On This Date in Sports September 5, 1994: Rice for the Record
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Raiders 44-14 in the Monday Night season opener at Candlestick Park. In the game, Jerry Rice scores three touchdowns, including a rare rushing score to set a record for career touchdowns with 127, breaking the record of 126 touchdowns held by Jim Brown. The 49ers would go on to win a fifth Super Bowl, while Rice played another decade finished with 208 TDs.
The San Francisco 49ers were already on the verge of being a dynasty when they drafted Jerry Rice with 16th pick in the 1985 NFL Draft, having won their second Super Bowl just a few months earlier. Rice was born October 13, 1962, in Starkville, Mississippi. Despite playing at tiny Mississippi Valley State, Jerry Rice received a lot of NFL scouts’ attention for his speed and ability to catch the football. He would set NCAA records for receptions (102) and yards (1,450) in 1983. He would also set a record 50 career touchdowns a year later. The 49ers were so impressed the traded two draft picks to the New England Patriots to move and draft Rice, knowing the Dallas Cowboys were poised to take him at 17.
Jerry Rice got off to a slow start in his NFL career as he struggled with dropping passes in his rookie year. However, he soon found his way and became NFL star. In 1987, he was named Offensive Player of the Year with a record 22 touchdown receptions, while playing in just 12 games due to a strike. In 1988, the 49ers would make it back to the Super Bowl, with Rice winning the Super Bowl MVP. The Niners closed the decade with back-to-back Super Bowl Championships with Jerry Rice becoming the league’s top receiver. After Steve Young took over from Joe Montana at quarterback, Rice only got better, surpassing 100 touchdowns faster any player in NFL history.
Heading into the 1994 season the San Francisco 49ers were on a mission, having lost the last two NFC Championship Games to the Dallas Cowboys. Both of those games were seen as the league’s real Super Bowl as the Cowboys easily beat the Buffalo Bills. Coached by George Seifert, the Niners had a busy off-season picking up several big named free agents, including Deion Sanders and Ken Norton Jr. to improve the defense. Coached by Art Shell, the Los Angeles Raiders were also coming off a playoff appearance looking to take another step forward.
The opening week of the NFL’s 75th season, kicked off with the 25th season of Monday Night Football, opening up at Candlestick Park with a battle of California teams. On their first possession, the 49ers wasted little time finding the end zone, as Jerry Rice caught a 69-yard touchdown pass from Steve Young. It was the 125th score of Rice’s career, one short of the record held by Jim Brown. On their next possession, Young found Brent Jones on a 15-yard pass to make it 14-0. The Raiders would try to make a game of it in the second quarter as they scored twice with Jeff Hostetler connecting with Tim Brown and Napoleon McCallum scoring on a one-yard run. The Niners though kept scoring with a one-yard run by Ricky Watters, and a field goal to lead at the half 23-14. There would be no scoring in the third quarter. The Raiders suffered a devastating blow as the second half began on a tackle by Ken Norton Jr. Napoleon McCallum suffered a horrific knee injury that would end his career, as he severally damaged his artery.
The 49ers would begin pulling away in the fourth quarter, as Young connected with Brent Jones on a second touchdown pass. From there the focus became Jerry Rice and the touchdown record. The record-tying score would come on a rare rush by Rice as he took an end-around 23 yards to make the score 37-14. On the next possession, Young completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Rice for the record, as they finished off a 44-14 victory.
The 49ers would go on to post a 13-3 record in 1994, winning their fifth Super Bowl, while the Raiders went 9-7 in their final season in Los Angeles before moving back to Oakland in 1995.