Niner Noise takes an in-depth look at the 49ers’ rich stable of quarterbacks and ranks the top 10 in franchise history.
The San Francisco 49ers are a storied franchise that has had its share of elite-level quarterbacks. Some of these quarterbacks have helped the Niners win five Super Bowl championships, while others did all they could to get them there.
The 49ers have had some of the greatest players to ever play the position, and here we look at the top 10 to don the red and gold over the years, dating back to the team’s inception way back in 1946.
Without further delay, here are the 10 best quarterbacks in franchise history.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 10: Steve DeBerg
1978-1980
Quarterback Steve DeBerg doesn’t necessarily make this list because of an impressive résumé with San Francisco, a brief tenure that lasted only three seasons and paralleled a time when the 49ers were, putting it simply, awful.
Yet that three-year stretch ended up netting a total of 7,220 passing yards, which still ranks 10th all time in franchise history, putting him squarely on the list.
More importantly, though, DeBerg ended up serving as a mentor for another notable quarterback on this list (you might have heard of him), and that Hall of Famer later credited DeBerg with being one of the most important mentors for his budding career that would translate into the Niners becoming the team of the 1980s.
Have to give DeBerg credit for that.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 9: Jimmy Garoppolo
2017-2021
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to leave a complex and perhaps controversial legacy with the 49ers.
Once the high-profile backup to the inevitable first-ballot Hall of Famer Tom Brady with the New England Patriots, Jimmy G’s run with the Niners after being acquired at the 2017 NFL trade deadline led to a five-game win streak to close out the season.
Two years later, Garoppolo led San Francisco to within minutes of a championship victory in Super Bowl LIV, capping off a year in which he tossed for 3,978 yards, putting him fourth on the franchise’s all-time list for single-season pass yards.
But injuries, such as a torn ACL in 2018 and high-ankle sprains in 2020, thwarted Garoppolo’s chances to be “the guy” for more than just a few years, prompting the 49ers to aggressively pursue quarterback Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Niners won a lot with Garoppolo under center, though, putting him on this list.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 8: Alex Smith
2005-2012
His career might have gotten off to a rocky start, thanks to a franchise wallowing in all kinds of dysfunction.
But quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2005 NFL Draft, eventually transformed into a fan favorite once the Niners finally identified a head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who believed in him.
Smith’s turnaround after years of mismanagement and numerous offensive coordinators was a thing of beauty, and the embattled quarterback endeared himself to fans finally with his memorable efforts in the playoffs against the New Orleans Saints in early 2012.
He finished his seven-year San Francisco career with 14,280 pass yards and 81 touchdowns against 63 interceptions.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 7: Frankie Albert
1946-1952
Quarterback Frankie Albert was the first-ever 49ers signal-caller, taking the torch in 1946 when the franchise began and helped transition the team from the AAFC into the NFL. During his time with the Niners, Albert passed for 10,795 and 115 touchdowns.
Impressive, considering the time and the nature of the game.
Albert has also been labeled as the inventor of the “bootleg” play, where the quarterback would fake the handoff to the running back and run wide out with the ball hidden on their hip.
The “bootleg” play is still used today, marking a notable contribution from the Niners’ inaugural quarterback.
In 1948, Albert had his best season with San Francisco, finishing with a 12-2 record as a starter and co-winning the All-America Football Conference’s Most Valuable Player award along with Otto Graham, and Albert’s 10,795 passing yards still rank No. 8 in franchise history.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 6: Colin Kaepernick
2011-2016
Yes, Colin Kaepernick is one of the best quarterbacks in 49er history.
Although, marred by a horrendous 2015 campaign in which he was dealing with a shoulder injury, when you look at his whole body of work and how he helped redefine the position when he first took over as a starter in 2012, it’s still impressive.
Even in 2016, when Kap’s Niners were terrible en route to a two-win season, he still managed 16 touchdowns against just four interceptions with an atrocious supporting cast.
While his NFL career eventually became known for his social-justice work, Kaepernick nevertheless tossed for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Known as a highly athletic mobile quarterback, Kaepernick also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns en route to a 28-30 record over his career.
