Jerry Rice discusses Brock Purdy, Super Bowl prediction, 49ers’ keys to beating Chiefs

Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice attended the Senior Bowl this week to watch his son, NFL hopeful Brenden, practice. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero caught up with the elder Rice, discussing his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, and their chances in Super Bowl 58 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Rice offered a prediction for the game, stating, "The Super Bowl, I'm thinking 28-21, San Francisco."

It's a close prediction, indicating that the 49ers will need a tremendous effort to overcome the defending Super Bowl champions. The NFL great discussed the strategy necessary for the 49ers to secure a win.

"We got to get to [QB] Patrick Mahomes, and, man, that's a hard task," Rice shared. "And [TE] Travis Kelce, I would double him 100 percent. And also Taylor Swift, I would double her 100 percent, too, because we don't want Travis to get going. Because every time Travis is going, then the camera goes up to the box with Taylor Swift. And so we got to change that. And if we can do that, I feel like we have a legitimate chance.

"But it's going to be up to our defensive line and also that secondary to put pressure on Patrick Mahomes and get some turnovers. And then we got to be able to get off to a fast start. The last ball game, 24-7 at halftime. We don't want to be in that position with the Kansas City Chiefs, especially with a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes."

The 49ers reached the Super Bowl thanks to the efforts of second-year quarterback Brock Purdy. The young signal-caller helped orchestrate two come-from-behind victories in the playoffs, including erasing a 17-point deficit against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game. Purdy acknowledges that having that late-game mentality from the start will be key against the Chiefs.

"So if we can have that kind of mindset early on, just like we have all year, and come out firing away, I think that's when our defense plays well with that," Purdy said. "So that's something that we all got to talk about and be better at, and that starts with me, for sure."

Purdy's postseason heroics set the stage for a Super Bowl rematch between the 49ers and Chiefs, with the loss four years ago serving as motivation for those remaining from that squad.

When asked what helps Purdy rise to the occasion when the team needs him most, Rice declared, "I think his leadership ... And the players, they're going to rally behind him 100 percent, Mr. Irrelevant, and what he pretty much has done with the San Francisco 49ers.

"And you watch him back there in the pocket, his velocity on the football, he knows where he wants to throw the ball, and he makes plays, man. And I think that's just like a [Joe] Montana, like a Steve Young. And just a down-to-earth person that wants to win, and he's going to do everything he can to get that victory."