Mr. Touchdown
1985 to 1990: Liftoff
A slow start as a rookie, a super season as a sophmore, and a record breaking year in 1987. A year after setting a personal best in touchdown receptions for a season in 1987, Rice followed it up with his best yards per catch average in 1988. The next year, Rice returned to form with 17 touchdowns, and in 1990, Rice grabbed 100 passes to go along with his 13 scores.
After his first five seasons, Rice accumulated a mind numbing 83 touchdowns.
1985
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 1 | Oct 6, 1985 | Montana | Atlanta | 25 | His first career TD comes, appropriately, against the Falcons |
| 2 | Nov 3, 1985 | Cavanaugh | Philadelphia | 16 | Against the Eagles, Rice's career appears to be on the rise |
| 3 | Dec 9, 1985 | Montana | LA Rams | 66 | TD bomb on right sidelines comes on huge MNF game that solidifies Rice's selection as Rookie of the Year |
| 4 | Dec 22, 1985 | None--rush | Dallas | 15 | First career rushing TD |
1986
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 5 | Sep 14, 1986 | Kemp | LA Rams | 66 | A beautiful TD that demonstrates Rice's strength: the defender holds onto Rice as he hauls in the bomb at the 15 yard line, Rice is able to ward off the defender and fall forward just as he reaches the endzone |
| 6 | Sep 28, 1986 | Kemp | Miami | 18 | This TD... |
| 7 | Sep 28, 1986 | Kemp | Miami | 50 | ...and this score give Rice his first career multi-TD game |
| 8 | Oct 5, 1986 | Kemp | Indy | 45 | This TD... |
| 9 | Oct 5, 1986 | Kemp | Indy | 16 | with this score... |
| 10 | Oct 5, 1986 | Kemp | Indy | 58 | ...and this long bomb give Rice his first career 3 TD game |
| 11 | Oct 12, 1986 | Kemp | Minnesota | 34 | Rice's seventh TD in 3 weeks followed shortly by... |
| 12 | Oct 12, 1986 | Kemp | Minnesota | 17 | his eigth TD in 3 weeks. |
| 13 | Oct 26, 1986 | Moroski | Green Bay | 7 | The first of many scores against the Pack. |
| 14 | Nov 9, 1986 | Montana | St. Louis | 45 | Jerry welcomes Montana back from his back surgery with not one... |
| 15 | Nov 9, 1986 | Montana | St. Louis | 40 | not two... |
| 16 | Nov 9, 1986 | Montana | St. Louis | 44 | but three 40+ yard TDs. All of them are on post patterns. |
| 17 | Nov 23, 1986 | Montana | Atlanta | 2 | A goalline score |
| 18 | Dec 1, 1986 | Montana | NY Giants | 11 | New York, New York |
| 19 | Dec 1, 1986 | None--Rush | NY Giants | 1 | What a rush |
| 20 | Dec 19, 1986 | Montana | LA Rams | 44 | Adds yet another long TD against the Rams to his resume |
1987
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 21 | Sep 13, 1987 | Montana | Pittsburgh | 3 | The first TD of what will be a record breaking season |
| 22 | Sep 20, 1987 | Montana | Cincinnati | 34 | Burns both Bengal safeties on post pattern |
| 23 | Sep 20, 1987 | Montana | Cincinnati | 25 | With 3 seconds left in the game and the 49ers down by 6, Montana lofts a lob pass to Rice in the right corner of the endzone. Rice leaps high to make the catch while the dumbfounded Bengal defender can only stand and stare |
| 24 | Oct 25, 1987 | Montana | New Orleans | 8 | Marching into the endzone |
| 25 | Nov 1, 1987 | Montana | LA Rams | 51 | Yet another long score against the Rams |
| 26 | Nov 8, 1987 | Montana | Houston | 1 | Rice strikes gold in the Astrodome |
| 27 | Nov 15, 1987 | Young | New Orleans | 46 | The bomb |
| 28 | Nov 15, 1987 | Sydney | New Orleans | 50 | A trick play with Rice as the designated receiver? It's just not fair. |
| 29 | Nov 22, 1987 | Montana | Tampa Bay | 21 | If... |
