When it comes to NFL dynasties, one of the greatest of all time is the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and 1990s.
The 49ers’ dominance began in the 1980s under Bill Walsh and continued into the early 90s under George Seifert. They produced some of the best players to ever play in the NFL. Before and after, they added to their legacy with many playoff heroes, Pro Bowlers and Pro Football Hall of Famers.
We had to narrow it down, so here is our list of the top 10 San Francisco 49ers of all time.
10. John Taylor, wide receiver and kick returner
John Taylor is often overlooked because he played with Jerry Rice, but the talented wide receiver put up some pretty impressive numbers with the 49ers from 1987-1995. In nine NFL seasons, he had 347 receptions, 5,589 yards and 43 touchdowns. touches He also had 1,517 rebounds with two scores and 276 rebounds. The two-time Pro Bowler was part of three Super Bowl-winning 49ers teams and still holds the Super Bowl all-time record for total yards. 49ers fans will always remember him when he caught the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana to win Super Bowl XXIII.
9. George Kittle, tight end
George Kittle is on the long road to the 49ers Hall of Fame. To date, he has accumulated more than 5,400 yards and more than 30 touchdowns in seven seasons with the team. He’s been the best guy and most reliable receiver on the 49ers roster, and if he can stay healthy and things go his way, don’t be surprised if we add a Super Bowl champion to his resume.
8. Dwight Clark, tight end
Before Jerry Rice, San Francisco’s wide receiver group was represented by Dwight Clark. Coming out of Clemson, you wouldn’t guess that Clark would be one of Joe Montana’s favorites on the 49ers roster. However, during his nine seasons in San Francisco, he became a reliable target for a team that won two Super Bowls. He caught 82 passes for 991 yards and 8 touchdowns in 1980, followed by 85 catches for 1.15 yards and four scores in 1981. Clark’s most famous moment was in the 1982 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys when he made ” The Catch.” “in the back of the end zone to win the game and send San Fran to its first Super Bowl. Clark finished his career with the 49ers with two Pro Bowls, 6,750 yards and 48 touchdowns.
7. Roger Craig is a runner
As good as Roger Craig is, he is one of the few 49ers from those great teams not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The three-time Super Bowl winner, 1988 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Pro Player and member of the NFL’s 80s All-Decade Team was a staple on those great 49ers teams. He had 11,506 yards from scrimmage, rushed for 7,064 yards and 50 touchdowns and caught 508 passes for 4,442 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was also a beast in the playoffs, racking up 817 passing yards with seven touchdowns and 63 receptions for 606 yards and two touchdowns in 16 postseason games.
6. Terrell Owens, wide receiver
T.O. He may be remembered more today for his off-field spoofing, but it’s worth remembering how good he was as a wide receiver for the 49ers. Owens spent the first eight years of his NFL career in San Francisco, where he had 49 receptions five times and still holds the franchise records for receptions (592), receiving yards (8,572) and TDs (81). The five-time first-team All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL touchdown leader is a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
5. Charles Haley, linebacker
Charles Haley’s play at linebacker can only be described in one word: disgusting. Haley, who began his NFL career as an outside linebacker and excelled in a 3-4 defense, was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round in 1986. He became a starter in 1988 and recorded 69 tackles and 11.5 sacks. By 1990, Haley had 58 tackles and 9 pass breakups, tied for third in the NFL with 16 sacks, and was named a consensus All-Pro. From 1986 to 1991, he led the team every year and was a member of the Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV championship teams. The five-time Pro Bowler won three more Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and finished his 12-year career with 100.5 quarterback sacks, two interceptions and eight touchdowns. Haley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
4. Ronnie Lott, safety
Perhaps the greatest 49ers defensive player of all time is Ronnie Lott, because no one personified the toughness of the great Niners teams like he did. After leaving USC, he was all about college and that continued in the NFL. In ten seasons with the 49ers, he helped the team win eight division crowns and four Super Bowls. The two-time NFL interception leader, 1-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro finished his stellar pro career with 1,146 tackles, 63 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, 17 fumbles and five touchdowns. After the 1985 season, Lott had the tip of his left pinky amputated to ensure he could play the following season. One of the best kick returners in league history, Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and retired 42nd by the team.
3. Steve Young, quarterback
While Joe Montana was the quarterback who led the dynasty of the 49ers in the 1980s, Steve Young continued that tradition in the 1990s with Jerry Rice. Young made his own history in 1994 when he not only led San Francisco to their last Super Bowl victory, but also broke several NFL records that season. Young threw for six touchdowns in the 49ers’ 49-26 Super Bowl victory over the San Diego Chargers, the most by an NFL quarterback. He also won NFL MVP honors again this season, one of only two times he has done so. Young led the league in passer rating six times and in completion percentage and yards five times. He was also a skilled runner, with 43 career rushing yards and 4,239 receiving yards. Young finished his career with 33 passes for 124 yards and 232 touchdowns and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Jerry Rice, wide receiver
It was a tough decision to move Jerry Rice to number 2. But like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice was a gentleman for the 49ers. Rice was a steal in the draft for the 49ers who traded him. The bet paid off. The 10-time All-Pro and 13-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in receptions twice, NFL receptions six times and NFL receiving touchdowns six times. He was a key cog in offenses that were part of San Francisco’s three Super Bowl championships, earning Super Bowl MVP honors in one of them. He remains the NFL’s all-time leader in career receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), touchdowns (197), total touchdowns (208) and total yards (23,546). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 as a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. .
1. Joe Montana, quarterback
You could argue that Jerry Rice would be at the top of the list, but it’s hard to deny Joe Montana’s impact on the San Francisco 49ers and their 1980s dynasty. Notre Dame’s championship-winning quarterback was a third-round pick of the Niners in 1979, but boy did he make it big. In 14 seasons in San Francisco, Montana started and won four Super Bowls and became a three-time Super Bowl MVP. He still holds the Super Bowl career record for most interceptions (122 in four games) and an all-time passer rating of 127.8. With the 49ers, Montana completed 2,929 passes for 35,142 yards and 244 touchdowns. He also tallied thirty-five 300-yard passing games, including seven 400-yard performances. He finished his Hall of Fame career with 3,409 catches, 273 touchdowns and 40,551 yards and passed for 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns.
