List RulesPlease vote on the players based only on their time with the 49ers
A list of the best San Francisco 49ers of all time. The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most successful and popular NFL teams during the Super Bowl era. The team has gone to six Super Bowls, winning five of them. The San Francisco teams of the past four decades have had some of the best players in football history. These players are widely considered the best players at their position and are easily the greatest 49ers ever. Every conversation about the greatest 49ers begins with Joe Montana. Drafted in the third round in 1979, Montana was an integral player in the 49ers dynasty of the 1980s and 1990s. The team won four Super Bowls with Montana as its quarterback, confirming his status as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Next in line was another superstar quarterback: Steve Young. A worthy successor, Young was an NFL MVP and led the 49ers to the Super Bowl title after the 1994.
You can't talk about the greatest 49ers players of all time without mentioning the best wide receiver ever. Jerry Rice had the most storied career of any receiver in NFL history. Rice holds nearly every receiving record in NFL history and is by far and away the best 49ers receiver of all time.
The 49ers defense has featured the iconic Ronnie Lott and more recently, superstar linebacker Patrick Willis.
This is the list of the best San Francisco 49ers of all time. If you see someone missing from this list, feel free to add him. Vote or rerank this list according to who you think is the greatest San Francisco 49ers player of all time.1
2,724318Jerry Rice
Wide receiverBirthplace: Crawford, Mississippi, United States of America
Age: 57
Teams: Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers
2
2,705324Joe Montana
QuarterbackBirthplace: New Eagle, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Age: 59
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs
3
1,789211Ronnie Lott
Cornerback, SafetyBirthplace: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Age: 56
Teams: USC Trojans football, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs
4
1,879243Steve Young
QuarterbackBirthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
Age: 54
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5
1,416327Frank Gore
Running backBirthplace: Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida, United States of America
Age: 32
Teams: Buffalo Bills
6
1,032168Dwight Clark
Tight end, Wide receiverBirthplace: Kinston, North Carolina, United States of America
Age: 63
Teams: San Francisco 49ers, Clemson Tigers football
7
758158Joe Staley
TackleBirthplace: Rockford, Michigan
Age: 36
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
8
1,129275Roger Craig
Running back, FullbackBirthplace: Davenport, Iowa, United States of America
Age: 60
9
1,328339Patrick Willis
LinebackerBirthplace: Bruceton, Tennessee, United States of America
Age: 35
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
10
750160NaVorro Bowman
LinebackerBirthplace: District Heights, Maryland
Age: 32
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
11
56388Tom Rathman
FullbackBirthplace: Grand Island, Nebraska
Age: 57
12
75530Bill Walsh
CoachBirthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Age: Died at 76 (1931-2007)
Teams: San Jose State Spartans football
13
937241Charles Haley
Defensive end, LinebackerBirthplace: Gladys, Virginia, Virginia
Age: 51
14
716152John Taylor
Return specialist, Wide receiverBirthplace: Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
Age: 58
15
1,169333Terrell Owens
Wide receiverBirthplace: Alexander City, Alabama, United States of America
Age: 46
Teams: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Texas Revolution
16
673154Bryant Young
Defensive tackle, Defensive endBirthplace: Chicago Heights, Illinois
Age: 48
17
935223Deion Sanders
Cornerback, Punt returnerBirthplace: Fort Myers, Florida, United States of America
Age: 53
Teams: Florida State Seminoles baseball, Washington Redskins, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons
18
511119Brent Jones
Tight endBirthplace: Santa Clara, California
Age: 57
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
19
688208Vernon Davis
Tight endBirthplace: Washington, D.C.
Age: 31
Teams: Washington Redskins
20
661199Justin Smith
Defensive tackleBirthplace: Jefferson City, Missouri
Age: 40
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
21
487123Ricky Watters
Running backBirthplace: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Age: 51
Teams: Seattle Seahawks
22
490139Y. A. Tittle
QuarterbackBirthplace: Marshall, Texas, United States of America
Age: 89
Teams: Baltimore Colts, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants
23
426106Garrison Hearst
Running backBirthplace: Lincolnton, Georgia
Age: 44
Teams: Arizona Cardinals, Georgia Bulldogs football team
24
443114Ken Norton, Jr.
LinebackerBirthplace: Jacksonville, Illinois, United States of America
Age: 54
25
465135Merton Hanks
Cornerback, SafetyBirthplace: Dallas, Texas
Age: 52