San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice is perfectly comfortable with Christian McCaffrey taking down some of his records.
Rice still holds the 49ers’ single-season record for touchdowns scored with 22, a mark he set in 1987. McCaffrey will be taking aim at that mark during the final three weeks of the season, as he has already tallied 20 scores on the season.
As far as Rice is concerned, his record was made to be broken.
“What he brings to the table, I’m talking about from scrimmage, from rushing the ball, from catching the ball, scoring touchdowns, he does it all man, he does it all,” Rice told 49ers linebacker Fred Warner in an appearance on “The Warner House” podcast, via Jordan Elliott of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I make sure when I go to the ballgame and I’m out on the field that I walk over and I say hello to him and just interact with the players.
“Records are meant to be broken. I was very fortunate to have so many great players around me and I think the same thing is happening with [McCaffrey]. He’s a complete ball player, works very hard, is very down to earth. So it’s okay, it’s alright. I got quite a few records now, okay? I don’t mind sharing some of those records.”
Rice has always been pretty magnanimous about sharing his greatness. It helps that his place in 49ers and NFL history is very much secure, and losing a few records to McCaffrey or anyone else is not going to diminish it.
McCaffrey has at least one touchdown in all but two games so far this season. At this point, he certainly seems likely to set a new mark.
