SportsCentury Greatest Athletes #27: Jerry Rice

Originally aired in 1999. This was the 30-minute version that aired as part of the SportsCentury countdown.
Subsequent airings have been the one hour documentary version.

[@richmotroni]

No athlete in my lifetime has given more joyous moments than Jerry Rice. My family was Niners season ticket holders from 1971 to 2009 and I personally witness nearly all of his record breaking moments.

[@oldmansportsog2514]

So your family was part of the 70,000 People Who Boo'D Jerry for dropping 4 balls again at Rams. Bay area is expensive to live too and to afford season tickets for biggest team in Town, talk about some privilege, lmao smh jk

[@richmotroni]

@@oldmansportsog2514 No stupid. I never bood Rice! I had the man's back from day one! Besides no one asked you jackass. You stupid worthless piece of human garbage!

[@TownBizz-r1d]

​@@oldmansportsog2514dat musta been his rookie season!! Even though he did fumble b4 T.O. caught da Catch 2 vs GB. But he was off da hook n Oakland fasho

[@Cronellishways]

The greatest athlete the NFL has ever seen to date, Jerry Rice.

[@Brandon-ew9vz]

Average at best

[@Cronellishways]

@@Brandon-ew9vz You have no credibility in football, at all with that comment.

[@BazookaTooth707]

#27? No way. Possibly the greatest football player ever with records that'll never be broken. The league has only made it easier for the offense to score, but no one has even come close to Jerry.

[@michelmendoza1769]

No one else in this guy's universe

[@fredericoespinoza897]

simply the GOAT. enough said

[@rss83073SFBayArea]

Jerry Rice has so much in common with another GOAT, Walter Payton-Sweetness 1. Both are from Mississippi 2. Both played at Mississippi HBCU's, Mississippi Valley State & Jackson State respectively 3. Both drafted in the 1st round 4. Both trained by running hills

[@walterbison]

So underrated. Guy has scored more touchdowns and gained more yards than anyone in NFL history. Quarterbacks get far too much credit, players like Rice are the truly great ones.

[@TheGoldenGreek21]

Nobody had this kind of drive. That is why Jerry will be the GOAT until anyone sniffs his records.

[@jstewlly4747]

He wasnt even done in 1999 he still had 2 pro bowls and an all pro season left AND A SB wow

[@mikeandmars2345]

#27 should have been in the top 15

[@msmithrandir561]

i say #10

[@zarateciddkast9329]

Greatest Football player EVER

[@AHMAD-2324]

That'll be Lawrence Taylor. However, Jerry is by far the best WR to ever do it !

[@jarod5469]

AHMAD2423 I would say LT and Jerry Rice are tied.

[@drestathagangsta8880]

@@AHMAD-2324 Can't argue with LT, but as a Niner fan I'm biased so I'm going with Jerry.

[@supremealmightyofficial7]

GOAT 🐐Football Player of All Time

[@NERVE-DAMAGE]

@27 is criminal !!!! Best Ever !!!

[@gregGould]

Absolutely Agree!! Top 5 for sure!!!

[@dwightlove3704]

@@gregGould They only said this because of what he didn't do away from the football field but he should be top 5 easily.

[@thepeteles]

He should be in the top 5

[@daddymcsnacks_561]

"We practice in the parking lots!" Blah ha ha ah, I damn near pee'd when he said that!

[@dwightlove3704]

Look at the school he attended

[@mrmajikjr]

This guy would go on to put up 5200 more yards in his career after this documentary was released. He still had plenty left in the tank, and it's a shame they made the tone of the piece being "oh, he's done and washed up."

[@paysonfox88]

10:00 -- My father said about small schools something profound once. "If a good player has a choice between going to Baylor and losing 8 games a season and Going to Grambling or Mississippi Valley and going undefeated, they will choose Baylor due to the TV and National exposure it gives them. You have to be Lighting it up pretty hard at the Division 2 level Like Jerry Rice did to get noticed"

[@dwightlove3704]

Payson He attended a FCS BASED SCHOOL (1-AA) that shows talent can be found at other schools.

[@msmithrandir561]

The most incredible wide receiver that ever played the game

[@dwightlove3704]

Randy Moss thinks otherwise

[@matthewsmith1779]

How good would he be if he wasn't using illegal stickum his entire career.

[@dwightlove3704]

@@matthewsmith1779 Check his stats has anyone caught him????

[@matthewsmith1779]

@@dwightlove3704 Stickum

[@dwightlove3704]

@@matthewsmith1779 You can barely see it in his highlights whereas Biletnikoff he made it obvious!!!!!

[@ericbotley5109]

He IS the greatest wide receiver to ever play in the NFL period.

[@drestathagangsta8880]

The greatest football player ever at any position.

[@kurtusdoss5965]

Steve largent Randy moss are the only other receivers in Jerry rice category.

