Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer Randy Moss recently joined Terrell Owens on the former Philadelphia Eagles star’s podcast and ranked the greatest pass-catchers of all time. Moss declared himself the best receiver of all time, adding Owens is second-best before slighting San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice, who was “third or fourth” in his mind.
Moss’ statement sparked a storm of social media backlash as NFL fans continue to debate which receiver was better.
Rice posted to Instagram his rebuttal to Moss with a side-by-side comparison of the two’s stats with the caption: “You just got MOSSED!”
To add insult to injury after using Moss’ famed slogan, Rice tagged Goat Fuel, an energy drink he endorses, as a subtle self-proclamation that he is the greatest of all time.
Rice heard the quote 😂😂😂
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Moss: ‘I’m Talking About Changing the Game of Football’
Rice’s post could be perceived as a mic drop on the debate. On paper, Rice wins. He leads the league in all-time receiving yards (22,895), touchdowns (197) and receptions (1,549). Moss ranks fourth in receiving yards (15,292), second in touchdowns (156), 15th in receptions (982) while Owens ranks third in receiving yards (15,934), third in touchdowns (153), eighth in receptions (1,078).
But beyond the numbers was the root of Moss’ argument.
“I’m talking about dominating the game and changing the game of football. I don’t live on statistics because if you live on statistics and live on championships that’s all political,” Moss said. “You’ve got to throw politics out of the game of football, and look at the impact of what each individual was able to make in the game of football.”
Here’s the video. @RandyMoss says he’s the best receiver in the history of the #NFL
Says @terrellowens is second while Jerry Rice is 3rd or 4th place. [@getchapopcast]pic.twitter.com/9mOc9hs6VR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 18, 2020
Moss had a seismic impact on the game as many teams around the NFL started drafting taller at cornerback to prevent Moss and future receivers with both height, speed and hops from being so dominant, former Vikings coach Mike Tice has stated.
Moss Presents a Strong Case
GettyThe debate between Rice and Moss isn’t as simple as the stats will tell you.
When comparing the quarterbacks both Moss and Rice played with in their careers, Rice consistently had a better quarterback throwing him the ball in the likes of Joe Montana and Steve Young and Rich Gannon.
The first year Moss joined Tom Brady with the New England Patriots he feasted, setting the NFL record for most receiving touchdowns in a single-season (23).
But Rice’s son, Jerry Rice Jr., made a strong counterpoint that while Moss stretched the field, Rice built his legacy as a yards-after-catch monster.
@ColtonWaite1 @CBSSportsHQ @JerryRice @49ers @49ersHub @49ersfangirl @TheNinersWire @NinersNation @TheSFNiners @NothingBut9ers @SFNinerNoise @terrellowens So you agree Randy number 1. Think my dad didn’t have impact? Randy went deep. My dad caught 5 yards and took it to the house. Super Bowl put up 21 points himself in 1 of 4 he participated. Scored 48 yard touchdown with raiders at 40 years old. I can keep going but it’s too much
Rice’s polished route-running ability he continued to refine through the final years of his career stood out as he earned Pro Bowl recognition at the age of 40 and was able to play until he was 42.
The debate will likely stand the test of time and continue to be discussed, although, Moss humbly said he prefers to not talk about it given it was never a goal of his.
“I don’t discredit anything that a guy like Marvin, Jerry, Terrell has done for the game but when I look at the game of football and my impact, being able to come in as a rookie, coming in hot and leaving hot with all the double, triple coverage coming in. I really don’t like talking about being the best wide receiver in the game because I never set my goals to being the best,” Moss added in the podcast.
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- Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.
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49ers’ Jerry Rice Fires Back at Vikings’ Randy Moss: ‘You Just Got Mossed!’