Just how good was 49ers defensive legend Bryant Young?

The 49ers rightfully made Bryant Young a member of the franchise’s Hall of Fame, and it’s worthwhile just to recall how excellent he was.

Some would argue legendary San Francisco 49ers defensive end Bryant Young deserves a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Even though Young’s 89.5 total sacks, tied for 50th all time, fell short of the 100 generally considered for Canton, and many feel at least five Pro Bowl nominations are needed, there’s little questioning Young’s impact for those dear to the red and gold.

And Young’s rivals, too.

Former NFC West rivals, Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner, aren’t afraid to lobby Young’s case for the Hall of Fame.

Warner pointed this out earlier this year, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco:

"He was just a beast. You always say as a quarterback, the hardest thing to deal with is an interior pass rush. You know, guys who can create quick pressure up the middle against you. And that’s who Bryant Young was.Probably my greatest rivalry, whether I was with the Rams or the Cardinals, was the 49ers. I remember going against Bryant so many times, and he was just one of those transcendent guys, the interior of the defensive line. You just don’t see them very often. So I think he has a great case to make it into the Hall of Fame, as well."

If not in Canton, at least the longtime Niners legend secured himself a spot in the franchise’s own Hall of Fame, as news of the nomination was made public during San Francisco’s 2020 State of the Franchise event.

“Deservingly so” isn’t enough to praise Young.

For starters, the No. 7 overall pick from the 1994 NFL Draft spent his entire 14-year career with the Niners, which is commendable considering the introduction of the salary-cap era during his time.

And when the 49ers were going through cap hell in the early 2000s, Young stayed put.

But the fixture of Young in the offense is what should stand out. Not only did he set the franchise’s all-time sack total over that span, but he was easily among the pinnacles of the Niners fanbase. A “fan favorite,” to say the least, made even more special after what happened to him in 1998.

That year, Young suffered a severely broken leg in Week 13, which required extensive surgery to repair and limited him to just 12 games that year. It’s anyone’s guess whether San Francisco would have gotten past the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round of the playoffs that season with Bryant available. But what stood out was him returning with a vengeance in 1999, picking up 11 sacks, a safety, earning the second of his four Pro Bowl nods and receiving Comeback Player of the Year honors, too.

Bryant’s career was still productive even when the 49ers took a turn for the worse in the middle 2000s.

But what stands out to many a Niners fan was that final home game in Bryant’s last season, 2007, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which what ended up being a five-win 49ers team pulled off a surprising 21-19 win over a playoff-bound Bucs squad. Teammates carried Bryant off the field to the adoration of the Candlestick crowd.

Yes, one of Bryant’s greatest moments and a memory to be cherished.

Now, San Francisco’s best pass-rusher of all time gets another accolade to his credit, and there’s no doubting the fans will remember him as one of the best to don the red and gold.