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Before Broncoland really got a chance to say hello, Jerry Rice said goodbye.

By statistics, he was the greatest receiver in NFL history. By age, the 42-year-old Rice no longer had enough legs to beat out the likes of Charlie Adams, Darius Watts and Todd Devoe for the Broncos’ backup receiver spots.

Told last week by coach Mike Shanahan that he no longer would be the Broncos’ No. 3 wideout behind starters Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie, the legendary Rice ended his record-setting, 20-year career Monday when he announced his retirement at the team’s Dove Valley headquarters.

“I came here to fight for that third position, and it didn’t happen,” Rice said. “And I knew I had to make a decision, and I feel like I made the best one.”

Adams is the Broncos’ No. 3 wideout heading into their season opener Sunday at Miami.

Although he has zero regular- season catches in his NFL career, Adams earned the role after becoming arguably the Broncos’ MVP of the preseason. Besides making tough catches in traffic in workouts and exhibition games, Adams returned seven punts for a 17.6-yard average.

Rice admitted the competition for the No. 3 receiver spot was tougher than he anticipated when he joined the Broncos in May.

“If the GOAT is saying nice things about us, it’s worth something to me anytime,” Adams said, referring to Rice’s nickname, an acronym for “greatest of all time.”

“Even him calling us competition, man,” Devoe said. “I can definitely live with that.”

When Rice walked into a team meeting Monday to say goodbye, he was given a spontaneous standing ovation from the players. Not bad for a guy who made just four catches for 24 yards in four preseason games. His longest gain with the Broncos was 8 yards.

Meanwhile, Devoe, who spent his rookie year last season on three NFL practice squads, had 10 catches for 200 yards in the preseason. Darius Watts had eight catches (despite at least five drops) for 87 yards and Adams had six catches for 77 yards.

It was thought Rice was informed he would not be the Broncos’ No. 3 receiver Saturday, the day after Denver finished off its 4-0 preseason by defeating the Arizona Cardinals 30-21 in Tempe, Ariz.

In truth, Rice was notified a few days before the game. At that point, he decided to finish off the week in hopes his performance at Arizona could cause Shanahan and the coaching staff to change their minds. When Rice finished the game with only two catches for 10 yards while his three competitors all had big nights, he walked off the field sounding like a star who had just played his last game.

“During the exhibition (season), it’s sort of hard to show what you’re capable of because you’re working with different guys and you’re trying to get some type of chemistry going,” Rice said. “It just didn’t happen for me in that game.”

Had he postponed the inevitable and opted to play one more season, Rice likely would have been no better than the Broncos’ No. 5 receiver, a position that rarely gets to dress in uniform on game days.

This hardly was an option for a player who holds 38 NFL records and played on three Super Bowl championship teams with the San Francisco 49ers.

“I thought it was timely,” said Bill Walsh, Rice’s first head coach with the 49ers. “He wanted to play one more year, and he did everything he could possibly do to make it happen. It didn’t work out, but that’s OK. I think Mike Shanahan handled it beautifully, and I think Jerry moves on with his health and as probably the greatest player of his era and certainly the greatest player ever at his position.”

Shanahan repeated his oft-stated claim that Rice not only is the best receiver in NFL history, but best player, period. Rice said Joe Montana was the best player he ever had as a teammate and the best cornerbacks he went up against was “a tossup between Darrell Green and Deion Sanders.”

Although the Broncos were his last team, Rice is expected to formally sign a contract with the 49ers so he can retire with the team where he played his first 16 seasons and made his mark.

It’s a move Broncos backup tight end Nate Jackson, a Bay Area native who grew up a diehard 49ers fan, would endorse.

“I had Jerry’s posters hanging up all over my wall,” said Jackson, who was 6 in Rice’s rookie season. “It was a little surreal seeing him in here in camp. Then you get to know him and realize he’s a guy just like you are, except he’s an exceptional guy. I enjoyed having him around, and I know everyone else did, too. It was sad to see him go.”

After the Broncos’ afternoon workout Monday, Rice’s locker was cleaned out, nameplate and all.

Gone before Denver really got to see him.

Life after Jerry

With the retirement of Jerry Rice, here’s a look at the Broncos’ top candidates to back up starters Rod Smith and Ashley Lelie as the team’s No. 3 wide receiver:

Charlie Adams, third year

He will be the No. 3 wide receiver in the season opener Sunday at Miami. His size (6-feet-2, 190 pounds), strength and reliable hands make him the best third-down option among the three candidates. He also may replace rookie Darrent Williams on punt returns.

Darius Watts, second year

The No. 3 wide receiver last season, he fell back this year after again struggling to catch the football in Denver’s first two preseason games. His two terrific snags for touchdowns in the final preseason game put him back in good favor, but he has to do it again before he reclaims the No. 3 spot. He will be the No. 4 wideout at Miami.

Todd Devoe, first year

He’s the biggest (6-2, 198) and perhaps most physically gifted of the group. He likely won’t dress for the Miami game. He will have to show he consistently can catch the ball in practice before he supplants Adams or Watts.

Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.