The 1984 season was also memorable for MVSU as the pass-happy Delta Devils attracted national attention, scoring 628 points (an average of more than 59 per game). After an August practice experiment, Cooley had Totten call all the plays at the line of scrimmage without a huddle. The result was even more staggering offensive numbers. Rice caught 17 passes for 199 yards against Southern, 17 for 294 against Kentucky State and 15 for 285 against Jackson State, the first time MVSU beat them since 1954. Rice scored 5 TDs twice that year. He finished his career with 301 catches for 4,693 yards and 50 touchdowns (some sources have the numbers as 310, 4,856 and 51); his NCAA record for total career touchdown receptions stood until October 7, 2006, when University of New Hampshire wide receiver David Ball, recorded his fifty-first career receiving touchdown.

Even though Totten made the offense go, Rice was the acknowledged best player on the team and was named to every All-American team (including the AP squad) and finished 9th in Heisman Trophy balloting in 1984. In the Blue-Gray Bowl all-star game played on Christmas Day, he earned MVP honors. Rice wore No. 88 in college, but switched to No. 80 in the pros.

In the spring of 1999, the school renamed its football stadium from Magnolia Stadium to Rice-Totten Field in honor of Rice and Totten. Totten, who played professionally in the CFL (British Columbia Lions 1986, Toronto Argonauts 1987) and NFL (a “replacement player” for the Buffalo Bills during 1987), became head coach at MVSU beginning with the 2002 season.

Rice was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on August 12, 2006 , joining Totten, who was inducted in 2005.

Rice’s 1984 record-breaking season at Mississippi Valley caught the attention of many NFL scouts, but his speed (reportedly only 4.7 in the 40-yard dash) kept most wary, although there were apparently at least two exceptions: the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. In his autobiography, Rice says the Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, San Diego Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts had kept in contact with him prior to the draft. In the first round of the 1985 NFL draft, Dallas had the 17th selection and San Francisco had the last (as Super Bowl champions from 1984). 49er coach Bill Walsh reportedly became enamored with Rice after watching highlights of Rice the Saturday night before San Francisco was to play the Houston Oilers on October 21, 1984. On draft day (April 30, 1985), the 49ers traded its first two picks for New England’s first-round choice, the 16th selection overall (the teams also swapped third-round picks as part of the deal), and selected Rice before, as some report, the Cowboys were intending to take Rice. Interestingly, Rice was prized more highly by the USFL, as he was the #1 pick overall in that short-lived league’s 1985 draft.

Although he struggled at times (dropping numerous passes), Rice took the NFL by storm in his rookie season for the 49ers in 1985, especially after a 10-catch, 241-yard game against the Los Angeles Rams in December. For that rookie season, he recorded 49 catches for 927 yards, averaging 18.9 yards per catch and was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year. (Eddie Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals, one of the two wide receivers taken ahead of Rice, was named the NFL Rookie of the Year.) The following season, he caught 86 passes for a league-leading 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns. It was the first of 6 seasons in which Rice would lead the NFL in receiving and touchdown receptions. In 1987 he was named the NFL’s Player of the Year. Despite playing in only 12 games that year (NFL players strike), he still managed to gain 1,078 in receiving yards and an NFL-record 22 touchdown receptions.

In 1988 Rice averaged a career high 20.4 yards per catch as he caught 64 passes for 1,306 yards and 9 touchdowns. The 49ers once again won the NFC West with a 10-6 record. In the postseason, he was instrumental in the 49ers’ 28-3 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC title game, recording 5 catches for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. But his performance in Super Bowl XXIII was even better. In what is regarded by many as his finest performance ever, Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 5 yards, assisting the 49ers to a narrow 20-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. His receptions and receiving yards were both Super Bowl records. For his performance, he became only the third wide receiver ever to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

In 1989, San Francisco made it back to the Super Bowl, aided by Rice’s 82 receptions for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns during the season, and his 12 catches for 169 yards and 2 touchdowns in their 2 playoff games. He was once again a major factor in the 49ers championship win, finishing Super Bowl XXIV with 7 catches for 148 yards and a Super Bowl record 3 touchdown receptions.

Rice had another superb season in 1990, leading the NFL in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,502) and receiving touchdowns (13). A memorable game from the season was a week 6 match-up with the Atlanta Falcons when Rice caught a career-best 5 touchdowns. San Francisco finished the year with a NFL best 14-2 record, but failed to “3-peat” as Super Bowl champions, losing to the New York Giants 15-13 in the NFC title game.

