KIRKLAND, Wash. —The Seattle Seahawks finally got Jerry Rice on Tuesday.
The trade that sent the greatest receiver in NFL history from the Oakland Raiders to the Seahawks was formally announced after the league trade deadline passed in the afternoon.
Seattle gave up a seventh-round draft choice in 2005 to acquire the 42-year-old Rice, whom they think can help them despite his age.
The trade reunites Rice, a 13-time Pro Bowl selection is in his 20th NFL season, with coach Mike Holmgren. Holmgren was quarterbacks coach from 1986-88 and offensive coordinator from 1989-91 when Rice was developing into a star with the San Francisco 49ers.
When the 49ers released Rice after the 2000 season, Holmgren tried to persuade Rice to come to Seattle to help him build the Seahawks into a Super Bowl contender. But Rice elected to stay in the Bay Area and continue his career with the Raiders.
Rice became disenchanted this season in Oakland when the Raiders (2-4) stopped throwing him the ball. He has five catches for 67 yards and no touchdowns this season after leading the Raiders with 63 catches for 869 yards and two touchdowns last season.
In a 31-3 loss to Denver on Sunday, Rice didn’t have a pass thrown to him. His record receptions streak ended at 274 in Week 2 against Buffalo. Rice holds league records for most career receptions (1,524), most yards receiving (22,533) and most touchdown receptions (194).
The Seahawks will pay the $873,529 that remains on his $1.35 million contract this season.
Seattle, which has lost two straight, might be without third wide receiver Bobby Engram this weekend at Arizona. Engram sprained his left ankle in a 30-20 loss to the Patriots last Sunday.
The Rice trade reminded Seahawks fans of 1984, when the team brought in running back Franco Harris after losing Curt Warner for the season with a knee injury in the opener.
Harris never resembled the player who made his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was dismal for the Seahawks, but the team finished 12-4 and made the playoffs.
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