Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the 5 best running backs of all time

By Douglas Totten

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SAN FRANCISCO – DECEMBER 1: Garrisson Hearst #20 of the San Francisco 49ers runs against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL game at 3 ComPark on December 1, 2002 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO – DECEMBER 1: Garrisson Hearst #20 of the San Francisco 49ers runs against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL game at 3 ComPark on December 1, 2002 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Garrison Hearst

Garrison Hearst could very well have been No. 1 on this list, had it not been for an awful ankle injury after his best statistical season in the 1998 playoffs, after which complications after his surgery with the blood circulation choked off the blood supply to the ankle. This led to Avascular Necrosis, which caused the talus bone in his foot to die — the same complication that occurred with Bo Jackson’s hip and caused him to retire.

In winning Comeback Player of the Year awards in 2001, after two seasons in rehabilitation, Hearst became the first NFL player to return from avascular necrosis, while also helping the 49ers return to their winning ways with a 12-4 season.

Hearst played two more seasons as primarily a change of pace back behind Kevin Barlow before playing one season with the Denver Broncos and retiring after the 2004 season.