San Francisco 49ers: 5 most forgotten quarterbacks in team history

49ers Forgotten QB No. 2: Steve Bono

Niners Tenure: 1989-1993

When one thinks of San Francisco’s quarterbacks in the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, the two names coming to mind are Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Not necessarily one of their backups, Steve Bono.

At least to Bono’s credit, his five-year tenure with the 49ers turned out to be the longest stint with any one team during an otherwise journeyman-like career. And in 1991, when the Niners lost both Montana and Young to injuries, Bono was asked to come in and hold the line, which he did so more than adequately enough, going 5-1 during that stretch while tossing 11 touchdowns against four interceptions.

Fans probably forgot that performance, and San Francisco was still able to finish 10-6 that year.

Unfortunately for Bono, he was never going to step out from underneath Montana and Young’s shadow, which admittedly would be almost impossible to do for any quarterback.

But at least on the positive side, Bono would get a shot to be a regular starter when the 49ers traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1994, and he’d even go on to record his first and only Pro Bowl nod the following season.

Not a bad accolade for a quarterback who is otherwise forgotten in the ranks of Niners lore.