The 50 greatest San Francisco 49ers players of all time

The 49ers have had some absolute legends since the team's inception in 1946, and we rank out the 50 best of them right here.

Since 1946, the San Francisco 49ers have turned into one of the most storied franchises in the history of American sports.

That's not hyperbole.

The Niners were the first team in the NFL to win five Super Bowls, and they boast an impressive array of Hall of Famers, many of whom are household names to this day. And one of San Francisco's all-time greats might just be considered the greatest football player to ever play the game.

Simply put, the 49ers have enjoyed plenty of legends over the years, and there are likely to be many more from forthcoming generations.

Ranking the 50 best Niners of all time is a challenge. To do so, we'll use objective-based arguments, which will include stats and personal accolades. But subjective measures, too, such as a player's aura and impact, extend beyond what goes on the stat sheet.

Either way, it's fun to look over San Francisco's greatest, and we present that to you here. But first, you can also find our position-by-position rankings in their entirety:

Criteria for ranking

Football is a stats-based sport, so naturally, each player's individual statistics -- both over their respective 49ers careers and within single seasons -- will carry weight.

Other factors will matter, too, in our ranking system:

Team tenure
Individual accolades (Pro Bowls, All-Pros, Hall of Fame, etc.)
Team accolades (Super Bowls, conference championships)
Team impact (personality, media hype, legacy, etc.)

Nos. 50-41: overlooked 49ers greats you shouldn't forget

No. 50: Charlie Krueger

Position: Defensive line
Years active: 1959-73
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls

Krueger is the epitome of an overlooked 49ers legend, although the team retired his No. 70 jersey and enshrined him into its own Hall of Fame.

Over his notable 15-year career, Krueger was a wrecking ball of a player who built his reputation upon reliability, availability and tenacity.

While sacks weren't an official stat yet, his unofficial mark of 54 keeps him in the top seven in franchise history.

No. 49: Ken Norton Jr.

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 1994-2000
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1 Super Bowl

The 1994 season was a statement year for the Niners in which they were tired of perennially losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game.

A solution was to pluck a former Cowboy, Norton, to bolster the defense for what ultimately turned into the team's fifth Super Bowl title.

While cornerback Deion Sanders was San Francisco's big-ticket free-agent pickup that year, Norton was nearly as impressive and didn't just stay on as a mercenary, remaining with the 49ers for seven years.

In 1995, Norton's pinnacle year, he returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns, which helped him earn his one and only first-team All-Pro nod and even placed him in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.

No. 48: Tim McDonald

Position: Safety
Years active: 1993-99
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 1 Super Bowl

Often overshadowed by another great safety, Merton Hanks, McDonald was nevertheless a tremendous asset when he came over to the Bay Area after cutting his teeth with the Phoenix Cardinals.

McDonald managed 20 interceptions during his Niners tenure, returning two for touchdowns in 1995, which helped him secure one of his two second-team All-Pro selections in the Red and Gold.

No. 47: Brent Jones

Position: Tight end
Years active: 1987-97
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowls

When looking at the pantheon of best tight ends in Niners history, three come to mind: George Kittle, Vernon Davis and Brent Jones.

Jones' illustrious 11-year career with San Francisco saw him set numerous positional records for the franchise that have since been broken. But Jones was a key cog in so many of those great 49ers offenses of the late 1980s and 1990s, and he finished his pro career with 5,195 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns.

No. 46: Michael Carter

Position: Defensive tackle
Years active: 1984-1992
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 3 Super Bowls

Carter joined arguably the best defense in franchise history in 1984, but it was his second season in the league that proved to be special as he recorded a career-best seven sacks en route to the first of three second-team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowls.

Finishing his career with 22.5 sacks, Carter might be viewed as the greatest unheralded nose tackle the Niners have ever had.

No. 45: Jeff Garcia

Position: Quarterback
Years active: 1999-2003
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls

Following immediately in the footsteps of Hall of Famers like Joe Montana and Steve Young is almost an impossible task, but Garcia managed to do about as good a job as possible when he settled into a groove in 2000 after Young's forced retirement due to injuries.

