San Francisco 49ers

My All Time Favorite San Francisco 49ers Players

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most storied and popular franchises in the history of the NFL. The team has gone to six Super Bowls, winning five of them. The San Francisco teams of the past four decades have had some of the best players in football history. These players are widely considered the best players at their position and are easily the greatest 49ers ever. Every conversation about the greatest 49ers begins with Joe Montana. Drafted in the third round in 1979, Montana was an integral player in the 49ers dynasty of the 1980s and 1990s. The team won four Super Bowls with Montana as its quarterback, confirming his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Next in line was another superstar quarterback: Steve Young. A worthy successor, Young was an NFL MVP and led the 49ers to the Super Bowl title in 1994.

You can’t talk about the greatest 49ers players of all time without mentioning the best wide receiver ever. Jerry Rice had the most storied career of any receiver in NFL history. Rice holds nearly every receiving record in NFL history and is by far the best 49ers receiver of all time.

The 49ers defense has featured the iconic Ronnie Lott and more recently, superstar linebacker Patrick Willis.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS

Joe Montana

Joe Montana - San Francisco 49ers - Kansas City Chiefs

1981 Topps #216 Rookie Card

Position:  Quarterback #16
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  200 lbs
Born:  June 11, 1956 in New Eagle Pennsylvania
College:  Notre Dame
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (34th Overall) in 1979 Draft
Career:  1979 – 1994 – San Francisco 49ers (1979-1992), Kansas City Chiefs (1993-1994)
Highlights:  8 time Pro Bowler, 3 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2000.  Joe Montana played in 4 Super Bowls for the San Francisco 49ers including Super Bowl XVI against the Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  He was the Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XVI where the 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21, Super Bowl XIX where they beat the Miami Dolphins 38-16 and again in Super Bowl XXIV where the 49ers beat the Denver Broncos 55-10.  Joe Montana played in 164 games during his 14 year career and completed 3,409 passes for 40,551 yards and 273 touchdowns.  He also ran the ball 457 times for 1,676 touchdowns and 20 touchdowns.

Steve Young

Steve Young - LA Express - San Francisco 49ers

1984 Topps #54 USFL Rookie Card

Position:  Quarterback #8
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  215 lbs
Born:  October 11, 1961 in Salt Lake City Utah
College:  BYU
Drafted:  Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked in the 1st Round (1st Overall) in 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft.  Also drafted by the LA Express USFL Team.
Career:  1985 – 1999 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1985-1986), San Francisco 49ers (1987-1999)
Highlights:  7 time Pro Bowler, 3 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2005.  Steve Young played in 2 Super Bowls for the San Francisco 49ers including Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Steve Young was the MVP in Super Bowl XXIX where the 49ers beat the Chargers 49-26.   Steve Young played 143 games during his 15 year career and completed 2,667 passes for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns.  He also ran 722 times for 4,239 yards and 43 rushing touchdowns.

Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick - San Francisco 49ers - Quarterback - Super Bowl XLVII - NFC Champions

2011 Leaf #6 Rookie Card

Position:  Quarterback #7
Height:  6’5″          Weight:  233 lbs
Born:  November 3, 1987
College:  Nevada-Reno
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (36th Overall) in 2011 Draft
Career:  2011 – 2012 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  Colin Kaepernick replaced Alex Smith after an injury in week 9 of the 2012 season and played well enough to keep the starting job leading the San Francisco 49ers to a win in the AFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons and started Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens completing 16 passes for 302 yards and 1 touchdown and also ran 7 times for 62 yards and 1 touchdown in their 34-31 loss.  Kaepernick started 7 regular season games in 2012 and threw 218 passes for 1,814 yards and 20 touchdowns.  He also ran 63 times for 415 yards and 5 touchdowns.

