In the grand scheme, you do not have to look too far back in the history of the NFL to find a time when former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice is considered the greatest player to ever step on a soccer field. . Back in 2010, the NFL Network put all of the league’s players on an everyday list and landed Rice in No. 1 spot. While Rice is certainly the best receiver the league has ever seen, the past decade has changed that time in the BOAT debate.
Since the rankings were released, Tom Brady (who appeared at No. 21 in 2010) has only added to a Hall of Fame resume. In the last decade, the now 43-year-old quarterback has added four more Super Bowl titles to his name, giving him a total of seven. Those Super Bowls not only obscure what any player in their career could do, but also not franchise has already won so much. This win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV puts an exclamation point on Brady’s BOK status. He won everything in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – and away from Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots – that he is still more than capable of being away from the head coach and his former franchise.
Brady not only has the championship at this point to stop any other BOAT debates, but he is also the most wanted back player in league history, with 230 career victories to his name (and counting). He also threw the most touchdowns of all time and will likely pass Drew Brees next season for the most passing yards thrown of all time.
With all of this in Brady’s favor, the once clear case for Jerry Rice appears to have been resolved, as the 49ers legend recently acknowledged. That said, Rice, who spoke to 95.7 The Game on Monday, maintains that he played in a much more physical era than Brady.
“I do not have seven Super Bowl rings, but I think I played in an era when football was more of a contact sport. You see a lot of that now – players are protected,” Rice said via Pro Football. Talk. “If you have seven rings, you’re doing something right. I think with Brady he still wants to play. He said something to play until he’s 45. I think he can do it now in this league because players are so much more “So, yes, he can have that BOK status. I never wanted that status.”
Again, this is not to take away from what Rice did, but Brady won on such a track – even before this last Lombardi – that it’s stupid to put someone more above him.
Meanwhile, Rice also saw Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski break the tie he and Joe Montana had for most playoff touchdowns (12) by a QB receiver duo after the Bucs combination scored not just one, but two touchdowns en route to a -9 win in Super Bowl LV.