Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 10 best linebackers in franchise history

By Logan Stanley

December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers former player Patrick Willis before the game against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers former player Patrick Willis before the game against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers former player Patrick Willis before the game against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
December 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers former player Patrick Willis before the game against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. The Jets defeated the 49ers 23-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Patrick Willis

49ers Tenure: 2007 – 2014

Pro Bowl Selections: 7

The one that got away. The one that you didn’t get enough time to spend with. This is the sentiment most of the 49er fan base feels about linebacker Patrick Willis.

What more can you say about Willis?

  • Pro Bowl selection and voted first team All-Pro as a rookie after finishing with 135 tackles in his debut season
  • Four consecutive seasons of 100+ tackles
  • 732 career tackles in 112 games played (1st on 49ers leaderboards)
  • Five first team All-Pro selections
  • Six out of seven seasons made the Pro Bowl

The only thing you can debate about the vitality of Willis’ greatness is the lack of longevity. He retired after seven seasons, citing the physical aspect of the game had taken its toll. But you cannot debate whether or not his play merits the respect — it definitively does.

The only reason he’ll be denied entry to the Hall of Fame, if he is, will be due to him playing only seven seasons. I don’t see that happening, and I believe he’s a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. We’ll see how the voters feel two years from now when he’s first eligible.

Next: San Francisco 49ers: 5 early predictions for the 53-man roster

One doesn’t typically think of the 49ers when considering the NFL’s great linebackers. But when looking up and down the list, San Francisco holds their own in terms of having some great ones play the position.