 

RUNNING BACKS

Hugh McElhenny

Hugh McElhenny - San Francisco 49ers

1952 Bowman #29 Rookie Card

Position:  Half Back – Running Back #39
Height:  6’1″          Weight:  195 lbs
Born:  December 31, 1928 in Los Angeles California
College:  Washington
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (9th Overall) in 1952 Draft
Career:  1952 – 1964 – San Francisco 49ers (1952-1960), Minnesota Vikings (1961-1962), New York Giants (1963), Detroit Lions (1964)
Highlights:  6 time Pro Bowler, 2 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1970.  Hugh McElhenny played in 143 games during his 13 year career and ran 1,124 times for 5,281 yards and 38 touchdowns.  He also caught 264 passes for 3,247 yards and 20 touchdowns.  McElhenny played on Special Teams as well and returned 126 punts for 920 yards and 2 touchdowns with the longest being 94 yards.  He also returned 83 kickoffs for 1,921 yards and averaged 23.1 yards per return.

Roger Craig

Roger Craig - San Francisco 49ers

1984 Topps #353 Rookie Card

Position:  Running Back #33
Height:  6’0″          Weight:  222 lbs
Born:  July 10, 1960 in Davenport Iowa
College:  Nebraska
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (49th Overall) in 1983 Draft
Career:  1983 – 1993 – San Francisco 49ers (1983-1990), Los Angeles Raiders (1991), Minnesota Vikings (1992-1993)
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Roger Craig played for the San Francisco 49ers in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and in Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  Roger Craig played in 165 games during his 11 career and ran 1,991 times for 8,189 yards and 56 touchdowns.  He also caught 566 passes for 4,911 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Frank Gore

Frank Gore - San Francisco 49ers - Running Back - Super Bowl XLVII - NFC Champions

2005 Topps Total #441 Rookie Card

Position:  Running Back #21
Height:  5’9″          Weight:  215 lbs
Born:  May 14, 1983 in Coral Gables Florida
College:  Miami University
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (65th Overall) in 2005 Draft
Career:  2005 – 2012 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler.  Frank Gore helped the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game and move on to play in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens where he rushed 19 times for 110 yards and 1 touchdown in their 34-31 loss.  Frank Gore has played in 116 games during his 8 year career and has rushed the ball 1,911 times for 8,839 yards and 51 touchdowns.  He has also caught 315 passes for 2,631 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Joe “The Jet” Perry

Joe Perry - San Francisco 49ers

1950 Bowman #35 Rookie Card

Position:  Running Back #34
Height:  6’0″          Weight:  200 lbs
Born:  January 22, 1927 in Stevens Arizona
Died:  April 25, 2011 in Chandler Arizona
College:
  Compton CC
Drafted:  Not Drafted
Career:  1948 – 1963 – San Francisco 49ers (1950-1963), Baltimore Colts (1961-1962)
Highlights:  32 time Pro Bowler, 2 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1969.  Joe Perry played in 181 games during his 16 year career and rushed the ball 1,929 times for 9,723 yards and 71 touchdowns.  He also caught 260 passes for 2,021 yards and 12 touchdowns.  On Special Teams he ran back 33 kickoffs for 758 yards and 1 touchdown for 87 yards.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Jerry Rice

Jerry Rice - San Francisco 49ers

1986 Topps #161 Rookie Card

Position:  Wide Receiver #80
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  200 lbs
Born:  October 13, 1962 in Crawford Mississippi
College:  Mississippi Valley State
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (16th Overall) in 1985 Draft
Career:  1985 – 2004 – San Francisco 49ers (1985-2000), Oakland Raiders (2001-2004), Seattle Seahawks (2004)
Highlights:  13 time Pro Bowler, 10 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2010.  Jerry Rice played in 3 Super Bowls for the San Francisco 49ers including Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  He also played in 1 Super Bowl for the Oakland Raiders against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He was the MVP in Super Bowl XXIII where San Francisco beat Cincinnati 20-16 and caught 11 passes for 215 yards and 1 touchdown.  Jerry Rice played in 303 games during his 21 year career and caught 284 passes for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns.  He also ran 87 times for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns.  He is the all time leading receiver in NFL history.

