Legendary 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice’s list of records and accomplishments outshines perhaps every other player in NFL history. His sensational career earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and many still call him the greatest player in football history.
Most of his career records will probably never be touched. One of his 49ers franchise records, however, is on the verge of being broken by 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey in Week 15 punched in his 20th touchdown of the season, putting him just three behind Rice’s record 23 in the 1987 campaign. Four TDs in San Francisco’s final three games is a very real possibility, and one Rice wants to actually see come to fruition.
Rice on the Warner House podcast with 49ers LB Fred Warner said he’d like to see McCaffrey reach that 24 TD mark.
“Yes. Because I believe records are meant to be broken,” Rice said. “What he brings to the table – I’m talking about from scrimmage, from rushing the ball, from catching the ball, scoring touchdowns – he does it all, man.”
It’s worth noting that Rice’s 23 TDs came across just 12 games, but the records will count all the same. Rice also noted that he has enough records and wouldn’t mind seeing a current 49ers great snag one.
“Records are meant to be broken” 🤝@JerryRice wants @CMC_22 to break his TD record
Christian is 3 TDs away with 3 games to go 👀 pic.twitter.com/e6TTD7piFv
— The Warner House (@TheWarnerHouse_) December 19, 2023
“Records are meant to be broken,” Rice told Warner. “I was very fortunate to have so many great players around me, and I think the same thing is happening with CMC. And he’s a complete ballplayer, very down to Earth, he works hard, so – it’s okay. It’s alright, you know, I got quite a few records now, okay? I don’t mind sharing some of those records.”
McCaffrey this season is averaging 1.3 TDs per game (rushing and receiving). That paces him to have 3.9 (4.0 if we’re rounding up) in the team’s final three contests vs. the Ravens, Commanders and Rams.
What’ll be fascinating is what happens if McCaffrey doesn’t have the record by Week 18, but the 49ers have the No. 1 seed in the NFC sewn up. Would they just rest McCaffrey, or would they give him an opportunity to break Rice’s 23-TD mark? That choice will come down to a slew of factors entering the final week, but we know which way Rice would lean.
