Niner Noise digs through the archives, ranking the 49ers’ 15 most beloved fan favorites in the history of the franchise. Where does your favorite player rank?
It’s not hard to come up with lists chronicling the San Francisco 49ers‘ all-time greats. The Niners have had more than their fair share of those players over the years, record holders, Hall of Famers and icons who define the game itself.
These are the players fans remember for years after each decided to call it a career. In most cases, these are the players fans came to love and adore during their careers donning the red and gold.
For the most part, at least.
Yet there are inevitably some differences between all-time greats and the most beloved 49ers of all time. The rankings surely will be a bit different, and the global expansion of media during the past few decades has made it easier for fans to fall in love with players than the early years of the franchise dating back to its inception in 1946.
These players are well-known because of the adoration from the Niners Faithful. But before we can get into the top 15, let’s take a look at some players who barely missed the cut.
49ers Honorable Mentions
Tight End George Kittle
Right now, Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle could arguably be looked at as the No. 1 beloved player on the Niners. He is, after all, pretty entertaining in addition to his record-setting on-field efforts from 2018 and electric personality.
Given Kittle has been within the pro ranks for only a few years now, let’s wait a while to see if he can climb into the top 15 down the road.
Probably.
Wide Receiver Terrell Owens
Let’s face it. You either love Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens or you can’t stand him. You can’t, however, deny how big a factor he was on the field.
T.O. certainly created waves in San Francisco. And many fans have moved past some of the antics and controversy he caused during his Niners tenure, embracing him as the star he was for the 49ers for so many years.
Wide Receiver R.C. Owens
If the late wide receiver R.C. Owens was alive today and playing, he would have been a superstar. Nicknamed “Alley-Oop” by his teammates, the 49ers’ 1956 NFL Draft choice helped perfect the “go up and get it” catches in the end zone so worthy of posters and highlight reels today.
For those lucky enough to have watched Owens, they’ll never forget it.
Running Back Garrison Hearst
Had running back Garrison Hearst enjoyed a longer tenure with the Niners, he’d easily be within the top 15. And remember, he missed two of his prime years suffering from avascular necrosis, yet returned with a Pro Bowl-level 1,206 rushing yardage season in 2001.
Fans don’t forget things like that.
Running Back Joe Perry
Like Owens, there aren’t too many of us around who saw running back Joe Perry emerge as one of the NFL’s most dominant rushers of his era.
Yet Perry’s name became more of a household one when another player on this list (we’ll get to him shortly) started to inch closer to his franchise rushing record.
During his heyday, Perry was arguably the most electrifying running back in the 1950s. His return to San Francisco during his twilight season in 1963 was one most 49ers fans probably wish they had witnessed.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 15. NaVorro Bowman
One can only wonder the kind of career linebacker NaVorro Bowman would have had if he somehow managed to avoid the devastating knee injury he suffered during the 2014 NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks. A 2016 Achilles tear didn’t help either.
But that didn’t change the fact Bowman emerged as one of the most dominant linebackers in franchise history — a point not lost on 49ers fans everywhere, especially considering he sacrificed his body, and possibly his career, to try pushing San Francisco into the Super Bowl back in 2014.
In addition to being one half of perhaps the greatest linebacking tandem in recent NFL memory, Bowman also earns a spot on this list for his “Pick at the Stick” against the Atlanta Falcons in December 2013, the final game at Candlestick Park and a venue with so many red and gold memories:
The 49ers eventually moved on from Bowman in 2017, and he spent the rest of the year with the cross-bay rivals in the Oakland Raiders before going unsigned in 2018.
Admit it, though. You got a little teary-eyed when you found out Bowman was returning to San Francisco to retire with the 49ers.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 14. Y.A. Tittle
It’s pretty easy to come up with the two most popular quarterbacks in 49ers franchise history.
Finding the third is a little more difficult.
But one of the reasons for putting the late Y.A. Tittle on this list is him becoming a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s not too shabby the Niners can call three of their own signal-callers Hall of Famers.
Granted, a sizable chunk of Tittle’s resume came from his latter days with the New York Giants. But his four Pro Bowl nods and one first-team All-Pro selection during his San Francisco span can’t go unnoticed.
Those accolades, combined with enshrinement in Canton, put Tittle ahead of other second-tier quarterbacking greats, such as Jeff Garcia and John Brodie.
