Jim Brown. Rice was good but he should have called it quits with the 49ers.

 

[slowandeasy]

OJ Simpson would have to be considered as well.

The guy was so good that he could get away with murder..

 

[shack]

Best player was Jim Brown.

I'll second that.

 

[BiggieE]

I'd throw John Unitas into the mix....

 

[Liquid Snake]

Best player ever.... that's a tough call. He's definitely in the debate. As someone else put it, Rice is "Jesus in cleats" .

 

[VincenzoTurismo]

He is definitely in the top 5 of all time, but he is also definitely the greatest receiver of all time.

Ciao,

VT

 

[JNance]

ill play devils advocte for a second....since everyone one is saying hes the greatest reciever of all time.....

he was a great player.....but it also helps that he two of the greatest qbs of all time throwing him the ball in montana and young.....were as take a player like steve largent....can you even name one of the many many quartebacks who threw him the ball......now im not saying largent was better....but his numbers are pretty damm good while playing on some really bad teams in seattle....

 

[Back Burner]

ill play devils advocte for a second....since everyone one is saying hes the greatest reciever of all time.....

he was a great player.....but it also helps that he two of the greatest qbs of all time throwing him the ball in montana and young.....were as take a player like steve largent....can you even name one of the many many quartebacks who threw him the ball......now im not saying largent was better....but his numbers are pretty damm good while playing on some really bad teams in seattle....

Excellent point.

 

[slowandeasy]

ill play devils advocte for a second....since everyone one is saying hes the greatest reciever of all time.....

he was a great player.....but it also helps that he two of the greatest qbs of all time throwing him the ball in montana and young.....were as take a player like steve largent....can you even name one of the many many quartebacks who threw him the ball......now im not saying largent was better....but his numbers are pretty damm good while playing on some really bad teams in seattle....

Largent is my 3rd favorite receiver all time behind Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner....

Largent was amazing and had excellent numbers, but not in Rice's category... Winslow and Joiner are my favorites... but also not in Rice's league...

Largent did not have two of the all time great QBs, but he had two pretty darn good ones in Jim Zorn and Dave Kreig.... Of the 13 years that Largent played, they had winning records in 7 and were 0.500 in one other.. so they were not such bad teams..

 

[JNance]

Largent is my 3rd favorite receiver all time behind Kellen Winslow and Charlie Joiner....

Largent was amazing and had excellent numbers, but not in Rice's category... Winslow and Joiner are my favorites... but also not in Rice's league...

Largent did not have two of the all time great QBs, but he had two pretty darn good ones in Jim Zorn and Dave Kreig.... Of the 13 years that Largent played, they had winning records in 7 and were 0.500 in one other.. so they were not such bad teams..

i never said largent was better.....i was using him as an example.....

i dont think a wr can ever be considered the best ever because thats the one positon that relies on the another player the most in order to be successefull....

 

[procket]

You would have to consider Rice as one of the best ever but I think to single one player out will be a never ending debate.

To say WR position relies too much on other positions to be successful I think is true of all other positions as well. Football is such a team sport. Walter Payton is definitely one of the greats but would he have had the success he had without a solid O-line or without some decent receivers to force a defense to think about the pass as well as the run? I don't think so. Likewise, Rice had a solid team around him.