Randy Moss vs Jerry Rice: One question proves who’s the best

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Passion and paper

It is certainly true that Jerry Rice owns every record worth keeping in the big wide-receiver book. Most receiving yards, most receiving touchdowns, receptions, etc. It’s also likely they don’t get touched in our lifetime and beyond.

Rice’s twenty years in the league are extraordinary, his work ethic is legendary, and his place on NFL’s Mount Rushmore is carved in stone.

To most of the world, RICE is the GOAT.

However, that didn’t stop Randy Moss, at the end of his last season in the NFL in 2013, from immodestly confessing that he thought he was the best to ever to play the game at the wide receiver position.

Instantly, Moss had reaffirmed his status as a villain to fans and press alike.

Jerry Rice himself offered an opinion on Moss’ statement later that year.

“(And)I still say this today — I think Randy Moss was the most talented (wide receiver). I was not the most talented, but I was going to outwork you. He’s (Moss) 6-5, could run a 4.3. Could outjump you. Struck fear in the heart of the defense. But you have to have it here, in your heart.”

This confused me. Was Rice telling us that Randy Moss, who played for 14 seasons, had 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and was second only to Rice himself with 156 touchdowns, didn’t have the heart?

As Coach Mike Ditka would say, “who you crappin’?”

To the point of this essay, Rice continued:

“I know he (Moss) says you can’t bring the stats into the scenario, but I think that’s part of being the best receiver to play the game. Also, you put my numbers up against Randy’s , and my body of work compared to his, and there’s a big difference.”

So let’s compare that body of work, for clarity, and perhaps to the peril of my argument.

Jerry Rice ended his career at age 42 with 208 touchdowns. 159 of those touchdowns were thrown by legendary Hall-of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. Randy Moss ended his career at age 35 with 156 TDs, of which only 40 were delivered by legendary future HOFer Tom Brady.

Debating the best players of NFL history through statistics can be an icy path. Does anyone consider Emmitt Smith the best running back to ever play the game? Of course not, though he clearly wears the belt on paper.

Smell what’s cookin’ here?