“If Frank Gore isn’t the top 49ers running back on this list, this guy is an idiot!”
The San Francisco 49ers have had a ton of talented running backs dawn the red and gold uniform over the years, but these 10 players are the best to ever do it. Each of these players has left behind a legacy that will stick with Niners fans until the end of time.
I’ll get it out of the way quickly: Of course, the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, Frank Gore, is the top dog on this list. And, no, it is not up for debate, but we’ll go into more detail on his illustrious career later in the article especially comparing what he was able to do alongside some of the other great San Francisco runners over the team’s storied history dating back to 1946.
Where we may disagree are from spots two through 10, so let’s dive in.
Some Honorable mentions:
- Delvin Williams (1974-1977)
- Kevan Barlow (2001-2005)
- Wilbur Jackson (1974-1979)
- Charlie Garner (1999-2000)
- Tom Rathman (1986-1993)
A case can be made for every one of these players to make the list, but sadly some had to be left off. This isn’t to say I don’t think they’re memorable players. They just aren’t in the top 10 but still deserve a little bit of recognition.
No. 10: Ricky ‘Running’ Watters (1991-1995)
Ricky Watters may actually be more famous for his time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks than he is for the 49ers since he only played three full seasons in red and gold.
Nonetheless, he was quite productive during his years with the Niners, finishing with 653 rushes for 2,840 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns in his 43 games with the team. Watters was also known for his elite skill in the passing game, finishing with 140 catches for 1,405 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during his tenure with San Francisco.
Watters’ three-touchdown performance in the 1995 Super Bowl (one rushing and two receiving) against the San Diego Chargers and his five-touchdown performance in the 1994 divisional-round game against the New York Giants (all five rushing) will go down as his best games as a Niner, as well as some of the best Niners rushing performances of all time.
He may not have loved being a Niner, but he would have probably been one of the organization’s top five running backs of all time had he stuck around a little longer.
No. 9: Wendell Tyler (1983-1986)
Wendell Tyler didn’t start his career at Candlestick Park, but he ended it there and did so in spectacular fashion.
Tyler was the starting running back alongside Roger Craig in the 1985 Super Bowl against the Miami Dolphins in which he totaled 135 yards (receiving and rushing). Following his long stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Tyler contributed four highly productive seasons in which he averaged 5.0 yards per carry for a total of 3,112 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Tyler’s true shining moment with the team was during the 1984 season when he earned the only Pro Bowl appearance of his career, totaling 1,262 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry.
Many fans wonder “what could have been?” had Tyler been around a little longer as he fit perfectly in Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh’s West Coast system.
No. 8: Ken Willard (1965-1973)
Ken Willard spent nine seasons with the 49ers, where he accrued 5,930 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns in his 125 career games with the organization, placing him at No. 4 on both the team’s all-time rushing yards and touchdown list.
Willard was a four-time Pro Bowler and received much praise for his bruising and fearless style of play. He is also widely known as the player who was drafted second overall in the 1965 NFL Draft, ahead of two future Hall of Famers: Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus.
Nonetheless, Willard was still good enough to be considered as one of the greatest 49ers rushers of all time.
Willard retired following his 10th NFL season due to injuries, where he finished (then) eighth all time in NFL rushing yards and was a part of the teams that won three NFC West titles (1971, 1971, 1972).
He was not considered as a fast or elusive runner, but he will go down in history as one of the meanest runners of his era.
No. 7: Johnny Strzykalski (1946-1952)
Most fans know Johnny Strzykalski as the organization’s first running back, playing 13 games in the team’s inaugural season in 1946.
His 5.2 yards-per-carry average is among the highest of 49ers running backs all time for a total of 3,415 yards and 19 touchdowns in 81 games for the franchise.
Not only was Strzykalski the first Niners running back ever, but he was also the first great running back to ever play for the franchise. During his second and third seasons, he led the league in yards per carry with 6.3 and 6.5 yards, respectively. It should be noted Strzykalski played in a much rougher and vastly more dangerous era. Every hit hurt during this chapter of the game, so you have to respect it.
Nonetheless, Strzykalski was considered as one of the best rushers of his time and deserves a spot on this list.
Fun Fact: Strzykalski only fumbled TWICE during his seven seasons with San Francisco.
No. 6: J.D. Smith (1956-1964)
J.D. Smith was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 15th round in 1955 NFL Draft but skipped his rookie year to serve in the Korean War. Following his return from Korea in 1956, Smith was waived by the Bears where he served primarily as a defensive player and kick return specialist during his short stint with the team.
He was then quickly claimed off waivers by the 49ers where he initially served as a cornerback but was transitioned into a full-time ball carrier by the organization. Smith went on to claim the starting running back job by 1959, where he rushed for 1,036 yards and became only the second player ever to break the 1,000-yard threshold for the 49ers in a single season.
He finished second in rushing yards that season in the NFL, behind the great Hall of Famer, Jim Brown.
Smith went on to lead the Niners in rushing for five consecutive seasons and left his mark on the franchise forever by being one of the team’s most dynamic backs of all time. Smith is currently sixth on the 49ers all-time rushing list with 1,007 carries, 4,370 yards and 37 rushing touchdowns during his eight seasons with the team.
No. 5: Garrison Hearst (1997-2003)
Garrison Hearst was nothing but productive during his seven seasons with the 49ers.
In 63 games with the red and gold, Hearst averaged a noteworthy 4.7 yards per carry, totaling 5,535 yards and 26 touchdowns, placing him at No. 5 among 49ers rushers all time. He was also a consistent contributor in the passing game, totaling 174 catches in his seven-year tenure with the team. He achieved Pro Bowl status twice in his time with San Francisco, as well as a second-team All-Pro selection as well.
