Brenden Rice explains where he's better than his dad after 49ers interview

Brenden Rice has a long way to go to even come close to matching the achievements of his father, San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice.

However, speaking at the NFL Combine, the younger Rice had a quick response when asked where he might actually be superior to his father, widely regarded as the best receiver of all time.

"Size, man. Size and speed," said USC wideout Rice at his press conference. "We joke all the time, I’m bigger and faster than him."

Rice had a formal meeting with the 49ers in Indianapolis and is understandably excited at the potential prospect of following in his dad's footsteps by playing for San Francisco.

“I was ecstatic,” Rice said of his meeting with the Niners. "Just to go ahead and go back and forth over some topics [like] how I could get better, how I could contribute to the 49ers team and just to be a part of where my dad left my legacy at."

Of the 49ers' offense, which was the most efficient in the NFL by DVOA and Expected Points Added in 2023, Rice added: "It's super dynamic, you have a whole lot of threats over there and just to be a part of that offense, know that I’m going with guys that are Pro Bowlers and some maybe future Hall of Famers, as well as Brock Purdy, he’s from Chandler, Arizona my hometown, just competing with him back in the day, it’s kind of a nostalgic moment."

Purdy was in the MVP conversation for much of the 2023 season as he set the 49er franchise record for single-season passing yards with 4,280 and led the league in touchdown percentage, passer rating, QBR and every yards per attempt metric. Purdy went on to lead the 49ers to a pair of comeback playoff wins before the Niners lost 25-22 to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime of Super Bowl 58.

Asked to assess Purdy's season, Rice replied: "He went out there and competed. That’s who he has always been. He’s gone and competed against whoever, doesn’t matter the opportunity, he’s going to make the most of it, and that’s the type of person you want around the team."

It would clearly mean the world to Rice if the 49ers deem him to be the type of player and person they want in their building. Though it's important not to read too much into Combine meetings, the events of this week suggest there is at least a chance of them making that determination.