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Who are the top San Francisco 49ers of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Bryant Young: a long-time stalwart on San Francisco’s defensive line, Young was a force in the middle during his prime, racking up 89.5 career sacks en route to four Pro Bowl teams, an All-Pro selection, and a Super Bowl victory.
9. Terrell Owens: despite his mercurial nature, Owens was one of the most feared receivers in history in his prime – during eight seasons with the 49ers, he was a 4x Pro Bowl and 3x All-Pro selection (twice leading the league in touchdown receptions) and is the second-leading receiver in team history behind only the incomparable Jerry Rice.
8. Roger Craig: the first running back in league history to accumulate both 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in a season, Craig was a 4x Pro Bowl and 1x All-Pro selection while starring on three Super Bowl-winning teams.
7. Joe Perry: the first African-American player to be named MVP, Perry was part of the 49ers’ “Million Dollar Backfield” in the mid-1950s and led the league in rushing in back-to-back years (1953 and 1954), retiring as the NFL’s all-time career rushing leader.
6. Patrick Willis: though he surprisingly retired from the NFL before turning 30, Willis was one of the league’s best linebackers and the heart and soul of the 49ers defense during his eight-year career – beginning with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, he racked up seven Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections while twice leading the league in total tackles.
5. Frank Gore: the third-leading rusher in NFL history, Gore was a 5x Pro Bowler in his prime with the 49ers and holds team records for both career rushing yards and single-season rushing yards (1,695 in 2006).
4. Ronnie Lott: as the defensive anchor of the 49ers teams that won four Super Bowls in the 1980s, Lott was an All-Decade selection at safety, earning nine Pro Bowl and four All-Pro selections during his time in San Francisco.
3. Steve Young: arguably the greatest left-handed quarterback in NFL history, Young won two MVPs and three Super Bowls (two as a backup to Joe Montana, one as the starter) en route to the Hall of Fame; not only did he lead the NFL in passer rating 6x, but he is also fifth all-time in quarterback rushing yards (4,239) and scored 43 touchdowns on the ground.
2. Joe Montana: a 2x regular season MVP, Montana is best-remembered for his postseason prowess – during his time with the 49ers, he led the team to a perfect 4-0 Super Bowl record in the 1980s and was the first player in league history to be named Super Bowl MVP 3x.
1. Jerry Rice: not only the best wide receiver in NFL history, Rice can also stake a claim to being the greatest football player ever – he holds nearly every single notable receiving record and is also the NFL’s career leader in games played by a position player, touchdowns scored, and all-purpose yards; as a member of the 49ers, he led the league in receiving 6x, was a Pro Bowler 12x, an All-Pro 10x, and won three Super Bowls.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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