Can Rice be a San Francisco Treat Once Again?

SANTA CLARA - Jerry Rice is considering making one more appeal to coach Mike Nolan in hopes of returning to the 49ers for a farewell season.

If the 49ers don't bite, Rice said Thursday that he might retire.

"It's looking real dark. This might be it," Rice said during a break from his workout at a Bay Area health club. "I've had a few other options, but right now, I'm having a hard time seeing myself in another uniform."

Rice, 42, spent his first 16 seasons with the 49ers, helping them win three of their five Super Bowl titles before being cut in a salary-cap move in June 2001. He is without a team after being released in February by the Seattle Seahawks, who acquired him last season from the Raiders.

A team Rice declined to identify has expressed interest, he said, but he still wants to "say goodbye the right way" by rejoining the 49ers.

Rice said he approached the 49ers two months ago about coming back, and his agent, Jim Steiner, also had conversations with Nolan and owner John York.

Nolan, who has said the 49ers would welcome Rice back but not as a player, reiterated that stance in a statement released by the team Thursday.

"As I have always said, Jerry Rice is not only the best receiver in 49ers history, but the best receiver of all time," Nolan said. "We have a lot of respect for what he has done in his career. We would love to have Jerry retire as a 49er, but our plan is to develop the players we currently have on our roster."

That type of reasoning puzzles Rice.

"I understand them wanting to move on, but I didn't understand how this would set them back," Rice said. "If anything, I think I would bring a very positive perspective to the 49ers. And also it gives me the opportunity to end my career where I started. I feel like both parties would be able to get something out of this."

Analysis: Are there four receivers on the 49ers better than Jerry Rice? Give him the minimum, let him show the youngsters a good work ethic - and give him one more chance to do what he could have done gracefully in 2001. Is that asking too much from a 2-14 team?