Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice Was Initiated into Phi Beta Sigma as a Student at Mississippi Valley State University

Did you know that the man widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.? His name is Jerry Rice, and he built his legendary career on the foundation he laid at a historically Black university.

Jerry Rice was born on October 13, 1962, in Mississippi and went on to attend Mississippi Valley State University, the historically Black institution in Itta Bena. As Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. documents, it was there, during his senior year, that Rice became a member of the fraternity through its Delta Phi Chapter.

At Mississippi Valley State, Rice rewrote the record books, setting 18 NCAA records and hauling in more than 300 career receptions. His dazzling production made him a first-round pick, as the San Francisco 49ers selected him 16th overall in the 1985 NFL Draft.

What followed was arguably the greatest career any player has ever had. Over 20 seasons, Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers and was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIII. He finished his career as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, retiring with 1,549 catches, 22,895 receiving yards, and 208 total touchdowns, records that still stand today.

In 2010, Rice was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Black College Football Hall of Fame, cementing his place among the immortals of the game and honoring the HBCU roots where his journey began.

From the campus of Mississippi Valley State University to the top of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Phi Beta Sigma’s Jerry Rice proved that greatness can come from anywhere.