49ers legend, Hall of Famer Hugh McElhenny passes away

The 49ers lost one of their most memorable legends, running back Hugh McElhenny, who was one of the team’s first inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

While many a current fan of the San Francisco 49ers may have difficulty recalling some of the franchise’s years between its inception in 1946 and the dynasty era of the 1980s, the Niners nevertheless fielded some awfully impressive legends.

One, running back Hugh McElhenny, was certainly among them.

McElhenny, aged 93 years old, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 17 in an announcement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame’s epitaph for “The King” was awfully fitting:

"Rock ’n’ roll had Elvis. Pro basketball, LeBron.In the National Football League in the 1950s, Hugh McElhenny was “The King.”"

McElhenny joined San Francisco in Round 1, No. 9 overall, in the 1952 NFL Draft and quickly cemented himself as one of the league’s best, earning both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nominations his rookie season.

That would be the first of two first-team All-Pro nods he’d receive during his illustrious career, which spanned nine seasons with the 49ers, along with two more with the Minnesota Vikings and one-year stints with both the Detroit Lions and New York Giants at the tail of his career.

The six-time Pro Bowler would finish his career with 5,281 rush yards, 2,666 receiving yards and a combined 58 touchdowns in an era when 12-game regular seasons were the norm.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970, only the third San Francisco player to be named behind defensive tackle Leo Nomellini and fellow running back Joe Perry, both of whom were inducted the year before.

Hugh McElhenny is a 49ers legend in every right

As part of the Niners’ famed “Million Dollar Backfield,” McElhenny could easily be viewed as similar to another San Francisco legend, running back Roger Craig, for his ability to serve as both a rushing and receiving threat.

Additionally, McElhenny extended his prowess as a return specialist, too, returning a whopping 11,375 yards on both kickoffs and punts during his career.

Read More: Niners’ 5 best running backs of all time

In this mold, he was quite the all-around weapon of his day, perhaps far ahead of his time in light of the specialized football fans see today.

That famed “Million Dollar Backfield,” which seems low-budget in today’s NFL, comprised of McElhenny, Perry and another Hall of Famer, quarterback Y.A. Tittle, who helped get the 49ers into the playoffs in a memorable 1957 season.

And while Perry would cement himself as the franchise’s leading rusher, a record that only stood until another Niners legend in Frank Gore broke it decades later, McElhenny’s 4,288 rush yards still rank seventh on the franchise’s all-time list.

“The King” will be missed, but he certainly won’t be forgotten.