Garcia was never totally on par with those two legends, but despite only a five-year span with San Francisco, he managed to accumulate 16,408 pass yards, fourth-most the team's record books. He also helped lead the 49ers to one of the greatest postseason comebacks in NFL history.

No. 44: Ken Willard

Position: Running back
Years active: 1965-73
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls

When thinking about the greatest Niners rushers of all time, Willard isn't a name that immediately pops up.

But the runner-up for the 1965 Offensive Rookie of the Year managed to accumulate 5,930 rushing yards over his lengthy San Francisco career, which ranks fourth-most in franchise history.

No. 43: Billy Wilson

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1951-60
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro

The 49ers had some notable offenses during the 1950s, but unfortunately, most of those greats have long been overlooked unless they made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Wilson won't ever wind up in Canton, but there's no doubting his impact as a star player during the decade, taking home five Pro Bowl nods, a first-team All-Pro selection and three second-team All-Pro accolades.

In 1953, Wilson led the NFL with 10 receiving touchdowns, and his 5,902 receiving yards rank sixth in franchise history.

That's quite a feat when considering the run-heavy offenses of the day and the fact seasons were just 12 games long.

No. 42: Randy Cross

Position: Offensive line
Years active: 1976-88
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowls

While San Francisco had plenty of great offensive linemen during the dynasty years of the 1980s, few come close to matching the kind of impact Cross had over his lengthy tenure.

The three-time second-team All-Pro played a number of positions along the offensive line, emerging as a mainstay before the 49ers turned into a championship-caliber squad and then becoming one of the best in the league during those famed Super Bowl years.

No. 41: Deion Sanders

Position: Cornerback
Years active: 1994
Key achievements: 1 Pro Bowl, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1994 Defensive Player of the Year, 1 Super Bowl, Hall of Fame (2011)

Sanders was already famous from his time with the Atlanta Falcons, and he cemented his Hall of Fame legacy later with the Cowboys.

So, his lone year with the Niners, in which he sought nothing short of a Super Bowl, keeps him from rising as high as you might expect.

But what a season it was.

Three of Sanders' six interceptions were returned for touchdowns, totaling 303 yards in the process, and he was even the No. 3 finalist for league MVP that year.

Nos. 40-31: underrated 49ers stars

No. 40: Bruce Taylor

Position: Cornerback
Years active: 1970-77
Key achievements: 1 Pro Bowl, 1970 Defensive Rookie of the Year

The 49ers surprisingly had some great defensive backfields during the 1970s, and Taylor was a primary reason why.

While never racking up massive interception totals, Taylor was nevertheless excellent at patrolling his zone and shutting down opposing pass-catchers, eventually finishing with 18 career interceptions and notching a career-best mark of six in 1973.

The 1970 Defensive Rookie of the Year was also a potent force in the return game, leading the league with 516 punt-return yards that season.

No. 39: Bruce Bosley

Position: Offensive line
Years active: 1956-68
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls

Time has helped evaporate the legacy of Bosley, who was one of San Francisco's best all-time linemen from the early decades of team history.

Still, Bosley's lengthy tenure and durability are worth noting as the four-time Pro Bowler started 147 out of 163 games played during his 13-year 49ers career.

No. 38: Dana Stubblefield

Position: Defensive tackle
Years active: 1993-97, 2001-02
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1993 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 1997 Defensive Player of the Year, 1 Super Bowl

There's an argument to be made that Stubblefield should be ranked much higher on this list, but a relatively short team tenure and an unceremonious departure from the Niners in 1998 push him down a bit.

However, over the first five years of his career, Stubblefield was an absolute force who tallied over 10 sacks twice, including a whopping 15 in 1997 that helped him secure Defensive Player of the Year honors.

No. 37: Cedrick Hardman

Position: Defensive line
Years active: 1970-79
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls

Hardman might not be the most recognized name among 49ers defensive greats, and he didn't exactly tally up the individual awards and honors associated with others on this list, although being named to two Pro Bowls is noteworthy.

What sets Hardman apart, though, is the fact he's the unofficial Niners sack leader with 108, besting other legends like defensive lineman Bryant Young and linebacker Charles Haley.

Sacks weren't officially recognized until 1982, a few years after Hardman's playing days with San Francisco were over.

