CLIFTON, N.J. -- Don't worry about Jerry Rice and Tim Brown
getting along on the Oakland Raiders.
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| Brown |
Brown isn't worried about either a lack of footballs or an ego
war between the man who has been the Raiders' marquee receiver the
last decade and "The Man" among NFL receivers.
Brown welcomed Rice to the silver and black Wednesday, saying
Rice's presence only increases the Raiders' chances of winning a
championship.
"He's the man," Brown said after playing a round at the NFL
Golf Classic at the Upper Montclair Country Club. "You know, he is
the man and you have to give him that respect. No matter what he is
doing right now, no matter what he is doing, he will always be the
man."
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“ |
He's
the man. You know, he is the man and you have to
give him that respect. No matter what he is doing
right now, no matter what he is doing, he will
always be the man. ” |
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— Raiders receiver Tim Brown on new Raiders receiver Jerry
Rice |
After 16 record-breaking years across San Francisco Bay with the
49ers, Rice signed with the Raiders on Tuesday. The decision by the
12-time Pro Bowl selection who won three Super Bowls in San
Francisco, came just 24 hours after he was released by the 49ers in
a salary cap move.
The signing gives the Raiders two of the most prolific wideouts
in the game, and two guys who want the ball when it's crunch time.
"The guy can obviously play the game and he obviously knows our
offense," Brown said. "He's the inventor of the position I play
in this offense. I don't know how it can be a bad thing. I think he
understands the situation. I'm fine with it. Let's just play some
football."
Brown said the signing didn't catch him off guard. Raiders
officials spoke to him more than a month ago, saying they would be
interested in Rice if the 49ers decided to cut costs.
"Bring anyone in who can help us," Brown said. "Let's just
try and get this thing done. We came close last year, and hopefully
this year we can get it done."
The only thing that seemed to surprise Brown was seeing Rice on
television working out with Rich Gannon on Tuesday.
"When I saw him running routes, I just shook my head, because
it didn't look right," Brown said. "It's going to be weird with
him out there running routes with us. But when you are out on the
field playing, it's going fine, I'm sure."
Rice and Brown have "broken bread" and Rice's family watched
from Brown's box a couple of years ago when San Francisco played an
exhibition game against the Raiders.
With the signing of Rice, Brown doesn't expect the Raiders to
keep Andre Rison.
"I saw Jerry with 80 on and that wasn't a good sign," Brown
said.
Brown sees Rice as another option for Gannon rather than a threat to his receiving totals.
"If he's making plays, so be it," Brown said. "I'm just
trying to win a championship. That's the bottom line. When I am
done with my career no one can erase my numbers."
Brown has caught 846 passes for 12,072 yards and 86 touchdowns,
all team records.
"Obviously I still think I can play this game," said Brown,
who had 76 catches for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns last season in helping the Raiders reach the AFC title game. "I am going to do
what I have to do. If he can help the team out; if I am getting
double-teamed or he's getting double-teamed, whatever the situation is, I am just going to there to help this team."
Rice, 38, holds league records with 1,281 receptions and 187
touchdowns. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1987 and
1993 and the Super Bowl MVP in 1989.
He has amassed 19,247 yards receiving, including at least one
catch in his last 225 games, another record.
Rice also holds records with 176 touchdowns on pass receptions;
12 seasons with more than 1,000 yards receiving; 1,848 yards
receiving in a single season; and 22 touchdown receptions in a
single season.
"I know what type of person he is, and I'm sure he's behind me
100 percent," Rice said of Brown on Tuesday.
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