49ers icon Jerry Rice picks side in Joe Montana-Steve Young debate: “If he was a female, we would have dated”

During his illustrious career, Jerry Rice, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had the privilege of playing alongside two fellow Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Throughout his 16 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, he formed strong partnerships with Joe Montana and Steve Young, both of whom he greatly admires.

Despite both quarterbacks having impressive credentials, Keyshawn Johnson put the Hall of Fame wide receiver on the spot by asking him to choose one between the two.

Rice was asked by Johnson:

“So, you obviously played with Joe Montana in the 80s and Steve Young in the 90s. Two Super Bowl rings with Joe. One with Steve. If you only had to pick one, and I know it’s hard, which one of those two would you pick?”

The wide receiver, who has been named to the First Team All-Pro 10 times, replied:

“I’mma break this down for you real quick. Joe Montana and I, we had such chemistry man. If Joe was a female we would have dated because of chemistry. Now then, also, you asked Steve Young to come along and I was able to put up outstanding numbers with Steve Young.”

“And through all the quarterbacks that I went through, I was able to adjust, you know, to their strengths… But if I had pick one, it probably would be Joe Montana because we had a great chemistry.”

In 2009, the official website of the National Football League recognized the Joe Montana-Steve Young debacle as the greatest quarterback controversy of all time.

Despite being acquired by the 49ers through a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987, Steve Young initially served as a backup in San Francisco. This was due to Montana’s leadership, which led the team to secure two additional Super Bowl victories during this time.

In 1992, Young was given the chance to step in for an injured Montana. Teaming up with Jerry Rice as his top target, Young earned his first NFL Most Valuable Player Award and was selected for his first Pro Bowl.

Despite Montana’s return to full health, he still gave up the starting role to Young. As a result, he requested a trade and was ultimately traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

2024 NFL Draft Prospects: Jerry Rice Jr. Among Top Contenders

Every year, young wide receivers dream of following in the footsteps of Jerry Rice and becoming a successful pro. In the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, Jerry Rice will have a special interest as his son, Brenden Rice, is among the talented group of wide receivers.

During his time at USC, the younger Rice was teammates with Caleb Williams and together they achieved success. He recorded 76 catches, 1,255 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, marking the end of his career with the Trojans. According to NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein, he received a rating of 6.1, indicating that he has the potential to become a starter but can also serve as a reliable backup.