NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has always said little, so when he does speak it seems to reverberate.

He caught the attention of the media Tuesday when he admitted during an interview that Randy Moss may have actually had more talent than himself. Moss’ problem, Rice said, was that the recently retired receiver didn’t work hard enough.

“It was hard for me to swallow because I was not as talented and I had to work harder,” Rice, who is regarded as the greatest receiver to play the game, told ESPN Radio. “To see a guy with that much talent not give it 100 percent, it was almost like a little slap in the face. But Randy was Randy.”

Moss, of course, has been criticized for years for supposedly taking plays off. Moss at one point tried to rationalize not going all out on every play.

That statement alone turned the spotlight on Moss’ work ethic. Rice, the former 49ers great, wonders how much greater Moss could have been if he had a better work ethic.

“He could have been one of the greatest if he had worked just a little bit harder,” Rice said. “I don’t think he wanted to give it 100 percent. You never knew what you were going to get with Randy. Sometimes you’d get the unbelievable guy, the amazing guy. Other times you’d get the guy that took a couple plays off.”

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