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San Francisco 49ers: 5 greatest running backs in franchise history

By Robert Smith

Nov 17, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of a game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) against the New Orleans Saints during the first quarter of a game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-28. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-28. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

With the San Francisco 49ers bringing in a new general manager and head coach, who have embraced the organization’s historic past, it reminds us of some of the great players that have donned the red and gold over the years. Niner Noise ranks the top five running backs in franchise history.

As the San Francisco 49ers begin the painstaking process of rebuilding this once-proud franchise, new head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have done something the last few regimes seemed unwilling to do: embrace the past.

Seeing the faces of past 49er greats like Jerry Rice, Steve Young, and Mike Shanahan (to name a few) walk through the facilities recently has brought a bit of nostalgia along with it.

With so many great players in it’s rich history, there were some tough choices. Narrowing it down to five made it more of a challenge and definitely more debatable.

Using a guideline of overall stats, impact on the team/league, and historical significance, here are the five greatest running backs in 49ers history.