Rice Plans to Play This Year

Jerry Rice can’t say exactly when he’ll be back from his left knee injury, only that he will be back--and he intends to return later this season.

“Even though I live and die on the football field, I have to be smart with an injury like this,” San Francisco’s all-pro receiver said Friday, addressing reporters for the first time since he was injured in the 49ers’ season-opening 13-6 loss at Tampa Bay.

“But I’m really going to give it a shot because I feel it can be done. I’m going to work hard and I’m a fast healer,” Rice said.

He even accelerated the process, taking his cast off himself. He said it was so uncomfortable he had to remove after two weeks, about five days ahead of schedule.

“It happened at 3 a.m. One morning I went to the garage and sawed it off. I felt I had the cast on long enough,” said Rice, who underwent surgery the day after the injury. “I’m stronger. I’m just looking forward to getting back out there.”

The closest he would come to specifying a time frame for his return was by the postseason.

Rice, the NFL’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, was hurt running a reverse in the Aug. 31 game. Defensive tackle Warren Sapp burst through the line and grabbed Rice by the facemask, yanking him down to the turf.

Sapp was penalized on the play and said afterward he didn’t mean to hurt Rice.

Rice, who had never missed a game, said he’s consumed these days by his rehabilitation in much the same way that he applied himself to the rigorous off-season workouts which he credited with keeping him injury-free for so many years.

“I think it’s more arduous because they have to hold me back,” Rice said. “But it’s a situation where it happened, I’m dealing with it. I don’t really feel like I’ve had a down moment. Everything has been positive.”

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The NFL fined Tampa Bay safety John Lynch $7,500 for an illegal hit on Minnesota Viking receiver Chris Walsh on Sunday.

Lynch was fined for hitting Walsh out of bounds during the Buccaneers’ 28-14 victory. He was penalized on the play.

Earlier this season, Lynch was fined $5,000 for an illegal hit on 49er running back William Floyd.

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Running back and special teams player William Bell, waived by the Washington Redskins on the last preseason cut, has filed an injury grievance against the team, contending he was still injured when he was released. He’s seeking four weeks’ salary--about $56,000--from his $225,000-a-year contract.