Rice made it back to the Super Bowl with the 49ers in the 1994 season, recording a career-high 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. During the 49ers’ first game of that season against the Los Angeles Raiders during a Monday Night showdown, Jerry Rice caught 7 passes for a season-high 169 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for one more and moving into first place all time in the NFL record books for career touchdowns with 127. The 49ers won the game 44-14. Although he only caught 6 passes in San Francisco’s 2 playoff games that year, he proved to be a vital component in their 49-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX, recording 10 receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns – despite playing with a separated shoulder for much of the game.

In 1995, Rice caught a career high 122 passes for an NFL record 1,848 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns (along with 1 touchdown each by way of running, passing, and recovering a fumble). However, the 49ers lost in the divisional playoffs to the Green Bay Packers, despite Rice’s impressive 11-catch, 117-yard performance. The following year, he recorded 108 receptions (leading the NFL) for 1,254 yards and 8 touchdowns. San Francisco won in the wild card round, but once again lost to the Packers in the divisional playoffs. In his 3 seasons between 1994 and 1996, Rice had racked up a whopping 342 catches for 4,601 yards and 36 touchdowns.

During the season opener of the 1997 season he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee. The injury broke his streak of 189 consecutive games played. Fourteen weeks later he made his return, much earlier than doctors wanted him to. He scored a touchdown, but when he came down with the catch, he cracked the patella in his left kneecap. He was forced to miss the pro bowl for the first time in 11 years. However, he made a full recovery, coming back to record 82 catches for 1,157 yards and 9 touchowns in 1998 and being named to his 12th Pro Bowl.

After 2 more seasons with the 49ers, Rice left the team to sign with the Raiders. He excelled with them in the 2001 season, catching 83 passes for 1,139 yards and 9 touchdowns. In 2002 he did even better, catching 92 passes for 1,211 yards and 7 touchdowns, being named to his 13th Pro Bowl and assisting Oakland to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII. His team lost the game 48-21, but he had a good performance in it, recording 5 receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. His 48-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter made him the first player ever to catch a touchdown pass in 4 different Super Bowls.

Super Bowl XXXVII turned out to be the final Super Bowl game Rice would play in. Oakland dropped from an 11-5 record in 2002 to a 4-12 record in 2003 and a 5-11 record in 2004. Rice left the Raiders 4 games into the 2004 season and joined Seattle for the remainder of the year. Rice received permission from former Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent to wear jersey number 80 during his time in Seattle, even though the team had retired the number in honor of Largent. Rice would play his last post-season game for Seattle, which was a loss to the St. Louis Rams. After his tenure with the Seahawks was complete, he tried to make the Denver Broncos roster during the 2005 preseaon, but retired shortly before the season began.

On August 19, 2006 the San Francisco 49ers announced that Rice would sign a contract with them, allowing him to retire as a member of the team where his career began. On August 24, Jerry Rice officially retired as a San Francisco 49er, signing a one-day ceremonial contract for $1,985,806.49 – 1985 being the year he was drafted, 80 for his jersey number, 06 being the year he returned to the 49ers and 49 for his team. That figure was strictly ceremonial, and Rice received no money. There was a halftime ceremony to honor the wide receiver during the 49ers’ matchup with the Seattle Seahawks which was one of the teams Rice played for on November 19, 2006.
 

PRO CARRER: Slated to add his explosiveness to Bears offense in his second season after setting a league record with 6 return touchdowns in a single-season during his rookie campaign… The 2007 Pro Bowl return man also set the NFL mark for most combined kick return TDs in a season with 5 (3 punt return, 2 kick return)… Became first Bears rookie selected to the Pro Bowl since Brian Urlacher (2001)… The first-team All-Pro selection by The Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, USA Today Sports Weekly, Sporting News and ESPN.com became the first player in NFL history to return the opening kickoff of a Super Bowl for a touchdown when he returned Super Bowl XLI’s first play 92 yards for a score… Tied teammate Nathan Vasher’s record for longest play in NFL history with a 108-yard missed field goal return TD at NYG (11/12/06)… Became sixth player in NFL history to record 2 kick returns touchdowns in the same game with returns of 94 and 96 yards at STL (12/11/06)… Set single-season franchise record in 2006 with 600 punt return yards and 3 punt return TDs while ranking 3rd with 47 punt returns and 4th with a 12.8 yards per punt return average… Also established franchise single-game records with 152 punt return yards at ARIZ (10/16/06) and 225 kickoff return yards at STL (12/11/06)… Tied Bears all-time mark and set franchise single-season record with 3 punt return TDs…. Named to Pro Football Weekly/PFWA’s All-NFL, All-NFC and All-Rookie teams as a punt returner and the All-NFC and All-Rookie teams as a kick returner after leading NFL in punt returns (47) and punt return yards (600), while finishing 2nd in NFL in punt return average (12.8) and 5th in kickoff return average (26.4 on 20 returns for 528 yards)… Had NFL-high 11 punt returns of 20 or more yards in 2006, the most in the league since 1997 (Karl Williams, TB, 12)… Returned punt 84 yards for a TD in NFL debut at GB (9/10/06) to become first Bears rookie in 51 years to return a punt for a score in his first game (Perry Jeter, vs. BALT, 9/30/56)… Three-time NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honoree (at NYG, 11/12/06; vs. MIN, 12/3/06; at STL, 12/11/06) earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in December of 2006 with 3 return TDs during that month… Became third player in NFL history to return at least two punts for TDs of 80 or more yards as a rookie… Saw time as a reserve cornerback registering 11 tackles and 1 PBU… Rookie recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award, voted by his teammates. 