And while Tittle never enjoyed the kind of exposure from the media players receive now, he did wind up being the centerpiece of one of the most iconic photos in NFL history. Even if it was during his tenure with the Giants.
To truly qualify Tittle’s placement on this list, though, ask yourself who might be the three greatest quarterbacks in 49ers history without looking at stats or other rankings.
There’s a good chance Tittle makes that list.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 13. Jesse Sapolu
There are certainly a few 49ers offensive linemen who stand out as favorites, and you’re going to find a couple on this list.
Rising out of a lot of the favorites, though, is Jesse Sapolu, who spent his entire 13-year NFL career in San Francisco — a span which included two Pro Bowl appearances and Sapolu anchoring the Niners’ offensive line through the dynasty years and into the latter half of the 1990s.
If anything, aside from being a standout lineman, Sapolu was a constant and earned adoration from the 49ers Faithful everywhere.
Seriously, you can’t find anything bad said about the guy.
But what should endear Sapolu even more to the fanbase is the fact he played with a heart disease, which could have killed him any moment.
Thankfully, it didn’t.
After his career was over, Sapolu wrote a book named I Gave My Heart to San Francisco, chronicling both his career and love for the city. Additionally, he remains heavily involved in both the community and Niners alumni.
And the fans certainly love him back for it.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 12. Bryant Young
Fans may recall the end of the 2007 NFL season. The 49ers were bad, yes. They had been bad for a while, which was a shame, as it was the finale for standout defensive tackle Bryant Young.
In Week 16, during the Niners’ last home game of the season, Bryant and the 49ers managed to knock off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 21-19. Many a fan can recall how it felt as if the team was doing it for B.Y.
Young, San Francisco’s first-round pick from the 1994 NFL Draft, still holds the franchise record for sacks (89.5). It wouldn’t be a shock to see that record stand for quite a while.
Additionally, he made the Pro Bowl four times and was a First-Team All-Pro once.
There’s an argument Young, too, should be enshrined in Canton. While he might never get there, Young certainly is regarded as a 49ers all-time great and fan favorite.
In all, Young spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Niners, and at least the team got him a Super Bowl ring early in his career. It’s a shame he couldn’t get a second, but that doesn’t keep him from being an absolute fan favorite and one of the most well-regarded defenders in 49ers history.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 11. Bill Walsh
There are those who’d argue Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh should be higher on this list. After all, he turned the franchise around from a perennial laughingstock into the team of the 1980s. He was the innovative genius responsible for the creation and development of the West Coast offense.
Walsh discovered quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Dwight Clark, too, when nearly every other scout and team turned the other way.
Fans rarely go to games to watch head coaches, so that’s the reason he’s a little lower on this list than others. But even being mentioned among the 49ers’ most beloved is noteworthy, so let’s not take anything away from Walsh.
Walsh isn’t just beloved in Niners circles either. All you need to do is watch the below video to see how Walsh influenced so many of the coaches from his time through today:
Yeah, pretty special.
Yet what might be even more striking was the amount of doubt and difficulty Walsh had to overcome en route to being arguably the most influential and successful head coach of his time. Those are life lessons any fan can relate to, and it serves to make Walsh one of the most iconic persons in league history.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 10. Roger Craig
Those who decide may have concluded running back Roger Craig doesn’t deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But you won’t convince any 49ers fan he doesn’t belong.
You see, Craig was the epitome of those multi-faceted tailbacks capable of ripping off huge chunks of yards on the ground, while also serving as a dynamic pass-catcher out of the backfield. So many of today’s dual-threat running backs owe their careers to what Craig helped establish during the Niners’ heyday years.
Craig managed over 2,000 all-purpose twice in his 11-year NFL career, including leading the league in 1988 with 2,036 — one of his four trips to the Pro Bowl.
In total, Craig amounted to 13,143 total yards, which currently stands 69th on the all-time list. A longer career could have meant more, and that’s what likely keeps him out of Canton.
But again, no Niners fan feels that’s justified.
What endeared Craig to San Francisco fans, though, is him being considered one of the three elite runners in franchise history. One, Joe Perry, has already been mentioned. The other is still to come.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 9. Eddie DeBartolo Jr.
