Rice to the Broncos

[JeeberD]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3640030

Rice to join Broncos as backup


Jerry Rice agreed to a one-year deal with Denver on Wednesday and will attempt to finish his career as a backup for the Broncos.

The NFL's all-time leader in catches, yards and touchdowns will be reunited with coach Mike Shanahan, who was his offensive coordinator in San Francisco from 1992-94.

"Mike is a coach who will manage him better than anyone else in the league. Mike views him better than anyone else would. It all just works," said Rice's agent, Jim Steiner.

Details weren't disclosed by the team, but Steiner said the contract was for one year - and that Rice has no plans to play beyond the 2005-06 season.

Last week, Shanahan said the 42-year-old receiver wouldn't be guaranteed a spot on the roster, meaning he will likely play behind Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie and Darius Watts.

"I told Jerry that I don't know if he's lost a step or two steps, but you're going to come here for one reason and that's to compete with the other guys," Shanahan said. "And if you're one of our top five guys at the end of camp, then you're going to be on our football team. If you're not, I said I'd have one of the toughest jobs in the world."

Playing time has been an issue for Rice, who left Oakland in part because he felt he wasn't being used enough. Steiner said Rice knows he has to earn a roster spot.

"He knows that at this point in his career he can't fight the politics of age," he said.

"What motivates him is, he loves the game, loves being around the guys. He has a passion for playing football, it's what he does and it's who he is," Steiner said. "The more people say he shouldn't do it, that becomes a personal challenge."

Rice was the third receiver taken in the 1985 draft behind Eddie Brown and Al Toon. He was the 16th pick, with the 49ers trading up to select him after he set several NCAA records at Division I-AA Mississippi Valley State.

Rice is the NFL's career leader in receptions with 1,549; total yards with 22,895; and touchdowns receiving with 197, all far ahead of anyone else. He also leads in total touchdowns with 207, 32 more than Emmitt Smith. He won three Super Bowls with the 49ers and was the Super Bowl MVP in 1989.

Rice is hoping for a 20th NFL season after seeing his production slide in recent years.

He was released by San Francisco after the 2000 season and signed with the Raiders. In 2002, Rice had 92 catches for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns in helping Oakland reach the Super Bowl.

But Rice started being phased out of the Raiders' offense the next year, catching 63 passes and two TDs. He was traded to Seattle and ended last season with 30 catches for 429 yards, the lowest totals of his career except for an injury-plagued season in 1997.

[Ksyrup]

He's got a real shot at 23,000 career yards now!

[Honolulu_Blue]

I don't like Jerry Rice.
I don't like the Broncos.
This is a good fit.

[Ksyrup]

Actually, since the Broncos are my team, I hope this works out, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Draft Dodger]

I assume he'll make Rod Smith give him his number? Or maybe he'll just take 7.

(still fuming about the Largent thing)

[AlexB]

Slight understatement on the BBC report on this (they've never been hot on the NFL tbh)

'Rice is widely tipped as a future Hall of Famer': No shit, Sherlock! :D

[Raiders Army]

Needs to retire. Should've retired after he left the Raiders, but now he's further tarnishing his image. Shanahan is a fucking weasel.

[Karlifornia]

Tarnishing his image? Maybe just loves the game. Who gives a fuck about image?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Tarnishing his image? Maybe just loves the game. Who gives a fuck about image?
Apparently Jerry Rice does or he wouldn't have asked Largent to un-retire his #80 jersey.

[Raiders Army]

Tarnishing his image? Maybe just loves the game. Who gives a fuck about image?
Obviously someone who doesn't care about his name, like the absurdly long TheOhioStateUniversity and yourself.

[Karlifornia]

Obviously someone who doesn't care about his name, like the absurdly long TheOhioStateUniversity and yourself.


You have crossed the line. Attack me. Attack my family. Attack my beliefs, fine. But attack my INTERNET HANDLE!? My friend, I can't believe you would do something that might in fact smear the golden reputation of Raiders fans.

[Noop]

^^ So you shift units..... wow

[Raiders Army]

You have crossed the line. Attack me. Attack my family. Attack my beliefs, fine. But attack my INTERNET HANDLE!? My friend, I can't believe you would do something that might in fact smear the golden reputation of Raiders fans.
Muahahahahaha.

[Philliesfan980]

Apparently Jerry Rice does or he wouldn't have asked Largent to un-retire his #80 jersey.

I think Largent actually offered it to Rice when he heard that Rice signed.

[Draft Dodger]

I think Largent actually offered it to Rice when he heard that Rice signed.

yes, he did. and that's no excuse.

[The Shadow]

I think Largent actually offered it to Rice when he heard that Rice signed.

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I thought Rice mentioned to the reporters that he would ask Largent for #80 when he signed with the Seahawks - and Largent offered before he was asked. Am I not remembering correctly? :confused:

[LoneStarGirl]

Jerry Rice went to the college I go to. It is our one meager claim to fame. :D

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Raiders Army you wanna piece of me???

[Philliesfan980]

yes, he did. and that's no excuse.

I agree. What should have happened was: Largent should have offered out of respect for Rice, and Rice should have refused out of respect for Largent. In his heart, Rice knew that he wouldn't be there very long. Now the retired status of the number is esentially tarnished for what, 10 games of playing?