What puts him so high on this list, aside from his physical gifts, is that Kaepernick is the only quarterback in 49ers history to win three playoff road games and has a 4-2 record in the playoffs as a starter. In 2012, he led the Niners to their sixth Super Bowl and, although coming up short, he left it all out on the field.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 5: John Brodie
1957-1973
One quarterback who probably doesn’t receive anywhere close to the kind of attention other San Francisco signal-callers have received, John Brodie is still ranked as the longest-tenured player in 49ers history, playing for 17 seasons with the franchise.
During his 17 years, he amassed 31,548 yards passing and 214 touchdowns and ranks second in the former category of all those Niners quarterbacking greats over the years. Perhaps only the fact he was overshadowed by two exceptional quarterbacks who followed him keeps him out of the top running, although he’s still in the top five.
In 1970, Brodie finished the season with a 10-3-1 record, helping the team win its first divisional championship and capping it with winning the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award.
Brodie is one of 12 players to have had their jersey retired by the 49ers, proving he is one of the best quarterbacks in franchise history.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 4: Y.A. Tittle
1951-1960
Legendary Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle spent 10 seasons with the 49ers, and during his time, he threw for 16,016 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per pass attempt. He also tallied 118 touchdowns and 134 interceptions during that span.
Tittle was apart of the legendary “Million Dollar Backfield”, along with Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry and John Henry Johnson, too, marking one of the great stretches in early Niners history.
While with the 49ers, Tittle was named to the Pro Bowl four times, and in 1957, he secured an All-Pro selection and won the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
Tittle spent time with the New York Giants, which arguably put a stamp on his legendary career and kept him out of the top three. But still, in 1970, was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 3: Jeff Garcia
1999-2003
Perhaps some recency bias here, at least in contrast to Y.A. Tittle, but Bay Area native Jeff Garcia started his NFL career with the 49ers after being signed in 1999, following a Grey Cup championship for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.
He spent his first season as a backup to the next quarterback on this list, Steve Young, and when Young was sidelined with a concussion, Garcia got his first start as a 49er. Garcia won his first start against the Tennessee Titans and finished the season throwing 11 touchdowns to 11 interceptions.
It wasn’t until 2000 that Garcia really performed, after Young had retired, he earned the starting role going into the season. He finished the 2000 season throwing for a new 49ers passing record with 4,278 yards, which still stands today, along with 31 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions.
Garcia’s performance that year earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance.
In the next two seasons, Garcia had led the Niners to their first playoff appearance in two years and their first divisional title since 1997.
He finished with a 36-35 record as a starter with San Francisco and is still the last 49er quarterback to have made the Pro Bowl.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 2: Steve Young
1987-1999
Steve Young had the daunting task of taking over for a Hall of Fame quarterback in Joe Montana after joining the 49ers in 1987, then playing sporadically behind Montana in what was an awkward back-and-forth deployment by legendary head coach Bill Walsh.
In Young’s first couple seasons, he was often criticized on his play, even by his own teammates. He was seen as a “wild” man, and was so much different from Montana.
It wasn’t until 1992 that Young started his first full season. That’s when he started to flourish, throwing for 3,465 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Two years later, Young led the Niners to Super Bowl XXIX, beating the San Diego Chargers and cementing himself as an elite quarterback, setting numerous playoff records in the process. Young was named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player and became the first quarterback to lead his team in a Super Bowl in both yards passing and rushing.
Young played 13 seasons with the 49ers, starting in 124 games and finishing with an impressive 91-33 record. He won three Super Bowls (one as a starter) and was named All-Pro three times.
Young was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005 and has his jersey number retired by the 49ers.
49ers All-Time Quarterback No. 1: Joe Montana
1979-1992
Joe Montana isn’t only the greatest quarterback in 49ers history, he is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. And it took Tom Brady, a Montana and Niners fan as a kid, to have a legendary kind of career to surpass Montana’s own greatness.
Although that might not change the minds of many a Montana or San Francisco fan to this day.
Montana spent 14 seasons with the 49ers, spending the first couple mainly as a backup to Steve DeBerg. When Montana took over, though, he never looked back, leading the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories in 1981, 1984, 1988 and 1989.
Montana was named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player in three of the four.
During his time with San Francisco, Montana started in 139 games, finishing with a final record of 100-39 and throwing for 35,124 yards, 244 touchdowns and 123 interceptions. Montana was one of the most accurate passers of all-time, averaging 63.2 completion percentage in his career.
Montana was an eight-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro and named the league MVP twice.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 and has his jersey number retired by the 49ers. There’s little more you need to know about one of the NFL’s all-time greats.