Who's the best wide receiver of all time?

[Kingofkings1992]

There's no question that it's between these two men only. My vote is for Moss.

Jerry Rice

Randy Moss

[Chazmatazz269]

I had to do some reading before i could post an opinion. I’m going to lean toward Moss, and i’ll come back to why.
Rice has the sheer numbers, but maybe strongest to his credit is his longevity. When you average their all-time numbers over their careers, Rice still comes out ahead but the statistical margin narrows significantly. We also tend to lose touch with the truths of team sports when debating these athletes. They don’t exist in a vacuum.
As a Michigander who had to watch a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Barry Sanders wasted on the Detroit Lions of his time, i tend to lean into talent and “x-factor” over statistics alone. Moss had those in spades, according to the debates i’ve overheard. They also had a fairly small window during which they would have faced each other on the field. I’m sure someone somewhere has broken down those games to compare them literally head to head. But it might be salient to point out that those games would have been late in Rice’s career and early in Moss’s.
I do recall some arguments beginning with “I told you!” when Moss broke Rice’s record for touchdown receptions in a season. Ell oh ell! However, in my reading today i learned that when Rice set the record in 1987, he had played only twelve games. Moss had sixteen games in which to break the record in 2007, and he only beat the record by one TD. Fuel on the fire, you might say. 😂😂
In combat sports, we sometimes talk how “the game has changed”. Which makes comparing champions of bygone eras to current champions even more interesting. One could argue that the NFL teams Moss played against were greater competition than those against whom Rice played, or possibly vice versa. I know more than a few meatheads who think some of the player safety rules are “pussification”, in football and combat sports.
Which brings me to my final point. I remember very little talk about steroids in sports when i was young. How much might that oversight have benefited Jerry Rice where Randy Moss would have been more closely scrutinized for steroids and other PEDs?
In short, i tend to agree with you, but i wouldn’t argue my opinion because i’m simply not knowledgeable enough compared to hardcore fans.

[AviatorTom]

Easy choice... Jerry Rice.

Rice: 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, 197 receiving touchdowns, 3 Super Bowl rings

Moss: 982 receptions, 15,292 receiving yards, 104 receiving touchdowns, no Super Bowl rings

[Kingofkings1992]

Stats don't tell you the whole picture. That's a very simple minded approach to the debate

[AviatorTom]

@Kingofkings1992 Football fans are simple-minded people. 😐

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

My boyfriend is a huge 49ers fan so I am going to have to vote for Rice even though Moss played for my Patriots and set records when playing along Brady. The downside is he never won a super bowl and Rice did. As much as I loved Moss' plays, I think Jerry takes this one.

[Kingofkings1992]

He came within inches of it two times. That's gotta be heartbreaking

[exitseven]

Randy Moss. He was a headcase but he could just reach up and pull the ball right of the air like he had glue on his hand.

[MrChinaski]

I don't know all of the back story. But Moss was traded many, many times. I assume his contribution to teams fell short of his individual contribution on the field?

[Kingofkings1992]

Being traded doesn't mean you have lost your value as a player. If you are a free agent that no one wants to give a job to, then you have lost much of your value

[Staximus]

Liberace or Elton John

[NewtoCalifornia]

Jerry Rice, by far.

[lightbulb27]

Lynn Swann?

[georgeboy2006]

Jerry Rice