[Raiders Army]

Raiders Army you wanna piece of me???
Cowboy up.

[rkmsuf]

what's the big deal and why is everyone so concerned about Rice's image. Let Rice worry about that.

Maybe he just loves being around the game. I'd play as long as I could too if I were him and enjoyed the day to day stuff.

[k0ruptr]

here's to jerry and a 1000 yard season, wouldnt that be beautiful.

[Sharpieman]

what's the big deal and why is everyone so concerned about Rice's image. Let Rice worry about that.

Maybe he just loves being around the game. I'd play as long as I could too if I were him and enjoyed the day to day stuff.
I agree. I wish there were more players like Jerry. He doesn't play the game to protect an image or fame, he plays the game because he loves to play. That in itself actually adds to his image.

[cthomer5000]

Let the man play.

[st.cronin]

If it were me, I'd keep playing until everybody, I mean everybody, including the Arizona Cardinals, told me I couldn't play anymore.

[Radii]

If it were me, I'd keep playing until everybody, I mean everybody, including the Arizona Cardinals, told me I couldn't play anymore.


yup. Who cares how long he plays? He'll be the greatest WR ever no matter what happens this year, or next year. The Largent jersey thing tarnishes his image with me, but not him playing past his prime.

[damnMikeBrown]

If I'm a football player, and I'm not facing serious injury concerns, I'm playing until nobody, and I mean -nobody- in the league is willing to offer me a contract to come to camp.

After nobody is willing to offer me a contract, I'll have my agent harass them into letting me have one. After that doesn't work, I'd do NFL commentating and pimp myself out until I got another deal.

In short, I'd keep trying to play for as long as I wanted to play, regardless of what happened to my image. If I'm loving the game, if I -want- to be on that field, that's where I'd try to be.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Im still holding out hope that Rice will go back to SF and returns them to Glory single handedly.

[cthomer5000]

Also, I'm assuming his pension amount increases with each year he plays (although he might have already hit the cap on that). Who can blame a man for funding his own retirement?

[MIJB#19]

Why on earth do people care about something as unimportant as a jersey number?

What about the people who wore the # before the person of the retirement, shouldn't they be asked for permission to retire the number in honor of player x and not in honor of them?

[Leonidas]

So Jerry can join all those Cleveland Brown rejects, rejects from the worst run defense in the league last year, and bring the Broncos to new levels of glory. Grabbing a really old guy and a bunch of linemen not even good enough to stay on the league's worst line have to be the greatest front office moves in NFL history. Denver will surely rule this season.

[revrew]

So Jerry can join all those Cleveland Brown rejects, rejects from the worst run defense in the league last year, and bring the Broncos to new levels of glory. Grabbing a really old guy and a bunch of linemen not even good enough to stay on the league's worst line have to be the greatest front office moves in NFL history. Denver will surely rule this season.

As a Broncos fan, I freely admit my bias here. But I think these comments and many similar comments about the Broncos' unusual offseason are off-base.

The Broncos were missing four things badly last year: Trevor Pryce, a pass rush, depth in the secondary, and veteran leadership at the WR spot. Going into the offseason, the Broncos didn't have a ton of cap space. Getting Mushin Muhammad wasn't going to happen, neither were they going to fix their DE or CB woes through free agency.

Next year, Trevor Pryce is back and they signed a slough of underachievers (didn't they sign THREE former first rounders from that Browns squad?), including Courtney Brown, who I think could still emerge as a serious pass rusher. The awesome things with the Browns line is that these guys cost the Broncos practically nothing! The whole line is just one big project with no price tag and no commitment. If all of them show they're just as big of losers as they were in Cleveland, the Broncos paid little and they're all gone next year. Personally, I think it's a great low-risk, high potential payoff investment--especially if Courtney Brown can return to form.

The draft was odd, admittedly, but they drafted what they needed, and if only one of those 3 DBs can start opposite Bailey, I don't see a lot to complain about. They also needed KR help and nickel/dime back depth...and they got that, too.

They needed a veteran leader in the WR corps, and to be honest...Rice can run a solid pattern (Plummer needs to be able to count on somebody besides Rod Smith, or he'll start to look like Brian "I only have eyes for you" Griese) and catch the d$&# ball, something no other Bronco receiver outside of Smith has shown. And again...it's costing them so paltry little.

The only gripe I have is why the bleep do you hire the Browns D-line coach? And why, o why, did the Broncs ever let Alex Gibbs slip away?

But the unorthodox moves all spell the same thing: low risk, high potential pay off. That was all the Broncos could hope to do this off season, and they've done it.

Will they compete for Lombardi? Heck no. Last year was a fluky success--like the Bears 13-3 of a few years ago--built on intangibles that you can't count on being there again. Nonetheless, have they taken a respectable shot at setting themselves up for success down the road? Yes. I have no objections to grabbing 3 former first rounders who didn't do well in a terrible organization, taking a shot that a change of scenery will do them good...especially if it costs you virtually nothing.

[judicial clerk]

I agree with revrew that these moves are not bad when you take into consideration the cap investment. I don't think these moves put the Geldings in the same class as the patriots or the Colts, but if they work out well, they could be a playoff team. If the moves don't work, they could slip to last in the AFC West, but then they will finally have a high draft pick.