[@отпирайте]

Dresta tha Gangsta yup

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

Dresta tha Gangsta Walter Payton was/is the greatest football 🏈 Player to have ever done it!! He was the only running back to ever score a rushing touchdown a reception touchdown and touchdown pass Walter>Jerry

[@отпирайте]

Dumisa Tony Johnson emmitt and LT have done that too at least

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

Ice J Lawrence Taylor?!!!!

[@dwightlove3704]

He along with WILLIE TOTTEN put THE VALLEY on the map.

[@nikolaivista920]

Yeap. The Satellite Express!!

[@dwightlove3704]

@@nikolaivista920 They are considered the greatest QB/WR combo in the history of college football.

[@kabirtaunk2404]

Simply known as the GOAT

[@slide_drexler]

Jerry rice set us back 300 years with that Popeye' s Fried chicken commercial.🤭

[@dwightlove3704]

Everyone talked about RANDY MOSS putting his hand up before he caught the ball RICE did this before him.

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Thank u fa having a brain

[@dwightlove3704]

@@TownBizz-r1d I saw some footage of Rice doing this.

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

Greatest wide receiver to ever play the game 194 reception touchdowns in his 20 year career *NFL record 1st round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 1985 Out of Mississippi Valley State 49ers 85-2001 Oakland Raiders 2001-04 Seattle Seahawks 2004-05 1986 All Rookie Team Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl 23 3x Super Bowl champion 206 career all purpose touchdowns 1986 all rookie team 22 reception touchdowns (lockout season in 1987/88) 10x First Team all pro 1991 second team all pro 2002 second team all pro 90s All Decade Team 80s All Decade Team 13x Pro Bowl Led the league in receptions in 1990 as well as 96 Led the league in touchdowns 6x 75th Anniversary Team (1995) 2010 Pro Football 🏈 Hall of Fame Number one on the Top 100 greatest players in the history of the NFL #jerryrice=GOAT No one comes close

[@phaedo1384]

Moss was better, but I understand that looking at the whole picture, Rice is #1

[@jamaalshelton6793]

Naw moss was a great highlight reel but couldn’t make the big play when it counted. Couldn’t win even with Tom Brady as his QB

[@nikosuavesworldofsportsmusic]

197 career receiving touchdowns 208 total touchdowns.

[@gregGould]

Absolutely Agree!!!!!

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

@@jamaalshelton6793 Moss 4 receptions for 42 yards in SB42 Rice 11 receptions for 215 yards in SB23

[@Andy13april64]

WRG: Wide Receiver GOAT. No doubts on that.

[@dwightlove3704]

Randy Moss said Rice is 4th on his all time list.

[@dduffy777]

@@dwightlove3704 we all know how Randy's strong point was his hard working mental approach to the game was.

[@dwightlove3704]

@@dduffy777 Give thanks to Cris Carter he always talked about this while on the sidelines during games.

[@capnawesome4649]

Turned his OCD into a career

[@glennpritchard4745]

He played in an Era where you were chucked off the line,no such thing as a defenseless receiver,he was so much better than everyone else

[@Exodus-vg5yi]

Number 27 now thats a joke .they should redo the list taking off all of those soccer hockey and baseball players above him.jerry rice might be the greatest football player of all time .his records prove it .

[@ricegoat8091]

The GOAT he should have been in the top 10 Facts

[@rss83073SFBayArea]

Who do you take out of the Top 10 for Rice though? Those are some legends at the top!

[@ricegoat8091]

Ralph Simpson Who ever they had in front of him his numbers speak volumes.

[@rss83073SFBayArea]

@@ricegoat8091 The numbers of those in the top 10 are just as impressive. In the case of Jim Thorpe for example, his numbers were great in 2 or more sports. Willie Mays and Jack Nicklaus had great numbers in their sports. You may like football more than other sports, but that doesn't mean that you discount what others had done having to overcome greater poverty and in some cases racism than Rice endured.

[@MannyMensah94]

Max Carey Can you upload videos of sportscentury in 1999? If so, thank you

[@maxcarey6414]

Yes, the majority of the ones I have been are from 1999

[@oldmansportsog2514]

Best WR EVER NON Debatable

[@randallmartin2549]

His wife said the exact opposite of what she meant when she said she had no doubt he was not going to come back from this injury.

[@fredrickjones4574]

You might get an argument about who's the greatest Quarterback, Running back or other positions,but when asked who's the greatest Wide Receiver, you hear one name above all the rest! Jerry Rice!!!

[@TheNathanScot]

Anyone else notice they were playing Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise 1492 soundtrack around the 12:50 mark?

[@drestathagangsta8880]

Yep. It's called Monastery of la Rabida of the soundtrack.

[@markaycox7009]

No, missed that. But I noticed they used the a track from the soundtrack from the Billy Bob Thorton movie Sling Blade. Did you catch that?