Michael Crabtree

Michael Crabtree - San Francisco 49ers - Wide Receiver - Super Bowl XLVII - NFC Champions

2009 Topps #420 Rookie Card

Position:  Wide Receiver #15
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  215 lbs
Born:  September 14, 1987 in Dallas Texas
College:  Texas Tech
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (10th Overall) in 2009 Draft
Career:  2009 – 2012 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  Michael Crabtree was a key element in the 49ers win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game and played in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens where he caught 5 passes for 109 yards and 1 touchdown in their 34-31 loss.  He has started 56 of the 58 games he has played during his 4 year career and has caught 260 passes for 3,345 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Billy Wilson

Billy Wilson - San Francisco 49ers

1955 Bowman #81 Rookie Card

Position:  Wide Receiver #84
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  190 lbs
Born:  February 3, 1927 in Sayre Oklahoma
Died:  January 27, 2009 in Carlsbad California
College:  San Jose State
Drafted:  Baltimore Ravens picked in the 2nd Round (55th Overall) in 2008 Draft
Career:  1951 – 1960 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  6 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Billy Wilson played in 100 games during his 10 year career and caught 407 passes for 5,902 yards and 49 touchdowns.

Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens - San Francisco 49ers

1996 SP #7 Rookie Card

Position:  Wide Receiver #81
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  226 lbs
Born:  December 7, 1973 in Alexander City Alabama
College:  Tennessee-Chattanooga
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (89th Overall) in 1996 Draft
Career:  1996 – 2010 – San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003), Philadelphia Eagles (2004-2005), Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008), Buffalo Bills (2009), Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
Highlights:  6 time Pro Bowler and 5 time First Team All Pro.  Terrell Owens played for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX against the New England Patriots and caught 9 passes for 122 yards.  Terrell Owens started 201 of the 219 games he played and caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns.  He also ran 39 times for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He should be a first ballot NFL Hall of Fame inductee when he is eligible.

 

TIGHT ENDS

Brent Jones

Brent Jones - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Fleer Update #U-49 Rookie Card

Position:  Tight End #84
Height:  6’4″          Weight:  230 lbs
Born:  February 12, 1963 in San Jose California
College:  Santa Clara
Drafted:  Pittsburgh Steelers picked in the 5th Round (135th Overall) in 1986 Draft
Career:  1987 – 1997 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler.  Brent Jones played in 2 Super Bowls including Super Bowls XXIV against the Denver Broncos where he caught a touchdown pass from Joe Montana and Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Brent Jones played in 143 games during his 11 year career with the San Francisco 49ers and caught 417 passes for 5,195 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis - San Francsicso 49ers - Tight End - Super Bowl XLVII - NFC Champions

2006 Topps #363 Rookie Card

Position:  Tight End #85
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  250 lbs
Born:  January 31, 1984 in Washington DC
College:  Maryland
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (6th Overall) in 2006 Draft
Career:  2006 – 2012 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  1 time Pro Bowler.  Vernon Davis has been a key player for the San Francisco 49ers and helped the team achieve a victory with his 5 receptions for 106 yards and 1 touchdown in the 2012 NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons.  He played against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII and caught 6 passes for 104 yards in their 34-31 loss.  Vernon Davis has started 102 of the 104 games he has played with the San Francisco 49ers and has caught 345 passes for 4,351 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Russ Francis

Russ Francis - New England Patriots - San Francisco 49ers

1976 Topps #136 Rookie Card

Position:  Tight End #81
Height:  6’6″          Weight:  240 lbs
Born:  April 3, 1953 in Seattle Washington
College:  Oregon
Drafted:  New England Patriots picked in the 1st Round (16th Overall) in 1975 Draft
Career:  1975 – 1988 – New England Patriots (1975-1988), San Francisco 49ers (1982-1987), New England Patriots (1987)
Highlights:  3 time Pro Bowler.  Russ Francis played for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX against Miami and caught 5 passes for 60 yards helping his team secure the 38-16 victory.  Russ Francis played in 167 games during his 14 year career and caught 393 passes for 5,262 yards and 40 touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Harris Barton

Harris Barton - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Fleer #1 Rookie Card

Position:  Tackle – Guard #79
Height:  6’4″          Weight:  286 lbs
Born:  April 19, 1964 in Atlanta Georgia
College:  North Carolina
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (22nd Overall) in 1987 Draft
Career:  1987 – 1996 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  1 time Pro Bowler and 2 time First Team All Pro.  Harris Barton played for the San Francisco 49ers in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos, Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Harris Barton started 134 of the 138 games he played during his 10 year career and was responsible for protecting Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Guy McIntyre

Guy McIntyre - San Francisco 49ers

1989 Score #411 Rookie Card

Position:  Guard #62
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  275 lbs
Born:  February 17, 1961 in Thomasville Georgia
College:  Georgia
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (73rd Overall) in 1984 Draft
Career:  1984 – 1996 – San Francisco 49ers (1984-1993), Green Bay Packers (1994), Philadelphia Eagles (1995-1996)
Highlights:  5 time Pro Bowler.  Guy McIntyre played in 2 Super Bowls for the San Francisco 49ers including Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  Guy McIntyre played in 186 games during his 13 year career and had 5 fumble recoveries including 1 for a touchdown and 2 receptions for 21 yards and touchdown.

