In the late 1990s, around the same time a severe knee injury abruptly brought an end to his incredible, ironman-like streak of 189 consecutive regular-season games played on the gridiron, legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice decided to put down permanent roots in the San Francisco Bay Area. At a pivotal crossroads in both his personal life and his illustrious professional football career, the three-time Super Bowl champion engaged renowned local builders Lencioni Construction to custom-build an extravagant, French chateau-inspired estate situated on a sprawling 1.24-acre parcel of land within the ultra-affluent Silicon Valley enclave of Atherton.
The grand residential project was officially finalized in 2001. Coincidentally, that exact same year marked another massive milestone for the sports icon, as he officially parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers after an astonishing 16-season tenure, ultimately crossing the bay to sign with the Oakland Raiders. The sprawling estate served as his primary home during those high-profile years and long after, remaining a notable landmark of celebrity real estate in the affluent peninsula community.
Years later, after moving on from the property, the NFL Hall of Famer initially listed the grand Atherton residence in 2007 with an ambitious asking price of $22 million. However, navigating the upper echelons of the luxury real estate market proved to be a prolonged journey. After implementing a dramatic nearly $9 million price cut just a year later, the property floated on and off the market for several years, capturing intermittent interest from high-net-worth buyers without securing a permanent deal.
In 2011, the estate came tantalizingly close to trading hands for $11 million, only for the prospective buyer to back out of the transaction at the absolute last minute. Undeterred, Rice lowered his asking price once more to $10.5 million in late 2012. The lengthy real estate saga finally concluded early the following year when the legendary receiver successfully sold the home to Peter and Susanna Pau, the co-founders of the prominent Sand Hill Property Company and well-known local philanthropists. The final transaction closed at a deeply discounted $9 million, marking the end of Rice’s direct chapter with the estate.
Now, over a decade later, the magnificent approximately 12,500-square-foot spread has once again made its way back to the luxury housing market, this time commanding a significantly higher tag of $35 million. Among its most striking offerings is a $500,000 professional-grade athletic gym that remarkably still houses Rice’s original weights and high-end training equipment—a testament to the grueling daily regimen that helped forge one of the greatest careers in the history of professional sports. Directly adjacent to this elite training space is a dedicated recovery suite equipped with a modern steam shower and a custom sauna, designed to soothe tired muscles after an intense workout. To handle the co-listing of this prestigious property, Pierre and Alex Buljan of Compass have teamed up with Ken DeLeon of DeLeon Realty.
Beyond its impressive athletic pedigree, the expansive six-bedroom, 11-bathroom residence is lavishly appointed with opulent architectural finishes throughout its three levels. Visitors are greeted by Versace limestone floors, shimmering Swarovski crystal accents, intricate Venetian plaster walls, soaring ceilings, and classic French doors and windows. For convenience, a private elevator services all three levels of the massive dwelling, ensuring seamless movement from the lower entertainment levels up to the private quarters.
Tailored purposefully for grand-scale leisure and sophisticated entertaining, the home opens with a double-height, skylit entry foyer that features a sweeping, artisan-crafted ironwork staircase. This grand entryway flows naturally into formal living and dining rooms designed to host large gatherings. Nearby, a comfortable family room abuts an updated, chef-ready kitchen featuring rich eucalyptus cabinetry, premium-grade appliances, and a curving, glass-lined breakfast nook that bathes the informal dining space in natural morning light.
Further exploration of the main level reveals a quiet, mahogany-paneled study that provides an ideal setting for a home office or private library, along with a spacious primary retreat. The primary suite is a true sanctuary, boasting dual dressing rooms and a private fireside lounge complete with its own dedicated coffee and cocktail bar. Other high-end recreational perks integrated into the sprawling floor plan include an Art Deco-inspired movie theater outfitted with gold-flecked carpeting and an authentic concession stand, a dedicated crafting room, and a massive recreation room featuring a climatized wine alcove capable of accommodating more than 1,000 bottles for the serious collector.
The outdoor grounds are just as meticulously curated as the interior living spaces. Created by the visionary landscape architect who originally conceptualized San Jose’s popular Santana Row shopping and dining district, the lush exterior features manicured succulent gardens and towering mature redwood trees. These natural elements wrap around a 25-yard lap pool, a professional-grade putting green, an outdoor kitchen, and an inviting stone fireplace alongside an al fresco dining area sheltered beneath a vine-laced pergola.
Practicality and luxury blend seamlessly across the remainder of the gated grounds, which also include an indoor-outdoor dog run tailored for pet owners, a completely detached guesthouse featuring its own private kitchen and bathroom, and a massive seven-car garage equipped with a modern Tesla charging station.