[@dinkyramirez9866]

1. Michael Jordan 2. Babe Ruth 3. Muhammad Ali 4. Jim Brown 5. Wayne Gretzky 6. Jesse Owens 7. Jim Thorpe 8. Willie Mays 9. Jack Nicklaus 10. Babe Zaharias 11. Joe Louis 12. Carl Lewis 13. Walt Chamberlain 14. Hank Aaron 15. Jackie Robinson 16. Ted Williams 17. Magic Johnson 18. Bill Russell 19. Martina Navratilova 20. Ty Cobb 21. Gordie Howe 22. Joe DiMaggio 23. Jackie Joyner-Kersee 24. Sugar Ray Robinson 25. Joe Montana 26. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 27. Jerry Rice 28. Red Grange 29. Arnold Palmer 30. Larry Bird 31. Bobby Orr 32. Johnny Unitas 33. Mark Spitz 34. Lou Gehrig 35. Secretariat 36. Oscar Robertson 37. Mickey Mantle 38. Ben Hogan 39. Walter Payton 40. Lawrence Taylor 41. Wilma Rudolph 42. Sandy Koufax 43. Julius Erving 44. Bobby Jones 45. Bill Tilden 46. Eric Heiden 47. Edwin Moses 48. Pete Sampras 49. O.J. Simpson 50. Chris Evert Sportscentury Fifty Greatest Athletes (1999) I Loved This Show ❤✊🏼

[@anthonyslazas2898]

I am betting he could still play today. The only better football play is Walter Payton.

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Ali or Jim Brown gotta b #1 RIP ta both!

[@dnasty312]

🐐

[@JackTheripper911]

How the fuck are people gonna use "he was all about football, no one could ever make him human" as an excuse to doubt him? Is this not the GREATEST ATHLETES? I wasnt aware it was a fucking shuffleboard contest.

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Oh i aint know dey was maad n Mississippi dat he aint come around

[@madeasimmons9746]

Only 27th???

[@jonharvey8919]

Either Jerry or Michael irvin best of

[@tukolo5408]

Running backs are more team players and receivers are more super stars I have noticed.

[@pearltaylor393]

Image rice had moss speed with his skill think about that

[@dwightlove3704]

He should have been told to join the track team at MVSU!!!!!!

[@chadhampton2176]

His game speed was crazy. Before his injury, no one caught him from behind.

[@dwightlove3704]

@@chadhampton2176 Yes due to his off season workouts.That was his biggest bugaboo coming out of college a perceived lack of speed.

[@danielsayles1091]

Crazy that he sat by her bed all that time, and she still left him. Goes to show you huh?

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Steve Young fumbled dat ball ta Craig cuz dey shoulda had a 3peat. Roger needs ta b n da HoF cuz he c was da 1st 1000-1000 guy

[@ellibreelmundo2629]

I remember Joe montana

[@TownBizz-r1d]

If Rice wouldn't got hurt Niners woulda won SB dat year

[@dwightlove3704]

The Giants robbed the Niners of making history a POSSIBLE THREE PEAT

[@TownBizz-r1d]

So he posed ta bow down ta Montana even tho he caught more w Young n den went onto ball n Oakland

[@jonathanblaze1648]

This ranking has not aged well.

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Tim Brown was not n Rice draft!! Irving Fryar went #1. How can ESPN f dat up

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Damn his wife m daughter r beautiful!! I luv dat he kept him a Sista instead of running ta some white chick

[@TownBizz-r1d]

Yeah Sapp face masking Rice was a great play smh Hell naw

[@jamescole8355]

Bippity boppity

[@indianasunsets5738]

One wonders if Jerry Rice would have had the same success if he had played for...oh...Atlanta, Detroit or Indianapolis in that same era instead of Bill Walsh's "West Coast Offense"?

[@DennardC_27]

Moot point

[@indianasunsets5738]

@@DennardC_27 no, it isn't.

[@mane1551]

Bruh stop that Shit ,he didn't choose the 49ers they choose him

[@mane1551]

They seen something in him that could take the 49ers to another Level and He did That and More

[@mane1551]

He cause the West Coast Offense to EXPLODE !!!

[@christopherhughes9787]

#27...Bull. Shit.

[@blakesteenrod4765]

Isn’t MJ #1

[@drestathagangsta8880]

Blake Steenrod Yes.

[@dinkyramirez9866]

1. Michael Jordan 2. Babe Ruth 3. Muhammad Ali Sportscentury Fifty Greatest Athletes Official List (1999)

[@Brandon-ew9vz]

He wouldn't last a quarter in todays game. Its a mans game now. Hes too small and slow. And his hands are average to below average.

[@hughjanus6657]

Randy was better.

[@AHMAD-2324]

You're Delusional !!!

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

Randy Moss was a quitter Randy never came close to what Jerry Rice was as an NFL Wide Reciever

[@DennardC_27]

Not even close. Production in the playoffs no where near as impactful as Rice

[@supersimpextraordinaire5362]

Washed up by 32. One trick pony.

[@dinkyramirez9866]

OMFG.... 🤦‍♂️