Jesse Sapolu

Jesse Sapolu - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Score #424 Rookie Card

Position:  Center – Guard #61
Height:  6’4″          Weight:  271 lbs
Born:  March 10, 1961 in Laie, Western Samoa
College:  Hawaii
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 11th Round (289th Overall) in 1983 Draft
Career:  1983 – 1997 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler.  Jesse Sapolu played for the San Francisco 49ers in 4 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Jesse Sapolu played in 183 games during his 13 year career all with the San Francisco 49ers.

Randy Cross

Randy Cross - San Francisco 49ers

1978 Topps #231 Rookie Card

Position:  Guard – Center #51
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  259 lbs
Born:  April 25, 1954 in Brooklyn New York
College:  UCLA
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (42nd Overall) in 1976 Draft
Career:  1976 – 1988 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  3 time Pro Bowler.  Randy Cross played for the San Francisco 49ers in 2 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins and Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Randy Cross started 180 of the 185 games he played during his 13 year career and went on to become an NFL broadcaster after he retired.

Bob St. Clair

Bob St. Clair - San Francisco 49ers

1955 Bowman #101 Rookie Card

Position:  Tackle #79
Height:  6’9″          Weight:  263 lbs
Born:  February 18, 1931 in San Francisco California
College:  San Francisco, Tulsa
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (32nd Overall) in 1953 Draft
Career:  1953 – 1963 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  5 time Pro Bowler and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1990. Bob St. Clair played in 119 games during his 11 year career and is one of the best to ever play the position.

 

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Fred Dean

Fred Dean - San Diego Chargers - San Francisco 49ers

1978 Topps #217 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive End #74
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  230 lbs
Born:  February 24, 1952 in Arcadia Louisiana
College:  Louisiana Tech
Drafted:  San Diego Chargers picked in the 2nd Round (33rd Overall) in 1975 Draft
Career:  1975 – 1985 – San Diego Chargers (1975-1981), San Francisco 49ers (1981-1985)
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler, 2 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2008.  Fred Dean played in 141 games during his 12 year career and recorded 28 sacks, 1 interception returned 22 yards for a touchdown and 13 fumble recoveries with 1 for a touchdown.

Bryant Young

Bryant Young - San Francisco 49ers

1994 Upper Deck #25 Star Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive Tackle – Defensive End #97
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  291 lbs
Born:  January 27, 1972 in Chicago Heights Illinois
College:  Notre Dame
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (7th Overall) in 1994 Draft
Career:  1994 – 2007 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Bryant Young played in Super Bowl XXIX for the San Francisco 49ers against the San Diego Chargers.  Bryant Young started and played in 208 games during his 14 year career and recorded 89.5 sacks, 47 fumble recoveries, 512 tackles, 106 assists and is responsible for 3 safeties with 2 in one year.

Leo Nomellini

Leo Nomellini - San Francisco 49ers

1948 Leaf #52 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive Tackle #73
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  259 lbs
Born:  June 19, 1924 in Lucca, Italy
Died:  October 17, 2000 in Stanford California
College:  Minnesota
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (11th Overall) in 1950 Draft
Career:  1950 – 1963 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  10 time Pro Bowler, 6 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1969.  Leo Nomellini started 166 of the 174 games he played during his amazing 14 year career and recorded 13 fumble recoveries and 2 safeties.

Cedric Hardman

Cedric Hardman - San Francisco 49ers - Defensive End

1971 Topps #149 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive End #86
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  255 lbs
Born:  October 4, 1948 in Houston Texas
College:  North Texas
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (9th Overall) in 1970 Draft
Career:  1970 – 1981 – San Francisco 49ers (1970-1979), Oakland Raiders (1980-1981)
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler.  Cedric Hardman played in 171 games during his 12 year career and recorded 103 sacks, 9 fumble recoveries with 1 for a touchdown and 1 safety.