There are many owners out there who show little interest in whether or not the team is winning. Sure, wins and championships are great. But as long as the financial returns are worthwhile, nothing else truly matters.
Just don’t say that about former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr.
It’s not hard to argue that DeBartolo is totally responsible for the Niners’ five Super Bowl championships. Yes, he had a rough go of things early during his ownership tenure when he took over the team in 1977 (don’t ask about his hiring of general manager Joe Thomas), and the factors that led to him selling the team to his sister Denise York and her family in 2000 are still considered a stain on the franchise.
Still, DeBartolo’s approach should be considered revolutionary. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young certainly thought so.
“In most of the league, the players were chattel,” Young said of how things were done before DeBartolo’s model. “What I see in the league today are owners who have made their players partners. That changes the nature of the NFL.”
DeBartolo treated his players like family. The fans recognized it, too.
And if you’re still not sure whether DeBartolo belongs on this list or not, especially this high, try thinking about other former owners across all sports where he or she is so revered by the fanbase.
Tough, isn’t it?
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 8. Ronnie Lott
Just like Bill Walsh, fans certainly loved Eddie DeBartolo Jr. but didn’t come to Candlestick Park to see him on the field.
They did, however, come to games to watch the next player on this list make plays in Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott.
FanSided
Lott, who started his Niners career as a cornerback, eventually became known for being arguably the hardest-hitting safety in the history of the league.
At a time when a wide receiver going over the middle of the field almost always resulted in punishment, Lott’s tenacity on the field was easily something worth the endearment.
Oh, and his 10 Pro Bowls (nine in a 49ers uniform) and five First-Team All-Pro selections in San Francisco help, too.
There was a poster of Lott back in the 1980s, reading “Refreshes a Lott,” many a youth had on bedroom walls. I certainly did.
And while most Niners fans of the decade were loving what the team was doing on the offensive side of the ball, they couldn’t wait for the defense to come out just to see what kind of impact Lott would have in the game.
Let’s just say he had quite a Lott of impact during his storybook career, forever cementing himself as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 7. Joe Staley
Younger generations of 49ers fans certainly know the name Ronnie Lott, and most have probably gone back and watched highlights of Lott’s incredible play.
But those same fans also enjoyed watching left tackle Joe Staley perform at a dominant level, even though he reached the point in 2020 to finally call it a career, unfortunately never winning a Super Bowl during his storybook time within the league.
Staley, the Niners’ 2007 first-round draft choice, has spent his entire career in San Francisco, earning six Pro Bowl nods and counting. He’s arguably one of only a handful of players from this century so far worthy of being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It’s anyone’s guess whether that honor falls on Staley’s shoulders or not. But the Niners Faithful certainly would think so.
Yet Staley’s beloved placement on this list goes far beyond his on-field abilities. Most offensive linemen need to be a bit crazy. “Eccentric,” perhaps, and Staley is perhaps the most outgoing San Francisco player in recent memory.
If he’s not, the fact Staley stuck around for so long means he was, is and will always be a fan favorite.
Even long after he retires.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 6. Patrick Willis
Let’s rewind back to 2015. There’s some stunning news coming out of 49ers camp, and it’s not looking good.
Perennial All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis is retiring.
To quantify just how hard it was to watch Willis call it a career, following his five-time First-Team All-Pro resume, just go back and watch his retirement presser once more:
Hurts, doesn’t it?
In fairness to Willis, injuries began to take their toll late in his career leading up to 2015. He had been surpassed by NaVorro Bowman as the team’s best linebacker, yet the ability to continue to fight on was simply too much for one of San Francisco’s all-time greats.
Just think about it. For years, 49ers fans everywhere were clinging to the hope Willis would come out of retirement, certainly sparked by one 2016 rumor he’d be doing so.
But Willis shot those rumors down quickly, probably forcing more than a handful of the 49ers Faithful to shed a tear about the superstar not stepping on the field ever again in that role.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 5. Steve Young
Few teams around the league are fortunate enough to see the proverbial “passing of the baton” from one Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound quarterback to another future Hall of Famer.
But that’s the case for 49ers fans, who watched Joe Montana turn over the reins to Steve Young.
San Francisco didn’t lose a lot there.
Young might not have been “Joe Cool.” But he was electrifying in his own right. And anyone who remembers that dramatic scramble against the Minnesota Vikings back in 1988 can probably attest to that being the moment he or she became a fan of Young.
