San Francisco 49ers great John Brodie has passed away at age 90, as confirmed by the team. Niner Noise wishes to provide a short rundown on what he meant to the franchise.
While he doesn't get the same kind of attention that Joe Montana and Steve Young do, the death of John Brodie merits a look at truly how important he means to the team.
Drafted at No. 3 overall in the 1957 NFL Draft out of Stanford, Brodie would learn behind another legendary San Francisco 49ers quarterback in Y.A. Tittle. Brodie would split time with Tittle before becoming the full-time starter in 1962 after the latter was traded to the New York Giants.
Brodie's best statistical year came in 1965. He would throw for 3,112 yards and for 30 touchdowns on the way to being named second-team All-Pro that season. His true magnum opus came relatively late in his career in 1970 , as he was named first-team All-Pro and the first ever MVP from the Niners after throwing for 2.941 yards and 23 touchdowns.
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While Brodie never quite reached those same heights for the rest of his career, he would retire in 1973 after being with the team for 17 seasons, which is a record that still stands today. For comparison, the Niner who's come the closest in recent times is left tackle Joe Staley who retired after 13 seasons with the team.
Brodie's longevity means that he still stands close to the top in some statistical categories for San Francisco. His 31,548 passing yards rank second in franchise history, and his 214 passing touchdowns sit at third.
After he retired, Brodie found some success in a different sport. He joined the Senior PGA Tour and would win a tournament there. He would combine his love of both sports in a broadcasting career as well, doing work for both the NFL and the PGA as well.
The 49ers never reached ultimate success with Brodie at quarterback, but his mark on the 49ers cannot be understated. His legacy includes having his No. 12 retired by the franchise (except for a brief period in 2006 when Trent Dilfer wore it at the Niners in an attempt to bring attention to a possible Hall of Fame elevation for Brodie) as well as being part of the 49ers Hall of Fame.