Football Legend Jerry Rice Retires

Most Productive Receiver In NFL History Leaves After 20 Years

(AP) 
Early in training camp, Rice moved into Denver's third receiver spot and things looked promising. In retrospect, the promotion was more a reflection on Darius Watts, who struggled catching the ball, but improved as the preseason went on.

By the time preseason ended, Rice had only four catches for 24 yards and had been pushed back down the depth chart. As expected, he wasn't released when the Broncos announced their final round of cuts Saturday, but he was already in the Bay Area deciding his future.

"To me it was never about what I accomplished on the football field. It was about the way I played the game," he said. "I play the game with a lot of determination, a lot of poise, a lot of pride. I think what you saw on the field was an individual who really loved the game and I was just like a little kid. I enjoyed the preparation and the hard work and the dedication that I had to make to try to be one of the best receivers to have ever played the game."

His agent, Jim Steiner, has said if Rice retired this time, he would not try to come back with another team. If that's so, Rice will close his career with 38 NFL records, including those for career receptions (1,549), yards receiving (22,895) and touchdowns receiving (197).