LINEBACKERS

Dave Wilcox

Dave Wilcox - San Francisco 49ers

1967 Philadelphia #178 Rookie Card

Position:  Linebacker #64
Height:  6’3″          Weight:  241 lbs
Born:  September 29, 1942 in Ontario Oregon
College:  Boise State, Oregon
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (29th Overall) in 1964 NFL Draft, Houston Oilers picked in the 6th Round (46th Overall) in the 1964 AFL Draft
Career:  1964 – 1974 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  7 time Pro Bowler, 2 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2000.  Dave Wilcox started 132 of the 153 games he played during his 11 year career and recorded 14 interceptions with 1 returned 21 yards for a touchdown and 12 fumble recoveries with 1 returned 32 yards for a touchdown.

Charles Haley

Charles Haley - San Francisco 49ers

1987 Topps #125 Rookie Card

Position:  Linebacker #94
Height:  6’5″          Weight:  252 lbs
Born:  January 6, 1964 in Gladys Virginia
College:  James Madison
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 4th Round (96th Overall) in 1986 Draft
Career:  1986 – 1999 – San Francisco 49ers (1986-1991), Dallas Cowboys (1992-1996), San Francisco 49ers (1998-1999)
Highlights:  5 time Pro Bowler, 2 time First Team All Pro and Hall of Fame finalist (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013).  Charles Haley played for the San Francisco 49ers in 2 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  He also played for the Dallas Cowboys in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XXVII against the Buffalo Bills, Super Bowl XXVIII against the Buffalo Bills and Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Charles Haley played in 169 games during his 13 year career and recorded 100.5 sacks, 1 interception, 8 fumble recoveries with 1 for a touchdown, 485 tackles, 13 assists and 1 safety.

Patrick Willis

Patrick Willis - San Francisco 49ers

2007 Topps Finest #149 Rookie Card

Position:  Linebacker #52
Height:  6’1″          Weight:  242 lbs
Born:  January 25, 1985 in Bruceton Tennessee
College:  Mississippi
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (11th Overall) in 2007 Draft
Career:  2007 – 2012 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  6 time Pro Bowler and 5 time First Team All Pro.  Patrick Willis will be playing in Super Bowl XLVII versus the Baltimore Ravens and has started all 92 games he has played in during his 6 year career and has posted 17.5 sacks, 7 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns with the longest being 86 yards, 5 fumble recoveries, 630 tackles and 189 assists.

Ken Norton Jr.

Ken Norton Jr. - Dallas Cowboys - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Fleer Update #U-39 Rookie Card

Position:  Linebacker #51
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  254 lbs
Born:  September 29, 1966 in Lincoln Illinois
College:  UCLA
Drafted:  Dallas Cowboys picked in the 2nd Round (41st Overall) in 1988 Draft
Career:  1988 – 2000 – Dallas Cowboys (1988-1993), San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000)
Highlights:  3 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Ken Norton Jr. played in 3 Super Bowls including 2 for the Dallas Cowboys which include Super Bowl XXVII and Super Bowl XXVIII, both against the Buffalo Bills and he played for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Ken Norton Jr. started 188 of the 191 games he played during his 13 year career and recorded 12.5 sacks, 5 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns, 13 fumble recoveries, 1,130 tackles and 144 assists.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Jimmy Johnson

Jimmy Johnson - San Francisco 49ers - Defensive Back - Hall of Fame - HOF

1969 Topps #113 Card

Position:  Corner Back #37
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  187 lbs
Born:  March 31, 1938 in Dallas Texas
College:  UCLA
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (6th Overall) in 1961 NFL Draft, San Diego Chargers picked in the 4th Round (31st Overall) in the 1961 AFL Draft
Career:  1961 – 1976 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  5 time Pro Bowler, 4 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1994.  Jimmy Johnson started 199 of the 213 games he played during his 16 year career and recorded 47 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns, 7 fumble recoveries and 1 safety.

