The greatest wide receiver in NFL history did wear a 49ers uniform, but he won’t be sporting one out on the field at the Superdome on Sunday.
Randy Moss will be lining up on the outside for the Niners in Super Bowl XLVII, but no matter what he says he’s not the greatest wide receiver to ever step on a football field. He’s not even the greatest to ever wear a 49ers jersey.
So, Moss must have been suffering from some delusions when he proclaimed that he was “the greatest of all time,” during Tuesday’s Super Bowl Media Day festivities.
“I don’t think numbers stand. I think this year has been a down year for me statistically,” Moss said. “I don’t really live on numbers, I live on impact and what you’re able to do out on the field.”
Let’s not get it twisted, Moss is one of the greatest receivers ever to grace an NFL field, but the title of GOAT — Greatest of All Time — still belongs to Jerry Rice. Sure, Moss is maybe the best athlete ever to play the wide receiver position and some of the things he has been able to do over the course of his 14-year NFL career are remarkable. But even with all the impressive statistics and accolades, Moss still doesn’t stack up to Rice.
Moss has accrued some impressive numbers during his career, catching 982 passes for over 15,000 yards and 156 touchdowns, ranking him ninth, third and second, respectively, among receivers in NFL history. But the harsh reality for Moss is that the name atop all three of those lists is Rice, who compiled than 500 more catches, 7,000 more yards and 41 more touchdowns than Moss during his career.
The numbers alone don’t always tell the story, but in this case the evidence is in the record books. If those aren’t enough, though, then you can always check out Rice’s hand, which features a trio of Super Bowl rings, compared to Moss’ bare fingers. Now, he could change that this weekend if the 49ers can find a way to stop the Ravens in New Orleans. But even then, the last time I checked, three is still greater than one.
Moss’ comments are more than likely a straight confidence move, as comes with the territory for any of these prima donna wideouts. So, while Moss may believe his words through some distorted delusion of grandeur, the reality remains that Rice is and always will be his superior.
Have a question for Luke Hughes? Send it to him via Twitter at @LukeFHughes or send it here.