No. 36: Guy McIntyre

Position: Offensive line
Years active: 1984-93
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowls

Guards rarely receive a lot of love in all-time lists, but if San Francisco had to choose one to anchor an all-time team, it could do worse than name McIntyre, who won three Super Bowls with the 49ers and also appeared in five Pro Bowls.

He had to wait until 1988 to become a full-time starter, but from there, he never looked back.

McIntyre started 97 of 145 games played in the Red and Gold.

No. 35: Vernon Davis

Position: Tight end
Years active: 2006-14
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 NFC Championship

The beginning of Davis' career might have been better known for his high-profile altercation with head coach Mike Singletary, but there's no doubting the former Maryland product turned into one of the Niners' best tight ends ever.

While never getting over 1,000 yards in a single season in his career, he did have two 13-touchdown seasons and also set a franchise record for most receiving yards by a tight end with 5,640 — a record that has since been broken by Kittle.

No. 34: Kermit Alexander

Position: Cornerback
Years active: 1963-69
Key achievements: 1 Pro Bowl

Alexander is someone who often gets overlooked in San Francisco's defensive discussions. But, when factoring in longevity and production, it's impossible to leave him off a list of top cornerbacks in team history.

While he is far from the best at his position in franchise history, Alexander nevertheless ranks third for the 49ers with 36 interceptions over a lengthy career that also saw him emerge as a key return ace on special teams.

No. 33: Fred Dean

Position: Defensive end
Years active: 1981-85
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 2 Super Bowls

In 1981, the Niners needed a final component to complete their budding defense, and they managed to do so by trading for Dean from the San Diego Chargers.

Dean was the missing piece of the puzzle, and he recorded 12 sacks after the trade, playing a vital role in helping San Francisco win its first Super Bowl that season.

Despite a relatively short 49ers career, Dean subsequently recorded 17.5 sacks in 1983 before finishing his Niners tenure with 40.

No. 32: John Taylor

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1987-95
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 3 Super Bowls

Taylor might be the most overlooked and underappreciated player in Niners history, but no one who was alive at the time will soon forget his game-winning catch that secured San Francisco's third championship title in Super Bowl XXIII.

Perennially playing second fiddle to the greatest of all time, Jerry Rice, Taylor nevertheless carved out an exemplary career that netted him 5,598 yards and 43 touchdowns.

No. 31: Garrison Hearst

Position: Running back
Years active: 1997-2003
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 2001 Comeback Player of the Year

Ranking fifth on the Niners' all-time leading rushers list with 5,535 yards, Hearst had no shortage of memorable moments in the Red and Gold, including his storied comeback in 2001 after missing the previous two years because of avascular necrosis.

Had that injury setback not been the case, Hearst would have likely been a top-three rusher in franchise history.

He was still a fan-favorite, though, and he remains a benchmark for all San Francisco running backs to this day.

Nos. 30-21: 49ers cornerstone players who won't soon be forgotten

No. 30: Fred Warner

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 2018-present
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, 2 NFC Championships

A player who is rapidly climbing this list, Warner has only seen his stock value grow since his rookie season in 2018 when he was named a defensive captain in Year 1, a role he has yet to relinquish.

Routinely regarded as the NFL's best at his position on a year-to-year basis, Warner is the epitome of the modern-era linebacker who can make plays against the run, excel in coverage and even get to the quarterback.

Boasting a commanding general-like presence on the field, thereby assisting every other defender alongside him, Warner certainly looks the part of a future Hall of Famer.

No. 29: Justin Smith

Position: Defensive end
Years active: 2009-14
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1 NFC Championship

Stats don't tell the whole story with Smith, who still had 43.5 sacks during his Niners tenure. But anyone who watched those great San Francisco defenses of the early 2010s can attest to just how important he was.

Despite being in the latter stages of his career, Smith routinely wreaked havoc on opposing offensive lines, regularly taking on two and sometimes even three blockers, freeing up the 49ers' crop of pass-rushers, such as Aldon Smith, to get home to the quarterback with regularity.

As a testament to his importance, Justin Smith secured Pro Bowl nods in all but one of his seasons with the Niners.

