Niner Noise
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Assembling the San Franciso 49ers all-time NFL playoff team

By Timothy L. Miller

Joe Montana and Steve Young, of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images)
Joe Montana and Steve Young, of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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San Francisco 49ers all-time playoff team
Joe Montana #16 and Steve Young #8 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco 49ers have played 51 NFL playoff games in the Super Bowl era. Here are the players who had the greatest postseason impact for the Niners at their respective positions.

For San Francisco 49ers fans, there is no sweetness to this year’s NFL postseason. Unfortunately, this is about as bitter as it gets. Not only did the Niners only win four games in 2018, but fans will now be subjected to watching one of their divisional arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, play in the NFC Championship Game this weekend.

In lieu of getting bogged down in our own little pity party, let’s reminisce about the “good ol’ days.” Joe Montana out-dueling Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX. Ronnie Lott, Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds and Danny Bunz stuffing Cincinnati Bengals fullback Pete Johnson on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line in Super Bowl XVI. Steve Young throwing six touchdowns and dominating the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Niner fans could go on and on.

So we assembled the San Francisco 49ers all-time NFL playoff team. This list includes the players who had the greatest postseason impact for the Niners’ storied franchise.

In order to make the San Francisco 49ers all-time NFL playoff team, a player must have started at least one postseason game for the Niners. Super Bowl victories weigh the heaviest, followed by other postseason wins and then playoff losses. And since you can’t get into the NFL playoffs without winning during the regular season, we also gave weight to a player’s regular season impact in postseason years.

Since the 49ers have such a rich playoff history, we include starters and backups at each position. Of course, some positions have absolute no-brainer selections, while others require a deeper dive and a full evaluation of a player’s contributions to the team.

You may not agree with every choice, but the point of this exercise is to start the conversation. Disagreements are not only accepted, but they are also encouraged, so sound off in the comments section.

Let’s kick off the San Francisco 49ers all-time NFL playoff team with the most important position on the football field: