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NFL: Creating the all-time roster with football’s legends

By Hans Themistode

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and Hall of Fame enshrinee Ray Lewis is introduced before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 23: Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and Hall of Fame enshrinee Ray Lewis is introduced before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium on September 23, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice (Photo by Joseph Patronite/Getty Images) /

NFL: Creating the all-time roster with football’s legends: WR, Jerry Rice

Career stats: 

  • 22,895 receiving yards
  • 1,549 receptions
  • 197 touchdowns

Accolades: 

  • 3 time Super Bowl Champ
  • 13 time Pro Bowler
  • 10 time First Team All-Pro

There were several names that came close but as it currently stands, Jerry Rice is still the greatest wide receiver of all time. With Tom Brady behind center, he’ll find his job a lot easier when throwing to Rice. For 11 straight seasons, Rice pulled in over a thousand yards. Even more impressive, Rice put together a season of over 1,200 yards when he was 40 years old. There was nothing Rice couldn’t do out there. Double coverage meant he was open, triple-teaming him was obsolete and man-to-man coverage was a virtual guarantee that Rice would get his hands on the ball and essentially run it into the end zone.

Simply put, there was little to nothing NFL defenses could do to stop him. Truth be told, the wide receiver record book should be named after Rice. The 2010 Hall of Famer holds the record for the most receptions with 1,549, receiving yards with 22,895 and receiving touchdowns with 197. Plenty of his records will seemingly stick around for a long time such as his receiving yards which is over 5,000 more than second-place Larry Fitzgerald.

Much like Brady, there was no one quite as dominant as Rice at his position and this list couldn’t be made without him.

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