History Lesson : Jerry Rice

As long as we’re talking about receivers this week, we might as well talk about the best one to ever play the game: Jerry Rice. While easily regarded as the best wide receiver in NFL history, many would conclude that Rice is the best player, period, in NFL history.

Besides owning basically every meaningful statistic for receivers, he also owns the record for most seasons played by a receiver: 20. Twenty. How in the world do you maintain that level of performance for two decades?

Rice would likely point to hard work as the answer to that question. For as much as he’s regarded as the best of the best, he’s even moreso regarded as having the greatest amount of work ethic. He famously reflected on his habits by saying, “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.”

And he did.

I love this interview with Jerry Rice and Steve Young. Just one of many goosebump-inducing stories of his legendary level of commitment:

“He outworked the work ethic guys.” I love that. What a testament to the value of hard work.

Do you guys remember watching Jerry Rice play?