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Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice has had the honor of playing alongside two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. His 16 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers were marked by his partnership with Joe Montana and Steve Young, both of whom he holds in high regard.
However, while both quarterbacks have impressive credentials, Keyshawn Johnson placed the Hall of Famer wide receiver on the spot by choosing one between the two.
Johnson asked Rice:
“So, you obviously played with Joe Montana in the 80s and Steve Young in the 90s. Two Super Bowl rings with Joe. One with Steve. If you only had to pick one, and I know it’s hard, which one of those two would you pick?”
The 10-time First Team All-Pro wideout responded:
“I’mma break this down for you real quick. Joe Montana and I, we had such chemistry man. If Joe was a female we would have dated because of chemistry. Now then, also, you asked Steve Young to come along and I was able to put up outstanding numbers with Steve Young.”
“And through all the quarterbacks that I went through, I was able to adjust, you know, to their strengths... But if I had pick one, it probably would be Joe Montana because we had a great chemistry.”
In 2009, the National Football League’s official website identified the Joe Montana-Steve Young debacle as the top quarterback controversy ever.
The 49ers brought in Steve Young in 1987 via a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he was primarily a backup in his early years in San Francisco as Montana led the squad to two more Super Bowl titles.
Young got his opportunity in 1992 when he filled in for an injured Montana. With Jerry Rice as his primary receiver, Young won his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award and first Pro Bowl selection.
But with Montana finally healthy, he relented on giving up the starting role to Young. Hence, he requested a trade and landed on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jerry Rice’s son is among the 2024 NFL Draft hopefuls
Every year, aspiring pro wide receivers hope to be the next Jerry Rice. However, Jerry Rice will pay close attention to the 2024 NFL Draft because his son, Brenden Rice, is among the deep wide receiver class.
The younger Rice played with Caleb Williams at USC, finishing his Trojans career with 76 receptions for 1,255 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein gave him a 6.1, corresponding to a “good backup with the potential to develop into a starter.”
