🎂🎁🎉
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) October 13, 2021
Happy birthday to the legendary #49ers and NFL icon, Mr. @JerryRice! pic.twitter.com/g1F3cROgKr
Rice was also a 10-time NFL All-Pro, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and the 1988 Super Bowl MVP against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Throughout his career with the 49ers, Rice had performances such as his 10-reception, 241-yard, one-touchdown game against the Rams. Then, there was the five-reception, 133-yard, two-touchdown outing in a cold NFC Championship Game against the Chicago Bears and a 14-reception 289-yard, three-touchdown game against the Minnesota Vikings.
On his birthday, we will relive Rice's top five games or performances of his career.
"One, two, three, fo, FIF"
49ers vs. Falcons: October 14, 1990
The Super Bowl MVP threw six touchdown passes. Five went to Rice, who made defenders, like Charles Dimry, look silly as he finished the game with 13 receptions and 225 yards.
The only other receivers to have a five-touchdown game were Bob Shaw against the Chicago Bears on October 2, 1950, and Kellen Winslow against the Oakland Raiders on November 22, 1981.
Super Bowl dominance and MVP
49ers vs. Bengals: January 22, 1989
Rice was also named the game's MVP and was the decoy on the drive that saw Montana throw the game-winning touchdown to John Taylor with 34 seconds left in the game. San Francisco earned a 20-16 Super Bowl victory.
Record-breaking night
Raiders vs. 49ers: September 5, 1994
On the opening Monday night of the 1994 season, Rice made NFL history when he broke Jim Brown's touchdown record. Coming into the game, the ninth-year receiver had 124 career touchdowns, two behind Brown's total.
Rice also added 169 receiving yards, helping the 49ers dominate the Raiders with a 44-14 victory.
This man is not human
Broncos vs. 49ers: December 15, 1997
On the opening day of the 1997 NFL season, Rice was supposed to be lost for the year with a major knee injury after defensive lineman Warren Sapp tackled him.
Rice's three-reception, 40-yard, and one-touchdown performance was not dominant but did show the toughness of the 12th-year receiver.
Saying goodbye is hard
Bears vs. 49ers: December 17, 2000
In the final home game for the Bay Area legend, the Bears had no intention of letting Rice have another career game against the franchise like he did in a 1991 Monday night game with five receptions for 125 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The 49ers won 17-0, and Rice gave a tearful goodbye to the franchise and the fans. Many fans wept as they watched Rice carried off the field, ending the era but seeing the mantle passed to another.
Finishing his 16-year career with the 49ers, Rice totaled 1,281 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, and 176 touchdowns.
Rice signed with the Oakland Raiders during the 2001 offseason and retired after the 2004 season. He finished his NFL career with a slew of records and accolades, cementing his place in NFL history.
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Written by:Sports has been my first love since I was 12 years old. At one point I wanted to play football professionally. I started to take photography as a hobby in my teenage years but this was when I followed sports. I started to listen to sports radio, I found my true calling and it was to be a sports talk show host. Though I follow football and basketball, I started to have a new love of cultures around the world. After graduating from San Antonio College in 2018, I worked for the Castroville News Bulletin before going to A&M San Antonio to get my communications degree. Since I have written for the Ranger of San Antonio College, the News Bulletin and the Mesquite of Texas A&M San Antonio, I met many people and went to a lot of events. My major milestone was being in the press box of the San Antonio Commanders game for the Mesquite and being apart of a press conference with the Medina County Sheriff and other local news outlets. When I am not doing anything, I like to watch old cartoons on the DC Universe, play video games such as Mega Man and the Mass Effect series. I have also created Youtube channel called "Anger Management" with my friend Aaron Donnell.