Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is widely considered the greatest wide receiver to play the game of football. The former Mississippi Valley State legend holds so many records he’s also in the GOAT debate for greatest football player ever regardless of position.
Rice, the three-time Super Bowl champion, and one-time Super Bowl MVP, also holds NFL records for most receptions (1,549), most receiving yards (22,895), most receiving touchdowns (197), most total touchdowns (208) and most total yards (23,546). Those are just some of the accolades the former San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks legend accrued over his illustrious career.
Enough to just make fans go WOW for all that he accomplished on the gridiron. During his 20-year NFL career, Rice became the father to four children, three with his first wife Jacqueline. His oldest is his daughter Jaqui, who was born in 1987.Another former Super Bowl MVP, Julian Edelman, has the distinction of once dating the NFL legend’s first-born.
During a recent appearance on former NBA star Gilbert Arenas podcast, “Gil’s Arena Podcast,” co-host Josiah Johnson asked Edelman how was it dating Rice’s daughter.
Edelman Was Childhood Friends With Rice’s Daughter And Later Dated Her In High School
As Edelman talked about how the two became an item, he mentioned that they were first childhood friends who both eventually attended Woodside High School in California. There they struck up a young romance, attending things such as prom together.
Johnson asked Edelman what it was like dating Jaqui and being around Rice.
“So dad can be extremely protective, obviously, with their daughter so I want to know what was your relationship like with Rice growing up. Did he [expletive] with you at all? Was he like …?”
Edelman’s reply is pretty normal for any boy dating a man’s daughter.
“Terrified, Terrified,” Edelman quickly replied.
Edelman continued, “I remember the first time I went over. Jerry came out with his chain on, no shirt, six packed up and just gave me a head nod. And that was like the last time we talked in like two years. It was tough. It was scary.”
“I was terrified, and I have a little girl now, so I understand, you know,” Edelman added. “so you kind of get it. A little punk, little kid coming into the house thinking he’s a dating a daughter and stuff. But I’ll tell you one thing, when Jerry wasn’t there I was putting on his Super Bowl rings and everything.”
Now that he has a daughter of his own Edelman sees why dads are so protective over their daughters. Edelman also says the family as a whole are great people.
“The family was awesome,” Edelman said as the laughter quelled a bit. “They were all cool and, uh, you know, still friends to this day. And then when I got to, you know, it was crazy, when I got to the league we developed a relationship. It became cool. I still see him at the [Kentucky] Derby here and there. I see him out and about, and he’s been real cool as of late.”
“But when we were kids, I fully get it, I get a Jerry, you know daughter, but it was, I’m still a little nervous thinking about it, you know? It’s Jerry Rice. He’s a GOAT.”
The way Edelman tells it their relationship got better after Edelman became a star wideout in the league and he was away from Rice’s daughter.
Edelman Had A Great Career
It’s highly unlikely that any NFL receiver will ever have the career that Rice put together, but for Edelman, who was once an option quarterback in college, he turned himself into a great big-play receiver for the Patriots.
The former Kent State signal-caller ended his 12-year career with 620 receptions for over 6,800 yards and 36 touchdowns. He culminated that career by being named Super Bowl 53 MVP, it was the last of his three Super Bowl wins as a member of the Patriots.
Edelman can always say he dated the daughter of Jerry Rice, and he has a Super Bowl MVP just like him as well.
