Niner Noise
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Ranking the Top Five Offensive Players in 49ers Franchise History

By Nicholas McGee

Aug 6, 2016; Canton, OH, USA; Former San Fransisco players (L to R) Charley Haley and Steve Young and Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice and Joe Montana pose with former owner Edward De Bartolo Jr. (third from R) during the 2016 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 6, 2016; Canton, OH, USA; Former San Fransisco players (L to R) Charley Haley and Steve Young and Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice and Joe Montana pose with former owner Edward De Bartolo Jr. (third from R) during the 2016 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 6, 2016; Canton, OH, USA; Former San Fransisco receiver Jerry Rice (R) poses with former owner Edward De Bartolo Jr. during the 2016 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 6, 2016; Canton, OH, USA; Former San Fransisco receiver Jerry Rice (R) poses with former owner Edward De Bartolo Jr. during the 2016 NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Jerry Rice

There have been so many great receivers in the history of the NFL, but none, not even the likes of Owens and Randy Moss, can rival the consistency and longevity of Jerry Rice, who is widely considered the best player to ever take to an NFL field at any position.

Rice exemplified dominance throughout his 20-year career, spending 16 seasons with the 49ers, and rewrote the record books.

A magnificent route-runner with excellent hands who turned making yards after the catch into an art form, Rice holds almost every receiving record there is with his 1,549 receptions and 22,895 yards both all-time highs, as are his 208 total touchdowns – with Emmitt Smith a distant second on 175.

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Blessed with incredible stamina that enabled him to consistently come through in clutch moments, Rice hauled in a record eight Super Bowl catches, seven of those coming as he helped the 49ers to three of their five Lombardi trophies.

Rice’s NFL record 1,848 receiving yards came in his 11th season in the league in 1995, when he averaged 115.5 yards per game, and the biggest evidence of his remarkable longevity is the fact he was still topping 1,000 yards eight seasons later with the Raiders.

Next: 10 Best Quarterbacks in 49ers History

Some of his records may have been broken and others may fall as the NFL becomes more and more pass friendly, but it will take an extremely special player to unseat him at the top of the list or as the greatest ever to grace a pro football field.