| 30 | Nov 22, 1987 | Montana | Tampa Bay | 42 | you thought this is impressive... |
| 31 | Nov 22, 1987 | Montana | Tampa Bay | 3 | ...just wait and see what Rice does against the Bucs six years from now! |
| 32 | Nov 29, 1987 | Montana | Cleveland | 2 | Is life fair? |
| 33 | Nov 29, 1987 | Montana | Cleveland | 30 | Rice leaps high for the score on the post pattern and is oblivious to both Brown safeties honing in for the hit |
| 34 | Nov 29, 1987 | Montana | Cleveland | 29 | Joe hits Jerry in perfect stride. Rice takes the perfect angle towards the endzone after receiving the pass |
| 35 | Dec 6, 1987 | Montana | Green Bay | 57 | Rice runs an underneath route and gets the pass from Joe...he easily outruns Green Bay's linebackers and just barely bursts through both safeties, then nonchalantly strolls in for the score |
| 36 | Dec 14, 1987 | Young | Chicago | 1 | Easy score |
| 37 | Dec 14, 1987 | Young | Chicago | 16 | Runs circles around Bear defender, leans over at the sidelines to reel in low and away pass |
| 38 | Dec 14, 1987 | Young | Chicago | 2 | Too easy |
| 39 | Dec 20, 1987 | None--Rush | Atlanta | 5 | Rice's old whipping boys |
| 40 | Dec 20, 1987 | Young | Atlanta | 20 | First Young to Rice against Falcons |
| 41 | Dec 20, 1987 | Young | Atlanta | 1 | Short score |
| 42 | Dec 27, 1987 | Young | LA Rams | 22 | Batters the Rams |
| 43 | Dec 27, 1987 | Young | LA Rams | 50 | Goin deep |
1988
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 44 | Sep 11, 1988 | Montana | NY Giants | 78 | Late in the 4th quarter, Montana throws up a prayer towards Rice near the right sidelines...the Giant safety honing in for the hit clips Giant CB Marc Collins instead of Rice...Flash 80 gallops to the finish line |
| 45 | Sep 25, 1988 | Montana | Seattle | 1 | If you score 3 TDs in one game, a 1 yard score can be done in your sleep |
| 46 | Sep 25, 1988 | Montana | Seattle | 69 | Montana's pump fake freezes Seattle's safeties |
| 47 | Sep 25, 1988 | Montana | Seattle | 60 | Ditto |
| 48 | Oct 2, 1988 | None--Rush | Detroit | 11 | Rice eeks his way home |
| 49 | Oct 24, 1988 | Montana | Chicago | 23 | Rice's 1st quarter score is the only 49er TD of the game |
| 50 | Nov 21, 1988 | Montana | Washington | 80 | Montana's deep pass to Rice is tipped by Redskin CB Darrell Green, Rice has the awareness to snatch the spinning football out of the air and streak to the endzone |
| 51 | Nov 27, 1988 | Montana | San Diego | 96 | The longest reception of Rice's career, he simply beats Charger CB D.J. Johnson from the start and calmly awaits Montana's pass on streak pattern |
| 52 | Nov 27, 1988 | Montana | San Diego | 41 | Attacking the football, Rice ignores both Charger safeties and leaps to grab the rock |
| 53 | Dec 4, 1988 | Montana | Atlanta | 20 | Another TD against...who else? |
1989
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 54 | Sep 10, 1989 | Montana | Indy | 58 | Rice takes a simple out pattern from Montana and burns the Colts on a blitz...he heads up the middle of the field and scores the go-ahead TD for a thrilling comeback win in the season opener |
| 55 | Sep 17, 1989 | Montana | Tampa Bay | 2 | Pity the poor Bucs |
| 56 | Sep 24, 1989 | Montana | Philadelphia | 68 | A perfect pass and catch. The endzone cam, not the sideline cam, reveals just how beautiful this TD is. Montana delivers a picture perfect pass to Rice |
| 57 | Sep 24, 1989 | Montana | Philadelphia | 33 | Rice's 4th quarter score caps a thrilling comeback victory for the 49ers, in which Montana throws 4 TDs in the second half alone |