Eric Wright

Eric Wright - San Francisco 49ers

1984 Topps #363 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive Back #21
Height:  6’1″          Weight:  183 lbs
Born:  April 18, 1959 in St. Louis Missouri
College:  Missouri
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (40th Overall) in 1981 Draft
Career:  1981 – 1990 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Eric Wright played for the San Francisco 49ers in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  Eric Wright played in 110 games during his 10 year career and recorded 18 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns and 1 returned 60 yards and 5 fumble recoveries.

Eric Davis

Eric Davis - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Fleer Update #U-47 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive Back #25
Height:  5’11”          Weight:  185 lbs
Born:  January 26, 1968 in Anniston Alabama
College:  Jacksonville State
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (53rd Overall) in 1990 Draft
Career:  1990 – 2002 – San Francisco 49ers (1990-1995), Carolina Panthers (1996-2000), Denver Broncos (2001), Detroit Lions (2002)
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Eric Davis played 188 games during his 13 year career and recorded 2 sacks, 38 interceptions with 4 returned for touchdowns, 12 fumble recoveries with 1 returned for a touchdown, 591 tackles and 66 assists.

Tim McDonald

Tim McDonald - St. Louis Cardinals - San Francisco 49ers

1990 Score #127 Rookie Card

Position:  Defensive Back #46
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  215 lbs
Born:  January 6, 1965 in Fresno California
College:  USC
Drafted:  St. Louis Cardinals picked in the 2nd Round (34th Overall) in 1987 Draft
Career:  1987 – 1999 – St. Louis Cardinals (1987-1992), San Francisco 49ers (1993-1999)
Highlights:  6 time Pro Bowler.  Tim McDonald played for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Tim McDonald started 187 of the 191 games he played during his 13 year career and recorded 9.5 sacks, 40 interceptions with 4 returned for touchdowns, 16 fumble recoveries with 1 returned for a touchdown, 1,063 tackles and 75 assists.

Ronnie Lott

Ronnie Lott - San Francisco 49ers

1982 Topps #486 Rookie Card

Position:  Corner Back #42
Height:  6’0″          Weight:  203 lbs
Born:  May 8, 1959 in Albuquerque New Mexico
College:  USC
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 1st Round (8th Overall) in 1981 Draft
Career:  1981 – 1994 – San Francisco 49ers (1981-1990), Los Angeles Raiders (1991-1992), New York Jets (1993-1994)
Highlights:  10 time Pro Bowler, 61 time First Team All Pro and inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2000.  Ronnie Lott played for the San Francisco 49ers in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XIX against the Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals and Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos.  Ronnie Lott started 189 of the 192 games he played during his 14 year career and recorded 8.5 sacks, 63 interceptions with 5 returned for touchdowns, 17 fumble recoveries, 1,113 tackles and 33 assists.

Merton Hanks

Merton Hanks - San Francisco 49ers - Seattle Seahawks - Cornerback

1991 Score #78T Rookie Card

Position:  Safety #36
Height:  6’2″          Weight:  185 lbs
Born:  March 12, 1968 in Dallas Texas
College:  Iowa
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 5th Round (122nd Overall) in 1991 Draft
Career:  1991 – 1999 – San Francisco 49ers (1991-1998), Seattle Seahawks (1999)
Highlights:  4 time Pro Bowler and 1 time First Team All Pro.  Merton Hanks played for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  Merton Hanks started 108 of the 137 games he played during his 9 year career and recorded 3 sacks, 33 interceptions with 3 returned for touchdowns, 10 fumble recoveries with 2 returned for touchdowns, 445 tackles and 46 assists.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Ray Wersching

Ray Wersching - San Diego Chargers - San Francisco 49ers

1976 Topps #304 Rookie Card

Position:  Kicker #14
Height:  5’11”          Weight:  213 lbs
Born:  August 21, 1950 in Mondsee, Austria
College:  California
Drafted:  Not Drafted
Career:  1973 – 1987 – San Diego Chargers (1973-1976), San Francisco 49ers (1977-1987)
Highlights:  Ray Wersching played in 206 games during his 15 year career played for the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX against the San Diego Chargers.  During his career he made 222 Field Goals and 456 Extra Points scoring 1,122 total points putting him 2nd all time for scoring for the San Francisco 49ers behind Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Jerry Rice.

