Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who many consider to be the greatest player of all time, recorded some incredible numbers before he finally hung up his cleats after 21 seasons in the NFL. He totaled 1,549 career receptions for 22,985 receiving yards and 197 touchdown receptions. But he didn’t stop there. He also rushed for 645 yards on 87 carries and scored 10 more touchdowns. Oh yeah, and he also won three Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers and took home MVP honors following Super Bowl XXIII.
This lot features a pair of Rice’s game worn turf shoes, as well as two pairs of game worn receiver gloves, all worn during the 1996 season, a campaign in which he eclipsed the 1,000 career receptions plateau. The season was certainly one for the record books for Rice as he caught a career-high 108 receptions on his way to registering 1,254 yards and eight touchdowns. The white Nike size 13 turf shoes reflect plenty of game use with remnants of stadium dirt still embedded into the left shoe. Sporting a red Nike swoosh on both sides of either shoe, the leather and nylon pair are lined with black leather and both tongues are sporting “1000” embroidered in gold on a small black football sewn into the top. The pair’s original black shoe laces remain intact. Rice signed both shoes in black fine-point marker and added “#80” under both signatures.
The accompanying two pairs of Nike-branded NFL Pro Line receiver gloves show plenty of wear and each glove has been signed by Rice. The first pair is black, silver and white and includes Rice’s uniform number “80” in white sewn onto the black Velcro strip around both wrists. Rice signed both of these gloves in silver. The second pair of Nike Pro Line receiver gloves is white, gray and wine colored, shows incredible wear with embedded grass stains and includes the specially embroidered “1000” in gold on a small black football sewn into the top of both gloves. His uniform number “80” appears in gold sewn onto the black Velcro strip around both wrists. Rice assigned both gloves in black marker. Getty 161171614 from a 12/15/96 game at Pittsburgh shows a style match (possible photo-match) of the shoes and one pair of offered gloves. Incredible collection of football history that includes six autographs from the game’s greatest receiver ever!
These items all come from the personal collection of the late Dave Rahn (pictured with Rice), the 49ers' former Director of Operations. Includes three COA's from Jerry Rice's manager, one for each pair of shoes and gloves. Autographs pre-certified by PSA/DNA.
Provenance: From 1986-2002, Dave Rahn served an
integral role within the San Francisco 49ers organization. Starting as a
public relations and media coordinator, he soon took over as director
of travel and team services where he was responsible for all football
operations, including travel and accommodations, practice schedules,
lodging and meal planning. He later managed the concert tours for
Fleetwood Mac, Sheryl Crow and Lionel Richie. In 2014, Dave Rahn passed
away after a courageous 2-year battle with cancer. "He was like a wheel,
and all these spokes from those years came from him," said his close
friend, former linebacker Gary Plummer. "He kept the 49ers family from
those times together." His collection included dozens of 49ers game-worn
and autographed items gifted by players and staff members.