subject: San Francisco 49ers Tickets - Rice Inducted Into Hall Of Fame [print this page] Throughout the last several decades, many legendary players have donned the uniform of the San Francisco 49ers. Perhaps one of the most legendary names from recent years is wide receiver Jerry Rice. Rice earned the ultimate honor on Saturday, Aug. 7 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010.
Fittingly, he was inducted alongside running back Emmitt Smith. Smith and Rice were the faces of their respective teams during a period of hot competition between the Niners and the Dallas Cowboys. Also inducted were defensive tackle Jason Randle, running back Floyd Little, cornerback Dick LeBeau, linebacker Rickey Jackson and guard Russ Grimm.
Rice was the 49ers' first-round draft pick from the 1985 NFL Draft after he had a standout college career at Mississippi Valley State University. Nearly instantly, he was a top contributor for the team. He earned his first of 13 Pro Bowl selections the following year. He remained with the 49ers until 2000, helping the team to three Super Bowls during his career. After leaving the Niners, Rice finished out his career by playing for the Oakland Raiders for the 2001-2003 seasons and part of the 2004 season. He finished the 2004 season, his last, with the Seattle Seahawks. In his long career, he amassed a staggering 22,895 receiving yards and 197 receiving touchdowns.
During the induction ceremony, Jerry Rice took the opportunity to recall his youth, college days and time in the NFL. He had nothing but glowing remarks for his time with the Niners. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Rice said during his speech, "It was a dream come true to be drafted by the 49ers, and I'm so proud to be part of such a classy organization, with the greatest owner ever, Eddie DeBartolo. The greatest coach of all time, Bill Walsh, and the greatest fans. There will never be another organization like that in the history of sports. To have two guys like that, who were all about winning."
The 49ers are focused on the 2010 season and trying to return to top form. They have fellow Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears star linebacker Mike Singletary as their head coach, and he has been working hard to revamp the team. Last season, the Niners finished second in the NFC West with a record of 8-8. Fans are rushing to secure San Francisco 49ers tickets for this season, which begins on Sept. 12 in Seattle against the Seahawks after preseason games against the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers.
The Niners have continued to bolster their roster leading up to the start of the season, and they recently signed two linebackers, Brandon Long and Bruce Davis. Davis was the Pittsburgh Steelers third-round draft pick in 2008 and was released by the team before the start of the 2009 season. He spent last season with the New England Patriots on their practice squad. Long was a standout at Michigan State who was released by the 49ers in June. The team also waived injured linebacker Martail Burnett.