| 58 | Oct 8, 1989 | Montana | New Orleans | 60 | One of the rare long TDs Rice scores against the Saints |
| 59 | Oct 15, 1989 | Young | Dallas | 8 | Fades away easily |
| 60 | Oct 22, 1989 | Montana | New England | 3 | You cannot stop him, you can only hope to contain him. |
| 61 | Oct 22, 1989 | Young | New England | 50 | Eludes two defenders within split second of each other |
| 62 | Oct 29, 1989 | Bono | NY Jets | 45 | Yet another TD in which Rice runs a deep route and leaps for the grab as both safeties can only stare and watch |
| 63 | Nov 6, 1989 | Montana | New Orleans | 2 | Can anyone cover this guy? |
| 64 | Nov 6, 1989 | Montana | New Orleans | 32 | Apparantly not |
| 65 | Nov 12, 1989 | Montana | Atlanta | 11 | Montana and Rice toy with Deion Sanders on the fade pass |
| 66 | Nov 12, 1989 | Montana | Atlanta | 39 | As soon as Joe hikes the ball, he immediately passes across the field to Rice, who is on the left side of the field. Rice then makes his way across the field, bouncing off a Falcon helmet and outsprinting the remainding flock of defenders |
| 67 | Nov 19, 1989 | Montana | Green Bay | 9 | Rice runs across the field and finally gets the pass |
| 68 | Nov 27, 1989 | Montana | NY Giants | 4 | Easy score against a tough opponent |
| 69 | Dec 17, 1989 | Young | Buffalo | 8 | Rice's only career score against the Bills |
| 70 | Dec 24, 1989 | Montana | Chicago | 29 | Rice is at least five steps ahead of the db on this streak pattern |
1990
| Number | Date | From | Opponent | Yards | Comment |
| 71 | Sep 16, 1990 | Montana | Washington | 12 | Rice burns Darrell Green yet again, proving Green would look better in red |
| 72 | Sep 23, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 35 | They just can't stop Joe to Jerry |
| 73 | Oct 7, 1990 | Montana | Houston | 6 | See above comment |
| 74 | Oct 14, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 24 | Post pattern |
| 75 | Oct 14, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 25 | Another post pattern |
| 76 | Oct 14, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 19 | Another post pattern before the end of the first half |
| 77 | Oct 14, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 13 | Montana fires a pass to Rice in back of the endzone |
| 78 | Oct 14, 1990 | Montana | Atlanta | 15 | Rice sets up cb with intial move towards post pattern, then cuts to outside to grab perfect pass for 5 TD afternoon. |
| 79 | Oct 28, 1990 | Montana | Cleveland | 14 | Another one of those TDs where Rice runs across the field and finally gets the pass. No one is going to be able to keep up with Rice on this pattern. |
| 80 | Nov 4, 1990 | Montana | Green Bay | 64 | Runs a curl pattern and gets the pass from Joe...turns on the afterburners and heads for the score. His eyes light up in shock when he sees a Packer linebacker close on his heels |
| 81 | Nov 11, 1990 | Montana | Dallas | 7 | You have to see this one to believe it. Rice's right arm is held by the db. No problem. He simply hauls in Joe's pass with his left hand and immediately thrusts it close to his stomach. As if this isn't enough, he simulatenously realizes he's about to go out of bounds at the back of the endzone, so he calmly and cooly gets both feet in while grasping the ball with one arm and being held by the defender. This is not your ordinary 7 yard TD. |
| 82 | Dec 17, 1990 | Montana | LA Rams | 60 | This long TD score from Montana to Rice would be the last regular season TD between both Hall of Famers |
| 83 | Dec 30, 1990 | Young | Minnesota | 14 | The slant pass does it again |