Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 10 most underrated players in franchise history

By Peter Panacy

January 14, 1990: Wide receiver John Taylor of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball during a playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The 49ers won the game, 30-3. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule /Allsport
January 14, 1990: Wide receiver John Taylor of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball during a playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. The 49ers won the game, 30-3. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule /Allsport /
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Running back Garrison Hearst #20 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Running back Garrison Hearst #20 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

Running Back. 49ers Tenure: 1997-2003. Garrison Hearst. 3. player. 42.

Running back Garrison Hearst might not have been a beneficiary of Tom Rathman-type of player, but that doesn’t keep the former from earning the No. 3 spot on Niner Noise’s all-time underrated list.

After joining San Francisco in 1997, Hearst would eventually miss two years (1999 and 2000) with avascular necrosis but still managed to record three 1,000-plus yard seasons and came just 28 yards short of a fourth back in 2002.

And who could forget his 96-yard overtime touchdown run against the New York Jets back in 1998 — the year in which he rushed for a whopping 1,570 yards?

Hearst’s 7,966 rushing yards puts him No. 52 on the league’s all-time rushing list, 359 yards above Hall of Famer Terrell Davis.

But Hearst’s 5,535 rush yards in San Francisco is good enough for fifth on the franchise’s all-time rushing leaders list.

Certainly not bad for a player who spent a total of just five active seasons with the team.