George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey headline 49ers named to 2023 All-Pro teams
The Associated Press named its first and second NFL All-Pro teams this afternoon, and the 49ers were among the most decorated teams in the league.
The San Francisco 49ers had seven players named to either the first or second All-Pro teams which are awarded by the Associated Press.
On the first team, the Niners' representatives were running back Christian McCaffrey, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tight end George Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, and linebacker Fred Warner. Both McCaffrey and Warner were unanimous selections along with Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk were both named to the second team, each marking their first time being named to the list.
Players who received votes but missed out on making either team were quarterback Brock Purdy with 22 total votes (including two first-place votes), wide receiver Deebo Samuel with three total votes (one first place), EDGE Nick Bosa with five total votes, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave with one total vote, linebacker Dre Greenlaw with seven total votes (two first place), safety Tashaun Gipson with one total vote, punter Mitch Wishnowsky with one total vote, and special teamer George Odum with four total votes (one first place).
The length of both lists, both players who made the teams and those who didn't, is yet another indicator of how good the 49ers were throughout the 2023 regular season and how well respected the team was among NFL writers.
Unlike the Pro Bowl voting, which comes from a combination of fans, players, and coaches, the AP All-Pro teams are voted on by a national panel of 50 writers, which should theoretically remove bias for players that guys like on a personal level.
While it's hard to argue with any of the selections that made the list for the 49ers, there should be some questions about what a player like Dre Greenlaw has to do in order to earn the respect of groups across the board, although the fact that he did receive those two first place votes in spite earning just seven overall tallies indicate that he's growing in the estimation of those who follow the games closely.
But the 49ers having such a strong showing in the All-Pro voting further shows how well they played in 2023 as they enter the playoffs.
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