When a football player brings an end to a Hall of Fame career, there are a number of things he can do in retirement. Some will go to work on TV. Others will go fishing and hunting. Endorsement deals come to a lucky few as well. Jerry Rice has done a little bit of everything since stepping away from the football field. He’s even taken on the hobby of crashing weddings to surprise brides and grooms.
“I’ve done it so many times,” Rice told The Ringer. Rice guesses he crashes at least one wedding every weekend, and he seems to do it purely for the wedding-day surprise and the joy it brings others.
“It’s so exciting to see their reaction,” Rice explained “It’s usually, ‘Oh my god, I never thought I’d run into Jerry Rice on my wedding day.'”
How exactly is Rice able to crash so many weddings? The answer is actually quite simple. No, he’s not looking over various wedding plans in secret. The wedding crashing happens as a result of his love of golf. After finishing up a round of golf, Rice is often in a spot that sees a wedding or reception going on because golf clubs and resorts are commonly hosting such events.
Rice takes his wedding crashing fun on the road too. If he happens to be on the road and staying at a place hosting a wedding or reception, Rice will be known to pop in for a quick hello. But that’s just the beginning. Careful not to overstay his welcome and deflect from the main focus of the big day, Rice will take some photos with fans, and he might even hit the dance floor for a song or two.
“If the music is going, I love music. I don’t mind getting out there, dancing, having a good time,” Rice said. “Because I did Dancing with the Stars, people in the weddings want to dance with me because they think I’m some sort of professional dancer.”
If you want to increase your chances of having Rice stop by your wedding, it may be best to have your wedding day in the Bay Area, where Rice is most commonly found crashing the big day.