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Entered NFL as a second-round selection (57th overall) by Chicago in the 2006 NFL Draft… Signed 4-year contract with Bears (7/3/06). SIGNED through 2009

2006 SEASON: Played all 16 games during All-Pro and Pro Bowl rookie season, leading the NFL in punt returns (47) and punt return yards (600) while tied for the lead with 3 punt return TDs and 2nd in punt return average at 12.8 (led NFC)… Also led NFC in kick return average (5th in the NFL) at 26.4 on 20 returns for 528 yards while tying for league lead with 2 kickoff return TDs… Saw time on defense as a reserve cornerback recording 11 tackles and 1 PBU… Returned a punt 84-yards for a TD in NFL debut at GB (9/10)… Returned punt 83 yards for the game winning score with under 3 minutes remaining at ARIZ (10/16) to cap a comeback from 20-points down in the second half while setting a Bears single-game record with 152 punt return yards… Earned 1st career NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award (11/12) after tying the record for longest play in NFL history with a 108-yard missed field goal return one-day shy of the anniversary of teammate Nathan Vasher’s original 108-yard record-setting missed field goal return… Earned 2nd Special Teams Player of the Week award vs. MIN (12/3) after setting a Bears record with his 3rd punt return TD of the season on a 45-yard scoring return… Earned 2nd consecutive and 3rd NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor overall after setting an NFL record with his 5th (94-yard kick return) and 6th (96-yard kick return) return touchdowns of the season at STL (12/11), while also earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in December… During Super Bowl XLI (2/4/07) became 8th player in NFL history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl and first to do so on the game’s opening kick… GAMES PLAYED-STARTED: 16-0

COLLEGE: Played offense, defense and special teams for the Miami Hurricanes (2003-05), starting games at cornerback, nickel back, running back and fullback while seeing time at wide receiver and returning punts and kickoffs during his collegiate career in which he returned 6 kicks for TDs (2 kickoffs, 4 punts)… Played primarily as a CB tallying 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 INT and 2 PBUs during junior season while seeing some time on offense by the end of the season gaining 70 yards on 8 rushes and catching 3 passes for 15 yards while appearing in 10 games and starting 1 contest… Ranked 2nd in ACC and 13th in NCAA with a 14.2-yard punt return average while earning all-ACC honors… Named to Walter Camp All-America team as NCAA’s best kick returner, selected by The Sporting News as the top kickoff returner and tabbed first-team all-ACC as a kick returner as a sophomore after ranking 9th in the nation averaging 26.6 yards per return with 1 TD return… Finished 5th in NCAA with a 17.6 punt return average and returned 3 punts for TDs… His 4 TDs off returns were the second-most in the country and tied Santana Moss’ single-season school record, while becoming first Hurricane to return 2 punts for TDs in a game (vs. Louisiana Tech)… Began season at CB but started at 4 different positions in 2004 and led team with 4 INTs, adding 12 tackles and 2 PBUs… As a freshman, played WR and returned kicks ranking 6th nationally in kickoff return average at 28.7 yards per return while adding 116 yards on 4 catches (29.0 avg)… Captured 2005 ACC indoor long jump title as a member of Canes track and field team… Majored in liberal arts.

PERSONAL: Attended Suncoast H.S. in Riviera Beach, Fla. playing football for coach Jimmy Bell… Widely regarded as one of the top recruits in the nation as a senior and was selected a Parade All-American and USA Today first-team All-American… Rated the No. 1 prospect in Florida and No. 6 player in the nation regardless of position by SuperPrep… Tabbed as the top defensive back prospect coming out of high school in Florida by numerous publications and earned first-team all-state honors as a senior… Rushed for 1,014 yards and 12 TDs on 94 carries while gaining 1,028 yards on 38 catches with 9 TDs in addition to throwing 5 TDs and 225 yards during senior season… On defense, tallied 156 tackles with 3 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery as a senior… Also a track standout and received All-America accolades and ranked 2nd nationally in the long jump as a junior.

Other:Hester runs a amazing 4.31. He was the first to get a 100 in speed in Madden history.