No. 28: NaVorro Bowman

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 2010-17
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 4 first-team All-Pros, 1 NFC Championship

One can only wonder what might have happened without that devastating knee injury suffered in the 2014 NFC Championship Game, as it certainly hindered Bowman's chances of having a long career.

Despite returning in force and leading the NFL with 154 tackles in 2015, it was clear Bowman wasn't quite the same player.

Previously, though, he and fellow linebacker Patrick Willis comprised what is arguably the greatest one-two punch at the position in recent NFL history.

Plus, Bowman forever cemented the legacy of Candlestick Park with his famed "Pick at the Stick" in the last game the Niners ever played at their storied venue.

No. 27: Nick Bosa

Position: Defensive end
Years active: 2019-present
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, 2 NFC Championships

Soon, Bosa is going to be ranked much higher on this list as he continues to climb the record books, looking like a shoo-in for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Boasting 53.5 sacks through 2023, seventh-most in franchise history, Bosa led the NFL with a whopping 18.5 in 2022 that helped him secure that year's Defensive Player of the Year award en route to also securing the largest non-quarterback contract in league history at the time.

Aside from a torn ACL that cut his 2020 campaign short, Bosa has been nothing but a star for San Francisco.

No. 26: Forrest Blue

Position: Center
Years active: 1968-74
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros

Blue still holds the distinction of being the best center the 49ers have ever had, and it's a claim that likely won't go away anytime soon.

Heck, it's worth arguing he's one of the five best offensive linemen in Niners history, too.

The four-time Pro Bowler helped spur San Francisco's offense to three consecutive playoff appearances in the early 1970s and started 82 of a possible 96 games during his exemplary 49ers career.

No. 25: Merton Hanks

Position: Safety
Years active: 1991-98
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1 Super Bowl

Replacing a Hall of Famer like safety Ronnie Lott isn't an easy task, but Hanks surely made the most of it and helped those great San Francisco squads of the 1990s remain a powerhouse within the NFC.

Hanks boasted three second-team All-Pro nods in addition to his lone first-team selection, and he also ranks fourth all-time on the franchise's interceptions list with 31.

No. 24: George Kittle

Position: Tight end
Years active: 2017-present
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pros, 2 NFC Championships

It's not too wild to think that Kittle has already earned his spot as the best tight end in franchise history. He already holds the 49ers record for most receiving yards at his position, and that number will continue to grow as long as he stays in Northern California.

Currently holding the fifth spot on the Niners' all-time receiving list, he also set an NFL single-season record for most receiving yards by a tight end back in 2018 with 1,377.

Despite that league-wide record later falling, Kittle remains in the perennial conversation surrounding the NFL's best overall tight end.

It helps that he's a massive fan-favorite, too.

No. 23: Gene Washington

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1969-1977
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pros

For much of the 1970s, San Francisco's best pass-catcher was Washington, a favorite target of quarterback John Brodie and someone who led the NFL with 1,100 receiving yards in 1970, a rarity during that era.

While plenty of other great wide receivers in 49ers history have since surpassed him, Washington still ranks No. 4 on the franchise's all-time receiving list with 6,664 yards.

No. 22: Trent Williams

Position: Offensive tackle
Years active: 2020-present
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, 1 NFC Championship

In 2020, the Niners were bidding farewell to longtime left tackle Joe Staley but managed to engineer a trade coup with Washington for the perennial Pro Bowler.

It's hard to say San Francisco upgraded there, but it did.

Some would argue Williams has only gotten better with the 49ers despite hitting the twilight of his career, and he will certainly don a gold jacket once his storied career comes to a close.

No. 21: Eric Wright

Position: Cornerback
Years active: 1981-90
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 4 Super Bowls

San Francisco owned some tremendous defenses during the 1980s, and Wright was easily the best among them for the entire decade. In fact, his presence allowed the 49ers to shift Lott from corner to safety, where he thrived.

While Wright didn't exactly record the sheer volume of interceptions posted by other Niners defensive backs such as Lott, he was nevertheless a true shutdown corner in every sense.

And he arguably saved the greatest single postseason game in San Francisco history, too.

