Brenden Rice emerged as an offensive star for the USC Trojans in 2023 alongside Caleb Williams. Whenever a prospect with the last name “Rice” pops up, especially at wide receiver, it naturally gets people thinking. Is there any relation to Jerry Rice, the greatest wide receiver in NFL history?
Is Brenden Rice Related to Jerry Rice?
While Rice isn’t exactly a rare name, in this case, there is a connection. Born March 18, 2002, Brenden is the youngest child of Jerry. Given that Jerry Rice was 39 years old when Brenden was born, of course, he wasn’t playing football anymore, right? Wide receivers seldom play past age 33/34, and Rice was 39.
Well, at the age of 40, not only did Rice play, but he caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and seven touchdowns from 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon with the Oakland Raiders.
Rice’s 2002 season only further contributed to his already incredible legacy. He played 21 seasons in the NFL — 16 with the San Francisco 49ers, four with the Raiders, and one splitting time between the Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks.
Across his career, Rice amassed a total of 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, and 197 touchdowns through the air. He made the Pro Bowl 13 times, earned first-team All-Pro honors 10 times, and won three Super Bowls, catching passes from Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. He was the MVP of Super Bowl 23 in January 1989.
Even to this day, Rice’s legacy is unmatched. He’s certainly not the most physically gifted player to ever play the position, but his accomplishments are unmatched.
Rice is the all-time leader in all major receiving statistics. No receiver comes within 5,000 yards of his career yardage mark. He has over 100 career receptions and 41 more touchdowns than the next-highest receiver in both categories. While it’s impossible to say anything about the future with absolute certainty, it is as close to 100% as it gets that those records will never be touched.
Brenden Rice Has a Chance To Follow His Father’s Footsteps
It’s far too early to say that Brenden Rice will be even half the receiver his father was (which would make him a perennial all-pro). But at the very least, Rice is going to get drafted and have a chance to carve out his own path in the NFL.
Rice was a three-star recruit out of high school and a highly-regarded transfer when he moved from Colorado to USC ahead of the 2022 season. In 2023, Rice posted his career-best season, catching 45 passes for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Not only is Rice productive, but he’s also a freakish athlete. He was on the 2023 edition of Feldman’s Freaks, with a documented 38″ vertical and a top speed of 23 MPH at around 6’3″, 215 pounds.
After four years of college, Rice declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. He checks in as the No. 148 overall player on our latest Big Board. A likely Day 3 pick, making it in the NFL won’t be as easy for Rice as this year’s other legacy prospect, Marvin Harrison Jr. But if anyone can beat the odds, it’s the son of the GOAT.