And it only got better from there.
Young would go on to become one of the faces of the franchise, making the Pro Bowl seven times and earning three First-Team All-Pro selections, as the Niners transitioned from being the team in the 1980s to a still-dominant squad the following decade.
Breaking even more records in Super Bowl XXIX — the 49ers’ fifth championship — only solidified the deserved accolade and adoration.
To cap it all off, Young remains heavily involved with the franchise and continues to be one of its many ambassadors to this day.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 4. Frank Gore
If you were to ask 49ers fans who the No. 1 most-adored player in franchise history who happened to be still playing, the answer would undoubtedly be Frank Gore.
Gore, the Niners’ all-time leading rusher, saw his tenure with San Francisco come to a close after the 2014 NFL season. Yet Gore still churns out yardage, and he’ll probably end up retiring when he’s in his 60s. Maybe later.
Either way, fans have to admit they shed a few tears of happiness when Gore announced his plans to eventually retire with the 49ers.
Whenever that is, of course. And it probably won’t happen anytime soon. Gore has a number of records to reach, after all.
Gore’s competitive drive, especially when he was the team’s biggest weapon during some down years, endeared him to fans. Teammates, too, especially Joe Staley:
You’re my favorite player in history of the world. https://t.co/HMT4Lebtxa
— Joe Staley (@jstaley74) November 15, 2018
There are probably a few Niners fans who feel the same way.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 3. Joe Montana
If fans had to pick just one player to forever represent the 49ers, it likely would come down to another guy on this list and Joe Montana.
Montana, who was overlooked by everyone except for Bill Walsh back in the 1979 NFL Draft, helped spark what would become the team’s dynasty years in the 1980s.
And there are those out there, particularly San Francisco fans, who view those teams as the best in NFL history.
Many probably feel Montana, not the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady, remains the greatest quarterback of all time.
Montana never tossed a Super Bowl interception, after all.
Regardless of the argument, there’s no doubting Montana paved the way for so many of the great quarterbacks to come.
Brady was a childhood fan of Montana. So was the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.
If those two future Pro Football Hall of Famers consider Montana their big influence, how can he be left off this list?
Granted, there may be those questioning why he’s not higher. But there are some pretty good reasons why Montana has the two last players on this list of favorites ahead of him.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 2. Dwight Clark
There’s some tragedy involved with the No. 2 player on San Francisco’s most beloved players in franchise history.
That said, seeing just how one former 49ers player’s passing from ALS affected people, it makes sense to bump the late wide receiver, Dwight Clark, up to this spot.
Clark doesn’t need any credibility to make this list. After all, his 1982 NFC Championship game-winning reception against the Dallas Cowboys was called “The Catch.” Not “The Throw” or “The Play.”
And if you read the inscription on Clark’s headstone, reading “the dynasty began with you” is a very fitting tribute.
Other tributes help push Clark all the way into the second spot on this list. All one has to do is watch the recent documentary on fans’ adoration of Clark, called Letters to 87.
Clark’s catch became one of those “where were you?” moments. And for those who weren’t alive or were too young to remember, it forever became a part of team lore.
So has Clark’s legacy, which is forever cemented in his tribute documentary.
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 1. Jerry Rice
There might still be a debate over who the best quarterback in NFL history is. But there shouldn’t be a debate about the greatest player overall.
And, of course, he’s part of 49ers lore.
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Wide receiver Jerry Rice has records that will never be broken. Just think, his 22,895 receiving yards stand well over 5,000 more than the No. 2 player on that all-time list, eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald.
Rice’s work ethic and his flashy abilities endeared him to fans quickly back in the 1980s. And he carried that same flare into the 1990s, too, going on to solidify himself as the most potent and impactful player of all time.
And it’s pretty easy to rank him as the No. 1 fan favorite among 49ers fans everywhere.
Rice’s personality was addictive. Having interviewed him a couple of times myself, I can attest to his down-to-earth-yet-fun demeanor. He was the kind of player kids adore and love, growing up to tell their children, “I watched the greatest football player ever to play the game.”
Fans take pride in that, too. For every all-time greatest players list put out there, the Niners Faithful can always relax knowing their favorite, Rice, is forever cemented at No. 1.