P – Tommy Davis

Tommy Davis - San Francisco 49ers

1962 Topps #158 Rookie Card

Position:  Punter – Kicker #36
Height:  6’0″          Weight:  215 lbs
Born:  October 13, 1934 in Shreveport Louisiana
College:  LSU
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 11th Round (128th Overall) in 1957 Draft
Career:  1959 – 1969 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler.  Tommy Davis played in 138 games during his 11 year career and punted 511 times for 22,833 yards with 82 yards as his longest punt and averaged 44.7 yards per punt.  He also was the Kicker for 4 years and made 130 field goals and 348 PATs scoring 738 points in his career.

PR – John Taylor

John Taylor - San Francisco 49ers

1989 Topps #13 Rookie Card

Position:  Wide Receiver – Punt Returner #82
Height:  6’1″          Weight:  185 lbs
Born:  March 31, 1962 in Pennsauken New Jersey
College:  Delaware State
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 3rd Round (76th Overall) in 1986 Draft
Career:  1987 – 1995 – San Francisco 49ers
Highlights:  2 time Pro Bowler.  John Taylor played for the San Francisco 49ers in 3 Super Bowls including Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Super Bowl XXIV against the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers.  John Taylor started 102 of the 121 games he played during his 9 year career and recorded 347 receptions for 5,598 yards and 43 touchdowns.  On Special Teams he returned 149 punts for 1,517 yards and 2 touchdowns with one returned 95 yards.

KR – Abe Woodson

Abe Woodson - San Francisco 49ers

1959 Topps #102 Rookie Card

Position:  Half Back – Kick Returner #40
Height:  5’11”          Weight:  188 lbs
Born:  February 15, 1934 in Jackson Mississippi
College:  Illinois
Drafted:  San Francisco 49ers picked in the 2nd Round (15th Overall) in 1957 Draft
Career:  1958 – 1966 – San Francisco 49ers (1958-1964), St. Louis Cardinals (1965-1966)
Highlights:  5 time Pro Bowler and 2 time First Team All Pro.  Abe Woodson played in 116 games during her 9 year career and on Special Teams he returned 123 punts for 956 yards and 2 touchdowns with the longest return at 85 yards.  He also returned 193 kicks for 5,538 yards and 5 touchdowns with 2 returns over 100 yards and the longest at 105 yards.

NICKNAME

  • The name was selected as a recognition of the pioneering and adventurous spirit of the men of the 1849 gold rush in the Sierra Nevada mountains east of San Francisco.

HEAD COACHES

  • Buck Shaw (1946-1954)
  • Red Strader (1955)
  • Frank Albert (1956-1958)
  • Red Hickey (1959-1963)
  • Jack Chrisitiansen (1963-1967)
  • Dick Nolan (1968-1975)
  • Monte Clark (1976)
  • Ken Meyer (1977)
  • Pete McCulley (1978)
  • Fred O’Conner (1978)
  • Bill Walsh (1979-1988)
  • George Seifert (1989-1996)
  • Steve Mariucci (1997-2003)
  • Dennis Erickson (2003-2004)
  • Mike Nolan (2005-2008)
  • Mike Singletary (2008-2010)
  • Jim Tomsula (2010)
  • Jim Harbaugh (2011-2014)
  • Jim Tomsula (2015)
  • Chip Kelly (2016)
  • Kyle Shanahan (2017-Present)

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

  • Super Bowl XVI (1981) – San Francisco 49ers defeat Cincinnati Bengals 26-21
  • Super Bowl XIX (1984) – San Francisco 49ers defeat Miami Dolphins 38-16
  • Super Bowl XXIII (1988) – San Francisco 49ers defeat Cincinnati Bengals 20-16
  • Super Bowl XXIV (1989) – San Francisco 49ers defeat Denver Broncos 55-10
  • Super Bowl XXIX (1994) – San Francisco 49ers defeat San Diego Chargers 49-26

NFL CHAMPIONS (PRE-1966)

  • None

AFC CHAMPIONS

  • None

SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES

  • Super Bowl XVI (1981) – San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
  • Super Bowl XIX (1984) – San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins
  • Super Bowl XXIII (1988) – San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
  • Super Bowl XXIV (1989) – San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos
  • Super Bowl XXIX (1994) – San Francisco 49ers vs. San Diego Chargers
  • Super Bowl XLVII (2012) – San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens

NFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES (PRE-1966)

  • None

NFL/NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

  • 1970, 1971, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2011, 2012

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

  • 1970, 1971, 1972, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2011, 2012

PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

  • 1957, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012

PLAYOFF RECORD

  • 31-21 .596

HALL OF FAME PLAYERS

  • Fred Dean DE (1981-1985)
  • Richard Dent DE (1994)
  • Chris Doleman DE (1996-1998)
  • Bob Hayes WR (1975)
  • Rickey Jackson DE (1994-1995)
  • John Henry Johnson FB (1954-1956)
  • Jimmy Johnson CB (1961-1976)
  • Ronnie Lott S (1981-1990)
  • Hugh McElhenny RB (1952-1960)
  • Joe Montana QB (1979-1992)
  • Leo Nomellini OT (1950-1963)
  • Joe Perry RB (1948-1960, 1963)
  • Jerry Rice WR (1985-2000)
  • Deion Sanders CB (1994)
  • Bob St. Clair OT (1953-1963)
  • O.J. Simpson RB (1978-1979)
  • Y.A. Tittle QB (1951-1960)
  • Bill Walsh Coach (1979-1988)
  • Dave Wilcox LB (1964-1974)
  • Rod Woodson CB (1997)
  • Steve Young QB (1987-1999)

RETIRED NUMBERS

  • 8 Steve Young QB (1987-1999)
  • 12 John Brodie QB (1957-1973)
  • 16 Joe Montana QB (1979-1992)
  • 34 Joe Perry RB (1948-1960, 1963)
  • 37 Jimmy Johnson DB (1961-1976)
  • 39 Hugh McElhenny RB (1952-1960)
  • 42 Ronnie Lott S (1981-1990)
  • 70 Charlie Kruger DT (1959-1973)
  • 73 Leo Nomellini OT (1950-1963)
  • 79 Bob St. Clair OT (1953-1963)
  • 80 Jerry Rice WR (1985-2000)
  • 87 Dwight Clark WR (1979-1987)

PRO BOWL MVP

  • 1955 Billy Wilson WR
  • 1958 Hugh McElhenny RB
  • 1996 Jerry Rice WR

AWARDS

COACH OF THE YEAR

  • 1981 Bill Walsh
  • 1990 George Seifert
  • 1994 George Seifert
  • 2011 Jim Harbaugh

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

  • 1970 Bruce Taylor CB
  • 1993 Dana Stubblefield DT
  • 2007 Patrick Willis LB

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

  • None

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • 1994 Deion Sanders CB
  • 1997 Dana Stubblefield DT

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  • 1987 Jerry Rice WR
  • 1988 Roger Craig RB
  • 1989 Joe Montana QB
  • 1992 Steve Young QB
  • 1993 Jerry Rice WR

NFL MVP

  • 1954 Joe Perry RB
  • 1970 John Brodie QB
  • 1989 Joe Montana QB
  • 1990 Joe Montana QB
  • 1992 Steve Young QB
  • 1994 Steve Young QB

SUPER BOWL MVP

  • Super Bowl XVI – Joe Montana QB (1981)
  • Super Bowl XIX – Joe Montana QB (1984)
  • Super Bowl XXIII – Jerry Rice WR (1988)
  • Super Bowl XXIV – Joe Montana QB (1989)
  • Super Bowl XXIX – Steve Young QB (1994)

 

Explore the rich history of the San Francisco 49ers. From Y.A. Tittle to Joe Montana. From “The Alley Oop” to “The Catch,” the San Francisco 49ers boast a deep history of brilliant coaches, hard hitting defenses and high powered offenses. the team through the fabulous fifties, covers their resurgence in the 70s and highlights the glory years of a dynasty that won 5 Super Bowls and the 1981 NFC Championship game.

©MMXIX My All Time Favorites, all pictures and logos, team names are property of the National Football League. This site is not affiliated with the NFL or San Francisco 49ers.  All Football Cards are low resolution scans from a personal collection and each is credited with the production company name and year.  This site is maintained for research purposes only.

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