Steve Largent vs. Jerry Rice In the world of the National Football League there are good football players and there are great football players. Some of these all-time great players come from no-name schools from no name places and surprise everybody. Steve Largent and Jerry Rice are two all-time greats who were diamonds in the ruff.
Steve Largent entered the NFL as a nobody coming from the small school of Tulsa. His career started by being cut by the team who drafted him, the Houston Oilers. The Seattle Seahawks took a chance on this nobody who wasn't fastest person or the tallest. The chance they took on this kid from nowhere in 1976 would echo throughout the years to come. If one were to look at Steve Largent's profile, one would say to himself or herself, "How in the world is this guy one of the greatest receivers of all-time."
Jerry Rice signing autographs in 2006.
NFL legend Jerry Rice at CTIA Wireless in Las Vega...
Steve's Bed & BreakfastMel Blount (a hall of fame defensive back) said about Steve Largent, "You can't measure the heart when someone is competing. Steve could run away from people." Like Steve Largent, Jerry Rice entered the NFL from a no name school, which was in a lower division of play than Steve Largent's almamater Mississippi Valley State. Though Jerry Rice went to a small all black school, that didn't stop him from making headlines. Coming out of college, he held 18 NCAA Division 2 records. Unlike Largent, Rice made the team that drafted him the San Francisco Forty-Niners. In opposition to Steve Largent's lack of speed and height, Jerry Rice possessed both. Like Steve Largent, Jerry Rice's comptive spirit, desire and heart cannot be measured.
There are some obvious similarities between these legendary wide receivers. First, both of these all-time greats wear the same number: eighty. Also, in their careers, both of them received sponsorship from the tennis shoe company Nike. In addition, the two receivers at one time in their careers held almost all of the receiving records in the NFL. On their respected teams, each (of them) was team captain and led by example. In 1988, Steve Largent received the honors of NFL player of the year, and Jerry Rice received the same honors in 1987 and 1990. Last, the one thing they both share in common is being selected to the NFL seventy- fifth anniversary all NFL great team.
On the other hand, there are some obvious differences between the two wide receivers. First, Jerry Rice has won five Super Bowl rings; as for Steve Largent, he didn't even reach it to a Super Bowl. Second, Jerry Rice is a black man, and in contrast Steve Largent is white. Last, Steve Largent is retired from the NFL in 1989, and received the honors of being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1994. However, Jerry Rice is still playing and is headed down the road to Canton Ohio where the NFL Hall of Fame is located.
From no names to all-time greats, these two pros style of play will echo throughout history. While playing in the NFL at the same time, these two receivers had respect for each other. Jerry Rice is quoted saying, "At times when we would play Seattle I would sit on the sidelines and watch this guy, I would try to pick up some moves and try to improve my game." The careers of these two fabulous pros will be compared and talked about for years to come.
Word Count: 655 Works Cited Jerry Rice Homepage. 25 Mar. 2002 Steve Largent. 25 Mar. 2002
English: Official congressional photo of Represent...
English: Steve Largent, Jim Zorn, and Pete von Rei...
Picture of banners for retired Seahawks Numbers as...