Nos. 20-11: 49ers legends whose legacies are exceptional

No. 20: Dwight Clark

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1979-87
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 2 Super Bowls

Clark is easily remembered for the single greatest play in Niners history, "The Catch" in the 1982 NFC Championship Game win over the Cowboys.

That alone deserves consideration here, but Clark was far more than a one-moment wonder.

The forever fan-favorite actually stands at No. 3 on the franchise's all-time receiving list with 6,750 yards, and he even led the NFL with 60 catches back in 1982, which marked his first and only first-team All-Pro nomination.

The late, great wideout is a franchise legend in every sense of the term and helped spark a dynasty.

No. 19: Y.A. Tittle

Position: Quarterback
Years active: 1951-60
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, Hall of Fame (1971)

Tittle probably cemented his Hall of Fame candidacy in the autumn of his career with the New York Giants, but he was surely a 49ers legend in his own right.

As part of that storied "Million Dollar Backfield," along with running backs Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry, Tittle managed over 16,000 passing yards with the Niners before heading to the Big Apple.

In an era when rushing was king, those numbers are pretty remarkable.

No. 18: Joe Staley

Position: Offensive tackle
Years active: 2007-19
Key achievements: 6 Pro Bowls, 2 NFC Championships

Longevity is certainly on Staley's side, and there are many who'd view him as San Francisco's best all-time lineman of the modern era.

It'd be hard to argue.

The three-time second-team All-Pro spent his entire career in the Bay Area, anchoring the left side of the offensive line to great effect while also serving as a key locker room leader through good years and bad.

Perhaps he'll never be a Hall of Famer, but Staley is still regarded as one of the most admired players in team history.

No. 17: Hugh McElhenny

Position: Running back
Years active: 1952-60
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (1970)

Part of the famed "Million Dollar Backfield" the 49ers deployed during the 1950s, McElhenny burst onto the scene by earning his two first-team All-Pro nods in his first two years in the league, which included a league-leading 7.0 yards per carry his rookie season.

Seasons that only included 12 games hindered McElhenny's ability to stay atop franchise rushing leaderboards for long, and fellow tailback Joe Perry also saw plenty of field time alongside "The King," as McElhenny was known.

His hard-hitting style while carrying the ball needs to be cited, too.

Along with Tittle and Perry, McElhenny later found himself enshrined in Canton.

No. 16: John Brodie

Position: Quarterback
Years active: 1957-73
Key achievements: 2 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1965 Comeback Player of the Year, 1970 NFL MVP

Brodie isn't at the forefront of discussions surrounding the greatest quarterbacks in San Francisco history, but he should be. After all, his 31,548 pass yards rank second in franchise lore.

Sure, longevity had a lot to do with it. But considering he was the longest-tenured 49ers quarterback ever, with a career spanning 17 years in the Red and Gold, that also has to account for something. He's among the team leaders in every other significant passing category, too.

Not a Hall of Famer, Brodie nevertheless led the NFL in passing yards three times and passing touchdowns twice, and he was the league's MVP in 1970.

No. 15: Charles Haley

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 1986-91, 1998-99
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 2 NFC Championships, 2 Super Bowls, Hall of Fame (2015)

Haley's run-ins with both coaches and players kept him out of the top 10 on this list, and those incidents also led to him being traded to the Cowboys in 1992, where he went on to win three more Super Bowls in addition to the two he enjoyed with San Francisco.

Still, Haley earned a reputation as a fearsome pass-rusher who tallied 66.5 sacks during his 49ers career, ranking fourth on the franchise's all-time list.

No. 14: Joe Perry

Position: Running back
Years active: 1948-60, 1963
Key achievements: 3 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (1969)

Perry's 8,689 rush yards in the Red and Gold were a franchise record that stood until another member on this list (you might have heard of him) eventually broke it, and that alone warrants placement within the top 20 on this list of all-time Niners greats.

But Perry was special not just for his longevity, which included a 14-year career in San Francisco over two separate stints, but also because he thrice led the NFL in rushing and twice led it in all-purpose yards.

Back when regular seasons lasted just 12 games, The Jet's accomplishments truly stand out as remarkable, and he might be viewed as the second-greatest rusher in team history if it wasn't for the next player on this list.

