Sidney Rice ranks 7th of 30 best Gamecocks during SEC era
Gaffney, South Carolina, native Sidney Rice makes the top 10 of the best Gamecock football players during the SEC era, checking in at No. 7, as voted on by fans for 107.5 The Game’s countdown.
Rice is one spot ahead of D.J. Swearinger and a spot behind Stephon Gilmore.
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Rice has his name written all over the South Carolina record books. In the two years that he played for Gamecock football, he went for 2,233 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.
He was recruited by Lou Holtz to stay home in South Carolina and Steve Spurrier is sure glad he did. Rice redshirted during Holtz’s final year in 2004 and was available for Spurrier as soon as he got to work at USC.
During Rice’s redshirt freshman year in 2005, he led the SEC in almost every receiving statistical category. He ranked first in touchdowns, receiving yards, and touchdowns from scrimmage for a receiver. He was also top five for receiving yards per reception, points, and receptions in the SEC. He tallied 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns that year.
The Gamecocks finished the 2005 season 7-5 with a loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl in Steve Spurrier’s first year.
The 2006 campaign was more of the same for Rice. He finished the season with 72 receptions for 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His Gamecock football single-season receiving yard record was broken by Alshon Jeffery in 2010. Rice still holds the lead for receiving touchdowns in a game, single season, and is tied with Jeffery for the career mark.
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The Minnesota Vikings drafted Rice with the 44th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Rice undoubtedly showed his value for the Vikings. In his rookie season, he finished with 31 receptions for 396 yards and four touchdowns, which ranked second among rookie wideouts.
In 2008 a knee injury derailed his season and he was not a significant option for the team down the stretch. He tallied 15 receptions for 141 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The adversity must have sparked something within Rice. Following the injury in 2008, he put together a Pro Bowl season in 2009, the best of his NFL career. He racked up 83 catches for 1,312 yards and 8 touchdowns while catching passes from NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre.
The Vikings eventually went all the way to the NFC Championship game that season. Unfortunately, Rice suffered a hip injury in that game and played through it. Rice did not get offseason surgery. Later in the 2009-10 season, he did get the surgery which sidelined him for most of the year. Rice returned for Favre’s last game and caught his 6,300th completion, the final one of his illustrious career.
Injuries continued to plague Rice’s career after that. He did not finish the 2009-10 season due to a concussion and then the Vikings released him at the end of the year.
The Seattle Seahawks signed Rice to a five-year deal in 2011. Rice played a veteran role while being a target for Russell Wilson. He was a part of the 2013 Super Bowl team for the Seahawks. Rice suffered a torn ACL in October, so he was unable to play in the big game.
In July of 2014, Rice announced his retirement from the NFL, citing concussions. Rice was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in May.