Hearst was a tackle-breaking machine and is often touted as one of the most elusive players to ever wear the red and gold uniform. His ability to juke and confuse opposing defenders with his game-breaking speed was second to none. His infamous injury which took him out of the game for two full seasons will go down as one of the best NFL comeback stories of all time.
For those who may not know, Hearst missed two straight seasons with the 49ers due to a nasty ankle break and surgery complications, for which some said he would never play football again. Nonetheless, Hearst came back strong in 2001, winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after totaling 1,206 rushing yards on 4.8 yards per carry in 16 games.
Hearst’s devotion and commitment to the game mixed with his abundance of skill are why he will always be remembered as one of the organization’s best running backs of all time.
No. 4: Hugh ‘The King’ McElhenny (1952-1960)
Hugh ‘The King’ McElhenny was as elusive as they come. He was a jet on the field, dodging and spinning away from defenders with a level of flair that was unheard of in his era. He also rightfully received a great deal of praise for his receiving ability, was seen as one of the most complete athletes of his time and a prototypical football player.
His accolades as a Niner include six Pro Bowl appearances, five first-team All-Pro selections and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970. His 4.9 yards per carry for a total of 4,288 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns slot him in at No. 7 on Niners’ all-time rushing list.
McElhenny was also a part of the famous 49ers “Million-Dollar Backfield” that consisted of himself, running back Joe Perry, quarterback Y.A. Tittle and running back John Henry Johnson. He is definitely one of the most renowned 49ers of all time, and was considered as one of the most famous athletes of his era. NFL Network listed “The King” as their fourth most elusive running back of all time.
Talk about praise.
Fun Fact: The Pro Football Hall of Fame was quoted saying: “Hugh McElhenny was to pro football in the 1950s and early 1960s what Elvis Presley was to rock and roll.”
No. 3: Joe ‘The Jet’ Perry (1948-1963)
The following three names need no introduction, starting with Joe “The Jet” Perry.
A true Niner if there ever was one, Perry’s career with the team spanned over 14 seasons in which he accrued 8,689 rushing yards (second all time) and 68 touchdowns (first all time). His career accolades are plentiful, and he was often regarded as the best running backs of his generation. His lightning-fast speed and ability to break tackles with ease landed him a league MVP award in 1954, making him the only player on this list to ever receive the honor for San Francisco. His extremely efficient 5.2 yards per carry is among the highest ever by a Niners rusher.
Perry did have some fumbling issues (60 total fumbles throughout his 14 seasons with the team), which is the only thing stopping him from being placed higher on this list.
Perry retired as the then all-time 49ers leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969. His number (No. 34) was also retired by the organization in 1971, enshrining him as one of the greatest players to ever don the red and gold uniform.
Fun Fact: Joe Perry was the first African-American player to ever win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award!
No. 2: Roger Craig (1983-1990)
Roger Craig was the running back throughout the 49ers’ golden era and has to be placed this high on this list.
He is considered as one of the most dynamic and electric running backs of all time, being the first to achieve a 1,000-1,000 season (a feat only achieved by three players ever in the NFL), in which a player reaches the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing and receiving yards.
Craig sported a respectable 4.2 yards per carry in his time with the 49ers, totaling an immense 7,064 rushing yards, 50 rushing touchdowns, 4,442 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns. Criag received two All-Pro selections as well as four Pro Bowl invitations throughout his years with the team.
He was also crowned the 1988 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Craig was a three-time Super Bowl winner with the 49ers (1984, 1988, 1989) and one of the key pieces for the franchise throughout their glory years with quarterback Joe Montana at the helm. Craig was easily one of the league’s most popular athletes throughout the 1980s and is still to this day considered one of the most elusive and mesmerizing players to ever play at Candlestick Park.
Craig paved the way for the dynamic running backs of today’s game and is considered to be the founding father of the duel-threat rusher.
Though his absence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is, in my opinion, one of the greatest travesties in modern sports, he was enshrined into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame following his retirement following the 1993 season.
Craig will forever be known as a 49ers legend.
No. 1: Frank Gore (2005-2014)
I spoiled who would top this list in my introduction earlier in the article, but who cares. We knew Frank Gore would be this lists’ top dog, and rightfully so. Gore is not only touted as the greatest 49ers running back of all time, but is considered by many as one of the greatest pure rushers in the history of the game.
San Francisco 49ers
He is the only player on this list who is currently still playing NFL football.
Throughout his 10-season career with the Niners, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry, totaling a monstrous 11,073 rushing yards and 64 rushing touchdowns, making him the organization’s all-time leading rusher. His work in the receiving game is nothing to scoff at with multiple 400-plus yard receiving seasons in the red and gold.
He also holds the single-season rushing record among 49ers with 1,695 yards.
Although Gore never won a Super Bowl with the franchise, he was the team’s best player for most of his tenure and was widely regarded throughout the NFL as one of the league’s most punishing backs on a year-to-year basis. Gore was the definition of consistency, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark eight out of his 10 seasons with the team. Not to mention he is currently third in the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 15,347 yards behind only Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton.
Gore’s ability to play at such a high level for such a long period of time is something rarely seen in the history of the game. Gore is truly an enigma and will always be regarded as the 49ers’ greatest rusher of all time.
When it’s all said and done, Gore will without a doubt be adding a gold jacket to his arsenal of accolades.