No. 13: Roger Craig

Position: Running back
Years active: 1983-90
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1988 Offensive Player of the Year, 3 Super Bowls

Craig might not be the 49ers' all-time leading rusher, and he doesn't have a Hall of Fame plaque (yet, but he should). But in terms of players who changed the entire nature of the game, he is surely in that rare crop.

One of only three players in league history to rush for 1,000 yards while also posting 1,000 receiving yards in a single season, Craig actually led the NFL with 92 receptions in 1985, forever giving legitimacy to running backs as pass-catching threats.

Twice, Craig recorded seasons with at least 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

No. 12: Terrell Owens

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1996-2003
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (2018)

Owens' legacy with the Niners is a complicated one, stemming from clashes with both teammates and coaches that clouded an otherwise exemplary tenure in the Bay Area, albeit somewhat shorter than one would like. And that bumps Owens down and out of the top 10 in franchise history.

Nevertheless, T.O. currently owns the No. 2 franchise receiving record after putting up a whopping 8,572 yards and 81 touchdowns in a San Francisco uniform.

And he has arguably the second-most-famous catch in 49ers history, too.

No. 11: Dave Wilcox

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 1964-74
Key achievements: 7 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (2000)

Older 49ers fans might claim neither Fred Warner, NaVorro Bowman nor Patrick Willis classify as the best linebacker in team history, instead opting to give that honor to Wilcox, who was part of some great Niners teams of the early 1970s and was a perennial Pro Bowler in his own right.

As is the case with many pre-modern-era greats, it's hard to accumulate stats when they weren't recorded by today's standards.

However, if the hard-hitting Wilcox's numbers had been tallied in such a way, he'd likely be right up there among franchise leaders.

Nos. 10-1: 49ers' 10 greatest ever, the best of the best

No. 10: Frank Gore

Position: Running back
Years active: 2005-14
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 1 NFC Championship

He might not yet be a Pro Football Hall of Famer, but Gore will be soon. After all, ranking third on the NFL's all-time rushing list with exactly 16,000 yards over a storied 16-year career is reason enough.

Sure, Gore might not have been the best at his position any given season. But he literally carried San Francisco's offense during the dark years of the late 2000s and was a key force when the 49ers returned to prominence in the 2010s.

A fan-favorite by every possible measure, Gore's franchise-best 11,073 rush yards are not likely to be touched by any other Bay Area player.

No. 9: OL Bob St. Clair (1953-1963)

Position: Offensive tackle
Years active: 1953-63
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, Hall of Fame (1990)

The Niners haven't exactly enshrined a lot of offensive linemen into the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite having some exceptional greats, but Bob St. Clair has the honor of being in this elite club anyway.

A five-time second-team All-Pro, St. Clair played with a tenacity not seen in decades, and he once lost five teeth while attempting to block a punt.

Legendary.

No. 8: Patrick Willis

Position: Linebacker
Years active: 2007-14
Key achievements: 7 Pro Bowls, 5 first-team All-Pros, 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 1 NFC Championship, Hall of Fame (2024)

One can only wonder what kind of career Willis would have had if injuries didn't get in the way, but the Hall of Fame voters certainly looked at his perennial Pro Bowl and All-Pro achievements as more than enough to don the gold jacket.

Willis led the entire NFL in tackles twice, including his first year in the league back in 2007, and his hard-hitting ways epitomized those great 49ers defenses of the early 2010s.

Alongside Bowman, few teams have ever come close to having the kind of one-two linebacker punch the Niners enjoyed during those heyday years, and Willis' impact will remain legendary for decades to come.

No. 7: Bryant Young

Position: Defensive line
Years active: 1994-2007
Key achievements: 4 Pro Bowls, 1 first-team All-Pro, 1999 Comeback Player of the Year, 1 Super Bowl, Hall of Fame (2022)

He might not have overall franchise records all over the place on defense, nor did he secure the most Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors during his lengthy tenure. But few became as big a fan-favorite as Young, who ranks second in team history in sacks with a whopping 89.5.

After a devastating leg injury in 1998 that endangered his career, Young burst back in 1999 with an 11-sack campaign that rightfully earned him the Comeback Player of the Year award.

