49ers news: Bryant Young a deserving Hall of Famer in 2022 class

After years of waiting, 49ers legendary defensive end Bryant Young will finally be enshrined in Canton in the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2022 class.

Thankfully, San Francisco 49ers fans can remove one legendary player from the storied past from all those lists of snubs for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Defensive end Bryant Young, who spent his entire 14-year career with the Niners and finished with the second-most sacks in team history (89.5) behind only the late, great defensive end Cedric Hardman (108), will finally be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

This, with the 2022 class announced on Thursday night during the NFL’s annual awards show, Young will be able to put that final stamp on what truly was a legendary career.

B.Y. was the No. 7 overall pick by the 49ers in the 1994 NFL Draft, earning a Defensive Rookie of the Year accolade and helping the Niners secure their fifth Super Bowl championship that season.

A serious leg injury in 1998 nearly cost Young his career, but he ended up bouncing back in 1999 with an 11-sack season, earning him a Comeback Player of the Year award and one of his four Pro Bowl nominations.

He was also a first-team All-Pro in 1996.

Young’s career finally came to an end in 2007 when San Francisco drafted another player who probably should wind up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame but didn’t this time around.

Nevertheless, at least for Young, it’s an honor well-deserved.

49ers LB Patrick Willis snubbed from Pro Football Hall of Fame 2022 class

Along with Young, the following players were inducted into the 2022 Hall of Fame class:

• Safety LeRoy Butler
• Linebacker Sam Mills
• Wide receiver Cliff Branch
• Defensive lineman Richard Seymour
• Offensive tackle Tony Boselli

Not included was linebacker Patrick Willis, who was also left off the enshrinement list a year ago after being one of 15 finalists in back-to-back years.

Read More: 30 greatest 49ers players in franchise history

Wills, the 49ers’ top pick from the 2007 draft and one who played alongside Young that lone season, probably has his candidacy diminished somewhat in the wake of injuries that ended his career when he retired in 2015.

His trajectory up to that point, however, suggests nothing but a Hall of Fame résumé with seven Pro Bowl nominations and five first-team All-Pro nods during his career.

All more than Young.

Regardless, it looks as if the Hall of Fame will be forcing Willis to wait just a little while longer.

Hopefully not as long as Young had to wait, though.