The greatest San Francisco 49ers of all time

The best wide receiver ever, Rice is the NFL's all-time leader in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Although he was undersized for a wide receiver, his tireless work ethic set him apart. A consummate teammate to quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young, Rice caught everything thrown his way and helped the 49ers win three Super Bowls. 

Rice was as clutch as they come. He played his best football in the Super Bowl and let everyone witness his greatness on the biggest stage. He's the 49ers' all-time leading scorer and all-time leading receiver. After San Fran, the ageless wonder played for the nearby Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks. Rice was named to the All-Century Team in 2019.

The greatest left-handed quarterback of all time, Young suffered through trials and tribulations to get to where he is today. After burning out in the USFL and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Young was written off as a draft bust. He signed with the 49ers as Joe Montana's backup and played sparingly, but showed glimpses of the player he'd become.

Young succeeded Montana in 1991 and continued the 49ers winning ways. The two-time MVP was a prolific passer who could also scramble out of the pocket if necessary. In 1994, he guided the 49ers to victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Young threw six touchdowns in the 49ers resounding victory. It was a vindicating moment for Young, who was criticized for not being able to win the big game like Montana. Young gave 49ers fans a lot of memories in the '90s. He retired in 1999 due to concussions. 

After an amazing career at Notre Dame, Montana turned the 49ers into winners. Nicknamed Joe Cool because he wasn't afraid of the big moment, Montana won four Super Bowls with the 49ers. He simply crushed teams in the Super Bowl. 

Montana ran 49ers head coach Bill Walsh's West Coast offense to perfection. He dinked and dunked the ball to his receivers on short passes and wasn't afraid to heave it up for the deep ball. But Montana's best skill wasn't his golden arm, it was his mindset. Montana was clutch and orchestrated game-winning drive after game-winning drive when his team needed it most. He made all the players around him better. 

Montana was widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time until Tom Brady came along.

No, not the Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the '90s. 

This Jimmy Johnson was a Hall of Fame cornerback for the 49ers. The lockdown corner played 16 seasons with the 49ers. The ageless wonder nabbed 47 interceptions and even played a little bit of wide receiver. In the darkest era in franchise history, Johnson showed up every Sunday.

If quarterback Joe Montana was the offensive leader of the 49ers dynasty, then Lott was the defensive leader. After a standout career at USC, Lott was drafted by the 49ers and almost immediately became the shot-caller of the defense, leading the unit to four Super Bowl victories.

While the 49ers dynasty was known for its flashy offense, their defense deserved just as much credit for their success. With Lott as the leader, they shut down Hall of Fame quarterbacks like John Elway and Dan Marino in the Super Bowl, turning their high-scoring offenses into lifeless units.

Lott, always praised for his toughness, chopped part of his pinky off so he could continue playing in a game. It's one of the most mind-boggling things an NFL player has ever done on or off the field and we may never see anything like it ever again. 

Before Montana and Young, there was Brodie. The quintessential good player on a bad team, Brodie compiled a 74-76-8 record as the 49ers starter from 1957-73. A hometown hero, Brodie was born and raised in San Fran and went to Stanford. He was a gunslinger with a laser for an arm. 

A prolific passer for his era, he led the NFL in passing yards three times and passing touchdowns twice. He was the NFL MVP in 1970. Despite his individual accomplishments, the 49ers only made the playoffs three times during his tenure. His career is similar to Archie Manning, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in the 1970s and father to Peyton and Eli. After football, Brodie became a pro golfer and still lives in the Bay Area. 

In 1994, Young won the Super Bowl with the 49ers as a rookie. In total, Young went to six playoff trips with the 49ers. The four-time Pro Bowler was one of the best defensive tackles in the league in his prime.

The team declined as he aged but he remained loyal to the 49ers. When he retired in 2007, the 49ers were in the middle of a five-year playoff drought. With 89.5 career sacks to his name, Young was very close to becoming one of the only defensive tackles in NFL history to eclipse 100 career sacks. Regardless, his awards and accolades were enough to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2022.

Cross blocked for the most dominant offense in the '80s: the West Coast offense. A dependable lineman, he rarely missed a game, starting in 180 contests. He paved the way for three Super Bowl wins. His final NFL game was Super Bowl XXIII, a 20-16 win for the 49ers. Cross went out as a champion and settled into a new role as a football analyst and an actor in Miller Lite commercials. 

Willis had no trouble adjusting to the NFL. He won the 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was an animal on the field. His high football IQ and solid fundamentals gave him all the skills he needed to wreak havoc. He was also a hard hitter and was the longtime captain of the 49ers defense.

Willis was named to the Pro Bowl in seven of his eight seasons, an unheard of accomplishment. At one point, he was the best linebacker in the league not named Ray Lewis.

When Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach, the 49ers luck turned around and Willis was now the leader of the best front seven in all of football. He led the 49ers to three consecutive NFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XLVII. Willis retired in his prime after the 2014 season with his health and mind intact. 

One of the better left tackles from the 2010s, Staley was the chief protector of many 49ers quarterbacks: Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and Jimmy Garoppolo. The six-time Pro Bowler endured highs and lows with the 49ers. He was present for 2-14 seasons and two Super Bowl appearances in 2012 and 2019--both losses. He's one of the only players to be a member of both Super Bowl squads.

The first NFL player to accumulate 1,000 rushing yards and receiving yards in the same season, Craig should be considered for the Hall of Fame. The only other players to accomplish this statistical feat are Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey.