He was ultimately enshrined in Canton, too, in 2022, cementing his place as one of the greatest defensive linemen in San Francisco lore.

No. 6: Leo Nomellini

Position: Defensive line
Years active: 1950-63
Key achievements: 10 Pro Bowls, 6 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (1969)

It's difficult to quantify Nomellini's total impact for the 49ers, given how defensive stats weren't exactly kept in the same manner back in the 1950s as they are today. Had they been, Nomellini might be the Niners' best overall defender ever, and that's not hyperbole.

A perennial Pro Bowler with longevity to boot, the Italian-born hard-hitting lineman was truly San Francisco's first legend, and he doubled on the offensive side of the ball, too.

No. 5: Jimmy Johnson

Position: Cornerback
Years active: 1961-76
Key achievements: 5 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, Hall of Fame (1994)

San Francisco had plenty of great cornerbacks in the 1960s and 1970s, but none came close to the prowess held by the late Johnson, who remained a 49ers starter until he was 38 years old, almost unheard of by today's standards.

Granted, many of Johnson's Niners teams weren't particularly good, but that didn't overshadow his reputation of being an excellent cover corner who usually made opposing quarterbacks pay for targeting him.

Johnson had 47 interceptions during his lengthy San Francisco career, second only to another Hall of Famer 49ers fans know well.

No. 4: Ronnie Lott

Position: Defensive back
Years active: 1981-90
Key achievements: 9 Pro Bowls, 5 first-team All-Pros, 4 Super Bowls, Hall of Fame (2000)

Most people forget how Lott began his career as a cornerback, and it's a shock he didn't win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award during his 1981 season despite being a first-team All-Pro for a San Francisco squad that won its first Super Bowl that year.

Nevertheless, Lott changed the game in many ways, using his hard-hitting ferocity to scrap the league-wide notion the 49ers were a finesse team, intimidating receivers who dared run over the middle of the field in front of him.

Given his franchise-best 51 interceptions, many fans would cement Lott on their Niners Mt. Rushmore.

No. 3: Steve Young

Position: Quarterback
Years active: 1987-99
Key achievements: 7 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, 2 NFL MVPs, 3 Super Bowls, 1 Super Bowl MVP, Hall of Fame (2005)

The awkward transition from Joe Montana to Young in the early 1990s was awkward, yes. But there's little doubt the 49ers were going from one legend to another.

Montana might still hold the franchise's all-time passing record with 35,124 yards, but Young got the proverbial "monkey off his back" in Super Bowl XXIX by tossing a record six touchdowns en route to winning the game's MVP award for his performance.

Few could even fathom such an outing in today's NFL, and that's just one reason why Young makes the cut here.

No. 2: Joe Montana

Position: Quarterback
Years active: 1979-92
Key achievements: 7 Pro Bowls, 3 first-team All-Pros, 2 NFL MVPs, 4 Super Bowls, 3 Super Bowl MVPs, Hall of Fame (2000)

Until the emergence of quarterback Tom Brady, Montana was the clear-cut GOAT at the position, and the latter can still brag over Brady that he never tossed a Super Bowl interception, let alone lost the big game.

Perhaps the biggest star in Niners lore not named Jerry Rice, Montana was the figurehead of the greatest era in San Francisco history, one that saw the team claim its first four Super Bowls with Joe Cool securing two league MVP awards.

While Montana's passing records, both in regular season and postseason games, have long since been surpassed by other NFL stars, there's no doubting his placement as the No. 2 all-time player the 49ers have ever had.

No. 1: Jerry Rice

Position: Wide receiver
Years active: 1985-2000
Key achievements: 12 Pro Bowls, 10 first-team All-Pros, 3 Super Bowls, 1 Super Bowl MVP, Hall of Fame (2010)

Rice isn't just the greatest player in franchise history; he might just be the greatest football player of all time.

Putting that into perspective, his NFL-record 22,895 receiving yards is over 5,000 yards more than the No. 2 player on the all-time list, Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. Additionally, Rice's 208 touchdowns are 33 more than the second player on that particular list, Cowboys Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith.

The accomplishments go on and on, and the bulk of Rice's records are probably never going to be touched by anyone ever.

He's the GOAT, plain and simple.