Top Ten 49ers

The NFL Network’s top ten greatest San Francisco 49ers:

10. RB Frank Gore

9. DL Charles Haley

8. WR Dwight Clark made The Catch

7. RB Roger Craig

6. LB Patrick Willis

5. QB Steve Young won the Super Bowl MVP

4. The Million Dollar Backfield: QB YA Tittle, FB John Henry Johnson, HB Hugh McElhenny, RB Joe Perry. All are in the Hall of Fame.

3. SS Ronnie Lott

2. WR Jerry Rice, often called the greatest football player in history.

1. QB Joe Montana

The debate is of course between number one and number two. Rice gained more yards than any professional not named Herschel Walker. Would Rice had been as prolific without Montana and Young? Or in a different system? Detroit Lion Calvin Johnson may be more talented than Rice, but puts up lesser numbers on a below-average team. For this reason Montana merits consideration as the greatest 49er.

Honorable mention: MVP QB John Brodie, WR Gene Washington, WR Terrell Owens, WR John Taylor, Bob St. Clair, Hardy Brown. Billy Kilmer, Ken Willard, Charlie Krueger, Randy Cross, and Cedric Hardeman were not mentioned.