Jerry Rice in the Southern Quote
He was born on October 13, 1962 in Starkville, Mississippi. They say he developed his hands while working for his father, who was a brick mason. He became a standout receiver at Mississippi Valley State University from 1980-1984. He acquired the nickname “World” because they said there wasn’t a ball in the world he couldn’t catch.
His college career featured many record-setting performances and his small Division II school attracted national attention his senior year for their scoring prowess. He was named to every All-American team his senior season and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Although his record-breaking senior season caught the attention of many NFL scouts his lack of speed made most teams wary of him. However, on draft day in 1985 the San Francisco 49ers swapped picks to move up in the draft and took him with the 16th selection overall.
Jerry Lee Rice got off to a slow start in his rookie year but finished strong and was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year, the first of what would prove to be many awards in his career. He played 15 seasons for the 49ers, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl in 12 of those years. Rice left the 49ers in 2001 and had stints with the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. He signed a one-day contract with the 49ers in 2006 which allowed him to retire as a member of the team where his career began.
Following his football career Rice competed in the reality show “Dancing with the Stars”, where he reached the final two. He has appeared in numerous commercials and co-written two books about his life. He also co-hosts “Sports Sunday” in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Today’s Southern Quote features one of the most highly-decorated players in NFL history who once said, “My work ethic came from my parents and from my fear of failure. I came from a small, predominantly black school and I didn’t want to let them down.”