Like a Rolling Stone

By Cold, Hard Football Facts senior writer John Dudley

The Rolling Stones famously sang, "Time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me."

The sentiment has become a familiar refrain among NFL players. For those fortunate enough to stay healthy and productive late into their careers, they know that they can forestall the inevitable for only so long. Time will do them no favors, and they will soon have to hang up their cleats.

Jerry Rice, who signed a one-year deal with Denver today, looms as an anomaly, particularly for a wide receiver. Thanks to his legendary training regimen, he has stayed one step ahead of defensive backs while delivering a stiff-arm to Father Time. Although football remains a young man's game, he has shown that retirement before age 40 for non-kickers doesn't have to be the harsh NFL reality. Rice will come back for his 21st season, during which he will turn 43 years old.

Born in 1962 – the same year that the Stones played their first show, at London's Marquee Club – Rice has been the NFL's marquee name for the better part of three decades. His success is unparalleled and his work ethic unassailable. He stands alone as the only receiver to play into his 40s.

Whereas other wideouts showed their age in their mid to late 30s, Rice turned 40 to the tune of "Time Is on My Side," in 2002. He was in the midst of his most recent Pro Bowl season, his 13th overall. He caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and helped lead the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII.

In the two years since, Rice's numbers have declined. Not surprisingly, several "pundits" have called for him to retire. ESPN.com's Skip Bayless led the charge last fall and others, like FOXSports.com's John Czarnecki, have followed suit in the wake of the recent news that Rice's agent faxed all 32 NFL teams announcing that his client would like to play one more season.  

The Cold, Hard Football Facts don't offer career advice. But they do tell us one thing: Rice, like many Hall of Famers before him, runs the risk of sullying his reputation by limping off the fields of the NFL as a non-factor in a strange uniform. However, they also tell us that the most prolific receiver of all time is as productive at 42 as any of the greatest receivers in NFL history were in their final years.

In 2004, because he was traded from Oakland to Seattle, Rice never had the benefit of a bye week and thus played a 17-game regular season. He also started the Seahawks' 27-20 playoff loss to the Rams – extending his NFL record for most career postseason games to 29 – though he didn't have a catch in that game. He was just a frustrated observer as Seattle slot receiver Bobby Engram dropped the potential game-tying pass in the final minute. Had Rice been the intended target, the outcome might well have been different.

While the Rolling Stones keep making records, Jerry Rice keeps setting them. He already holds nearly every receiving mark imaginable. He has caught more passes (1,549) for more yards (22,895) and more touchdowns (197) than any other player in history. He's also the NFL's all-time leader in yards from scrimmage (23,540) and total TDs (207).

One of Rice's motivations for returning in 2005 is to increase his already-untouchable record for receiving touchdowns to 200. (Consider that when Rice came into the league in 1985, Don Hutson, who played for the Packers in the 1930s and 40s, held the TD reception record with 99.)

Of course, while pursuing this goal, Rice runs the risk of tainting his legacy. Many stars have prolonged their playing days by moving on to other teams when past their primes.

Here are the Cold, Hard Football Facts on a pair of players at each major offensive skill position who dominated pro football for years, as Rice has done, but then made the mistake of hanging on for one season too many:

▪ Johnny Unitas made 10 Pro Bowls and won three NFL titles as a quarterback for the Colts. In his only year with the Chargers, he played in just five games and completed but 44.7 percent of his passes. His final season screeched to an inglorious end with 471 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions.

▪ Joe Namath made five Pro Bowls and famously predicted the biggest upset in NFL history as a quarterback for the Jets. In his only year with the Rams, he played in just four games and completed a mere 46.7 percent of his passes. The lights went out on Broadway Joe with a final season that included just 606 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.

▪ Franco Harris made nine Pro Bowls as a running back for the Steelers. In his only year with the Seahawks, he played in just eight games and averaged 2.5 yards per carry. He ended his final season with 68 carries for 170 yards and no touchdowns.

▪ Eric Dickerson made six Pro Bowls as a running back for the Rams and Colts and for 21 years has held the NFL's single-season rushing record (2,105 yards). In his only year with the Falcons, he played in just four games and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. This one-time stallion pulled up lame in his final season with a total of 26 carries for 91 yards and no touchdowns.

▪ Don Maynard made four Pro Bowls as a wide receiver for the Jets and left pro football as its all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. In his only year with the Cardinals, he played in just two games. He ended his final season with one catch for 18 yards and no touchdowns.

▪ Harold Carmichael made four Pro Bowls as a wide receiver for the Eagles. In his only year with the Cowboys, he played in just two games. He ended his final season with one catch for seven yards and no touchdowns.

Of this group, only Carmichael isn't in the Hall of Fame. (Though a very compelling argument could be made for his inclusion. Carmichael's career stats are almost identical to those of Fred Biletnikoff, who was enshrined in 1988. Look for more Cold, Hard Football Facts on this topic in the future.)

Yet none of these six could recapture their past glories. Not a single one played in more than half of his new team's games. Their illustrious careers all ended on sour notes, and Rice will be seeking to avoid a similar fate.

Who can tell football's "GOAT" (Greatest of All-Time) when he should retire? He has already far surpassed what any other player at his position has done in terms of both longevity and production. He wants to go out on his own terms, and he certainly has earned that right – especially if playoff teams like Denver are still willing to pay for his services.

Like the Rolling Stones, Rice will be making another tour of the United States this fall. Both will play in front of packed stadiums, thrilling legions of supporters once again. Both will try to prove that their advancing age hasn't affected their ability to perform at a high level.

The Cold, Hard Football Facts show no sentimentality, but fans everywhere can be forgiven if they find themselves reverently watching these living legends and mouthing the words, "This could be the last time."