To put it simply, Craig was the West Coast offense's ultimate weapon. A great receiving back, he was just as important in the passing game as he was in the running game. The 1988 AP Offensive Player of the Year won three Super Bowls with the 49ers and never missed the playoffs in his career. 

Sapolu was instrumental in starting the tradition of great Samoan players in the NFL. Now, many offensive and defensive linemen are Samoan. After a great career at the University of Hawaii, Sapolu was drafted by the 49ers and inserted into the starting lineup at center. He was a vital piece of the West Coast offense. He kept the well-oiled machine running and was the shot-caller of the line, calling out blitzes and making sure everyone knew their blocking assignment. 

All in all, he won four Super Bowls with the 49ers. Too often, offensive linemen are underappreciated and remain unsung heroes. But Sapolu meant a lot the 49ers championship teams and deserves his due praise. 

Out of all the wide receivers from the diva receiver era, Owens was the best. Eccentric, blessed with God-given talent, and entertaining, Owens was a must-watch player with the 49ers. The showman held onto the ball during the Catch II Game and became a superstar overnight.

He put up big numbers on the field and even held the record for most receptions in a game until Brandon Marshall broke it. For all his talent, he caused problems in the locker room and was a dividing force on any team he played for.

He criticized his quarterbacks often and wanted the ball thrown to him as much as possible. His awesome touchdown celebrations were always fun. Perhaps his best moment in a 49ers jersey was disrespecting the Dallas Cowboys' Star. 

As players came and went during the 49ers dynasty, Fahnhorst was there from the start. The two-time Pro Bowlers was a stalwart on the 49ers offensive line. His best season was 1984 when he received a Pro Bowl nod, was named First-Team All-Pro and won Super Bowl XIX by a score of 38-16.

Krueger just looked like a football player. Would you want to be hit by this guy? Also, he could've worn a bigger helmet. 

The hard-nosed defensive lineman lined up at tackle and end for the 49ers, showcasing his versatility. He was one of the lone bright spots on the team during the 1960s, going to two Pro Bowls. The longtime 49er (1959-1973) ended his career on a good note by reaching the playoffs three times--including two trips to NFC Championship Game--during the twilight of his career.

Barton, an offensive tackle, was Mr. Reliable up front for the 49ers, starting in 134 games. A three-time Super Bowl champion, he got into finance when his career was over. 

A University of North Carolina alum, Barton was there the same time as Michael Jordan. 

A member of the 2001 Miami Hurricanes, the greatest college football team ever assembled, Gore brought his tough Miami mentality to San Fran. A good player on a bad team, Gore was the offense's centerpiece during a bleak time in franchise history: the 2000s. The five-time pro Bowler played in the NFC West, the same division as the Rams' Steven Jackson and the Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch.

When Jim Harbaugh was hired as head coach, things turned around for the 49ers, who reached three NFC Championship Games in a row (2011-2013) and lost Super Bowl 47 to the Baltimore Ravens. Gore was a perfect fit for Harbuagh's run-heavy spread offense. 

Gore also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. The ageless wonder's 16,000 rushing yards is third-all-time. When he retired, he dabbled in boxing for a bit.

Wilcox was nicknamed The Intimidator for a good reason. The Hall of Fame linebacker was a dynamic playmaker and leader on defense. His teammate, cornerback Jimmy Johnson, is also in the Hall of Fame. The seven-time Pro Bowler rarely made the playoffs with the 49ers, but when they did, they made the most of it--going all the way to the NFC Championship Game. 

Rohde, a left tackle, protected quarterback John Brodie's blindside for most of his career. He was a mainstay on the 49ers offense. He blocked for a high-octane offense led by Brodie that reached the NFC Championship Game twice (1970, 1971). 

During the Jim Harbaugh era (2011-2014), the 49ers had one of the best front sevens in all of football. Smith was the bulldozer of those hard-hitting defense. After an iffy start to his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith signed with the 49ers in 2008 and his luck changed. He made all five of his Pro Bowls with the 49ers and even finished third in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting for the 2011 season. Make no mistake, Smith was a force to be reckoned with upfront. 

Wallace was the left tackle that commanded the offensive line during the team's transition from Joe Montana to Steve Young at quarterback. He enjoyed a career year in 1992 when he received his only Pro Bowl nod. A three-time Super Bowl champion, Wallace wasn't afraid to do whatever it took to keep his quarterback protected. 

Washington was an excellent wide receiver in a run-dominated era. An All-American at nearby Stanford, he grew into a deep threat in the NFL, averaging 17.8 yards per reception. A four-time Pro Bowler, he led the NFL in receiving yards in 1970 and receiving touchdowns in 1972. 

McIntyre, a strong guard, was a stalwart during the 49ers' golden days. He won three Super Bowls with the team. He even lined up at fullback during goal-line situations and caught a touchdown pass. Now McIntyre is the director of alumni relations for the 49ers.

Carter was a massive nose tackle for the 49ers. At 6-foot-2, 285 pounds, he was an absolute unit up front. He stuffed runs and made plays in the backfield for a loss, winning three Super Bowls. A naturally strong athlete, he won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the shot put.

Garcia took over as the 49ers starting quarterback with huge, almost insurmountable, expectations as the replacement to Joe Montana and Steve Young. He managed to play well under the pressure and led the 49ers to several playoff trips. His favorite target was star receiver Terrell Owens. After head coach Steve Mariucci was fired and Owens was traded, Garcia also packed his bags and abandoned ship. After fizzling out with the Cleveland Browns, he was a solid backup for the rest of his career.