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American Morning

Receiver Jerry Rice to Switch Teams

Aired June 05, 2001 - 10:48   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURA OKMIN, CNN ANCHOR: For the first time in almost two decades, the name Jerry Rice is not synonymous with the San Francisco 49ers. After 16 years by the bay, the NFL's most prolific receiver will be catching on in a city other than San Francisco, heading across the bridge to Oakland.

CNN/Sports Illustrated's Tom Rinaldi sat down with the greatest receiver of all time, to reminisce about the glory days and look forward to the future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You played your entire career with one team. Do you see it as something that is inevitable, with acceptance, or with heartbreak?

JERRY RICE, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE ALL-TIME LEADING RECEIVER: I think it's a mixture of everything. I watched Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, and all of those guys go through it, so I thought I had pretty much prepared myself for it. I knew it was going to happen, but until you are actually in that situation -- then you have to deal with it.

So it's going to be hard leaving. It's been 16 great years, but life is about choices. I still want to play the game. I have to move on.

RINALDI: What excites you about being teamed with Rich Gannon, Tim Brown?

RICE: It's exciting because I think those guys are going to be contenders this year, and you know, the main thing would be just to go there and gel with them. I know we're going to win ball games, and we're going to have the opportunity, hopefully, to win the big one.

RINALDI: How tough were the last few seasons for you, Jerry -- to come back from knee injury, hear the criticisms that he's not the go-to guy anymore, he lost his step, he's not the primary threat? How hard has that been?

It's hard to deal with because it's almost like once I sustained an injury, everybody started taking shots, like, This is our opportunity now. I tried to fight everything off, but I think, with an injury like that, it has taken longer than expected. But I know there's always going to be criticism, and I think I motivate myself from that.

Why not take $1 million and retire? What is left to prove?

RICE: It's that simple?

You know what I think the thing is? It was never about the money. I played the game for the enjoyment of it, and it's just something I've been doing all my life. I enjoy going out there and entertaining. I think the most gratifying thing to have kids come up to me and ask me for my autograph, have an elderly couple say you brought so much excitement to my life today. That's why I still play the game.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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