Former San Francisco 49ers’ Jerry Rice to take on A. J. Jenkins on ‘The Hill’ – NFL News
Former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver, Jerry Rice, who is still considered as one of the best players the league has ever had, has challenged San Francisco 49ers’ first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, A. J. Jenkins, to run on ‘The Hill’.
Rice, who played 16 seasons with the 49ers after starting his professional career with them back in 1985, trained himself by running up the man-made hill in the team’s facility.
The reason behind the rigorous workout was to ensure that he stayed fit and healthy until the final quarter of any game he played.
The practice paid off pretty well and keeping the fact that Rice played in the league from 1985 to 2004 in mind, there is no room to doubt how beneficial the training was.
A 2.5-mile uphill climb in San Carlos is enough to test the potential of any player and Rice wants to challenge Jenkins for the run up the hill.
Initially, Rice, too, struggled to train properly, but he gets well acquainted with the conditions with the passage of time.
Rice thinks that Jenkins should also gain the same of level of health and fitness as he did and said that it would help him win games for 49ers.
According to Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Rice said of the training:
"I think he's going to learn toughness and how to be able to endure, which is very important because in the fourth quarter when you're tired, you're going to have to make plays to help your team win that football game and you have to be able to stay focused.”
He added:
“So if you can master the hill, in the fourth quarter, you're still going to be able to go out there and excel."
Rice also addressed Jenkins on his Twitter account and said:
"I'm getting in top shape to get you up that Hill!"
Jenkins replied promptly:
"I know you will be ready... But so will I."
Meanwhile, Jenkins has decided to skip his graduation and join the 49ers for their three-day minicamp for rookies from Friday.
Jenkins’ agent told the Bay Area News Group that the player initially wanted to skip the minicamp, but later decided against it and made himself available for it.
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