RIPPED Rivalry | Jerry Rice vs. Randy Moss

The Battle of the GOATs

Date: Sep 26, 2024
Author: Michael Terry
Topics: Football, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Michael Terry, Randy Moss, Ripped Rivalry, Steve Young, Tom Brady, Wide Receiver
Length: 1182 Words
Reading Time: ~6 Minutes
2023 Topps Motif Football, Canvas Champions Autographs
2023 Topps Motif Football, Aquarelle Autographs

For most NFL fans, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss are the two best wide receivers of all time. Interestingly, the two have some similarities regarding how they were introduced to the NFL. Neither Rice nor Moss attended a major college program. Rice went to Mississippi Valley State; Moss attended Marshall. Rice was drafted 16th overall (after the Niners made a trade to jump one spot above the Cowboys, who were prepared to draft the receiver), and Moss fell to 21st and the Minnesota Vikings.

Both players were absolute studs in college. Rice caught 24 passes in a single game, while Moss scored at least one touchdown in all 28 games he played at Marshall. But, in the pros, these two went from intriguing prospects to all-time greats. Let’s take a look at the tale of the tape between Rice and Moss, two revolutionary NFL wideouts.

1986 Topps Football #161 Jerry Rice Rookie Card 
1998 Topps Football #352 Randy Moss Rookie Card Auto

Rice vs. Moss – Rookie Seasons

Rice arrived in San Francisco in 1985, joining a franchise coming off one of the greatest seasons in league history. The Niners went 15-1 in 1984/85 before trouncing Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. Rice had his moments despite starting only four games, including ten catches and 241 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.

Moss made perhaps the most electric entrance ever to the NFL. Playing with Randall Cunningham and Cris Carter, Moss’ Vikings set the NFL record for points scored at 556. It’s a record that would stand until Moss and the New England Patriots broke it in 2007. His first Monday Night Football game was the stuff of legends, as the rookie stomped all over Lambeau Field, putting up 190 yards, two touchdowns, and four receptions of forty yards or more. He finished third in MVP voting.

Jerry Rice

• Started only four of 16 games
• 49 receptions
• 927 receiving yards (18.9 Yds/Catch)
• Three receiving touchdowns

Randy Moss

• won offensive rookie of the year
• 69 receptions
• 1,313 Receiving yards (19.0 yds/Catch)
• 17 receiving touchdowns (most by rookie in nfl History)

Who’s Got the edge?

• moss: even adjusting for era, moss’ rookie year is simply undeniable. not only are the numbers in a different stratosphere, but Moss took the league by storm in an unprecedented manner

1988 Topps Football #43 Jerry Rice  
2008 Topps Chrome Football #TC130 Randy Moss Gold Refractor /199

Rice vs. Moss – Best Single Season

Jerry Rice’s 1987/88 season set a new high watermark for the position. Playing only twelve games due to a player strike, Rice made up for lost time as he went about redefining the wide receiver position. Twenty years later, Moss put together his own Magnum Opus as he joined forces with Tom Brady to put together the greatest regular season a team has ever had.

Jerry Rice

1987/88
• nfl offensive player of the year
• 65 receptions
• 1,078 receiving yards (16.6 yds/Catch)
• 22 receiving touchdowns (nfl record at the time – stood for 20 years)
• led nfl in scoring

Randy Moss

2007/08
• first-team all-pro
• 98 receptions
• 1,493 receiving yards (15.2 yds/catch)
• 23 receiving touchdowns (most in nfl history)

who’s got the edge

rice: this one’s close, especially as Moss was key to new england’s undefeated regular season. but rice played in only 12 games in 1987. projected to 16 games, rice was on pace for a ridiculous 29 scores.

2011 Topps Super Bowl Legends #SBL-XXIII Jerry Rice  
2008 Topps Super Bowl XLII #12 Randy Moss

Rice vs. Moss – Postseason Accomplishments

While Rice had the good fortune to play much of his career with Joe Montana and Steve Young on many fantastic 49er teams, Moss’ teams were more inconsistent. While he did get good to great quarterback play at times through Randall Cunningham, Daunte Culpepper, and, of course, Tom Brady, playoff success eluded Moss. Rice had his chances to win, and he delivered.

Moss played in only one Super Bowl during his prime. He was not his dominant self, although he did score a touchdown to put the Patriots ahead within minutes of a perfect season before the Helmet Catch changed everything. His playoff career feels more like a what-if. What if Gary Anderson hits that field goal in the NFC title game during his rookie season? What if Eli and Tyree don’t work a miracle? What if Brady stays healthy the following year? With Moss, there are questions. With Rice, there are answers.

jerry rice

• three super bowl titles
• 151 receptions (on only 169 targets)
• 2,245 receiving yards (most in playoff history)
• 22 receiving touchdowns (most in playoff history)
• 29 games

randy moss

• two super bowl appearances (lost both)
• 54 receptions
• 977 receiving yards
• 15 games

who’s got the edge?

Rice: while Moss did not have nearly as much time ON great teams, there’s no denying rice. moss’ postseason career was solid, not spectacular. Rice’s was legendary.

1989 Topps Football #7 Jerry Rice Auto  
2008 Topps Super Bowl XLII #12 Randy Moss

Rice vs. Moss – Career Accomplishments

Rice and Moss are two iconic players who took the sport of football off of the ground and into the air for good. They have similar seasons of production and dominance. But, when you account for longevity and volume, Rice is simply untouchable. He’s got over 5,000 more receiving yards than second-place Larry Fitzgerald. He’s got 41 more touchdowns than second-place Moss. He’s not just in rarified air. He is the rarified air. There’s nothing else around.

jerry rice

• inducted into hall of fame in 2010
• most receiving touchdowns of all time (197)
• most receiving yards of all time (22, 895)
• 14.8 yards per catch
• 10x first-team all-pro, 2x offensive player of the year
• 1988 super bowl mvp

randy moss

• inducted into hall of fame in 2018
• second-most receiving touchdowns of all time (156)
• fourth-most receiving yards of all time (15, 292)
• 15.6 yards per catch
• four-time first-team all-pro

who’s got the edge

Rice: Moss may be the most spectacular wide receiver in nfl history, but jerry rice’s numbers are overwhelming. if longevity is your thing, rice is your king

2023 Topps Composite Football Chrome Black #146 Jerry Rice /1999
2023 Topps Composite Football #207 Randy Moss Sky Blue /250

Legacies Secured

Of Moss, former teammate Robert Smith said, “He’d beat you before you even faced him. I’ve never heard defensive players talk the way they talked about him. I shouldn’t say that; there’s one other player who was like that: Barry Sanders. It’s like they knew they were inadequate to perform the job they were supposed to do against those two. They just couldn’t do it. There was no way athletically to get the job done.”

Of Rice, Steve Young said, “He rose to every occasion. The bigger the moment, the better he played. Jerry got faster in uniform. He carried the equipment better than anyone who has ever played. On the street, he might not be the fastest, but on the field, he was faster than everybody.”

Considering Rice and Moss at their respective peaks, they really are neck-and-neck. And, while Rice’s numbers stand alone, choosing between them is ultimately a matter of taste. Rice and Moss may never be bumped off of Wide Receiver Mount Rushmore.


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