Greatest Ever: San Francisco 49er

[Megatron]

This is a new thread series that I am starting, where we will look at teams and try to pick out their best player ever. Some teams will, more then likely, be easy due to either a) that player being an icon in the sport (i.e. Michael Jordan) or b) the team hasn't had much success (Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals). However, there will be certain teams where there really isn't a wrong answer, just multiple ones that you could make cases for.

And just to note, these players are being nominated based on their time spent with the team. So no Brett Favre is the greatest Jet after only one season, or Ty Cobb is the greatest Athletic after two seasons. No, these players are being voted on based on their tenure WITH the team, not as a summation of their career.

The third team we will be looking at is the team that was a dynasty in the 80’s and early 90’s and have the 2nd most Super Bowl titles in NFL history (behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers). They are home to two of the greatest QB’s in NFL history, arguably the greatest player EVER in NFL history, and other stars on the defensive end as well. They are, of course, the San Francisco 49ers, and like with the previous thread, these will be my top 3, in alphabetical order.

Ronnie Lott – The defensive back spent the first 10 of his 14 seasons in a 49ers uniform, where he gained 9 of his 10 Pro Bowl selections (only not being named in 1985) and earned 5 of his 6 All-Pro mentions while being apart of the 49ers. The versatile player that he was, Lott was effective playing both cornerback and Free Safety during his time with the 49ers, where he racked up 52 of his 63 interceptions (5 being returned for TDs). He was apart of the 49ers dynasty that won 4 titles in the 80s, and also had one of the ‘tough guy’ moments when he lost the tip of his finger during a game and continued to play, needing it amputated at the end of the season.

Joe Montana – Ah, ‘Cool Joe’ obviously was going to make this list, being the man behind center for the first 4 of their 5 titles. Playing 13 of his 15 years on the 49ers, Montana is arguably the greatest QB to ever play the game, depending on who you ask. And to be fair, his numbers certainly pose a strong case. He completed 63% of his passes as a 49er, while compiling 244 TDs (to 123 INTs) over 35,000 yards, and a QB rating of 93.5. And if the numbers aren’t enough, he was 100-39 as a starter in the regular season (72 win %) and an even better 14-5 record in the playoffs (74 win %). Montana is a very worthy contender, but is only #2 on my list to this guy.

Jerry Rice – Anybody with a legitimate NFL opinion will agree with me when I say that Rice is the greatest receiver to ever play the game. The 12 time Pro Bowler (including 11 time All Pro). He also has set many career receiving records, some which may never be caught. His career weighted adjusted value is the highest of anyone since 1950, and he was named the greatest football player ever by NFL.com just last year. There’s not much more I can say on Rice without beating the dead horse, so I’ll leave you with this: he’s my #1 49er all time, and may just be my #1 player all time.

I can see arguments for Montana, I really can. But the greatness of Rice can’t be undervalued, which is why he’s my #1 49er.

Previous 'Greatest Evers':
Dallas Cowboys
New York Yankees

 

[Theo Mays]

Gotta be Jerry Rice. Rice in my opinion is not only the greatest WR to ever play the game, but the greatest player to ever play the game. He is the clear cut greatest player at his position and I'm not sure you can really say that about any other player in NFL history. Rice was just an absolute gamer and no matter who his QB was, he produced. He was also widely respected throughout the league. One of the true greats on and off the field. He wasn't the fastest, he wasn't the biggest, but he got things done. Without him I'm not sure how much of a dynasty the 49ers would have become.

 

[Big Sexy]

Jerry Rice is the greatest football player to ever lace up a pair of cleats so obviously he is the greatest 49er. The receiving records he has will likely never be broken. The man had ridiculous longevity at a position where you are supposed to slow down as you get older. The guy had over 1200 yards receiving when he was 40. He could come out next season at the age of 49 and still be in good enough shape to make a team and contribute at least something.

Montana, Young, Lott, they were all great 49ers and HOFers in their own right but this goes to Jerry Rice.

 

[Davi323]

Joe Montana. Yes, I love Jerry Rice. Best WR ever, and it isn't even close. Maybe even the best player in NFL history. However, when push comes to shove, and you are starting your all time team from scratch, who do you take with the first pick, Montana or Rice? Despite Rice's enormous skill set, you take Joe Montana, because he is the greatest, smartest, most reliable QB of all time. In this case, being the best is not the same as being the most valuable, and when I look at the criteria to determine the greatest ever, I have to figure in overall value to the team, as well as individual stats. Jerry Rice only touched the ball a small percentage of the time when the 49ers were on offense, while Joe Montana touched the ball every single play. Maybe it's a little pro-QB bias, but then again, the QB is by far the single most important player on a team, precisely because of the amount of touches. If Rice got hurt, you put in another WR, and while he wouldn't be as good, the team could still win. The 49ers had enough weapons where losing Rice wouldn't kill them. BUT, if you lost Joe Montana, the entire offense would be fucked.

I know Steve Young was there for the last of the Montana led Super Bowls, but not the first three. When the 49ers were in the middle of their dynasty, Young didn't really figure into it much, and hadn't yet shown that he would be a future HOF'er. He was an unknown commodity in the NFL at the time of the 49ers heyday.

Basically, on those 49er teams of the 1980s, you could replace Jerry Rice and still be a good football team. In fact, they won 2 of their Super Bowls before Rice ever got there. But without Montana, you had absolutely no chance in hell of being a playoff football team, despite having Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Tom Rathman and John Taylor and Jerry Rice. If your QB is shit, your offense is shit, and if your offense is shit, you aren't going to win a Super Bowl.

 

[Big Sexy]

Joe Montana. Yes, I love Jerry Rice. Best WR ever, and it isn't even close. Maybe even the best player in NFL history. However, when push comes to shove, and you are starting your all time team from scratch, who do you take with the first pick, Montana or Rice? Despite Rice's enormous skill set, you take Joe Montana, because he is the greatest, smartest, most reliable QB of all time. In this case, being the best is not the same as being the most valuable, and when I look at the criteria to determine the greatest ever, I have to figure in overall value to the team, as well as individual stats. Jerry Rice only touched the ball a small percentage of the time when the 49ers were on offense, while Joe Montana touched the ball every single play. Maybe it's a little pro-QB bias, but then again, the QB is by far the single most important player on a team, precisely because of the amount of touches. If Rice got hurt, you put in another WR, and while he wouldn't be as good, the team could still win. The 49ers had enough weapons where losing Rice wouldn't kill them. BUT, if you lost Joe Montana, the entire offense would be fucked.

I know Steve Young was there for the last of the Montana led Super Bowls, but not the first three. When the 49ers were in the middle of their dynasty, Young didn't really figure into it much, and hadn't yet shown that he would be a future HOF'er. He was an unknown commodity in the NFL at the time of the 49ers heyday.

Basically, on those 49er teams of the 1980s, you could replace Jerry Rice and still be a good football team. In fact, they won 2 of their Super Bowls before Rice ever got there. But without Montana, you had absolutely no chance in hell of being a playoff football team, despite having Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Tom Rathman and John Taylor and Jerry Rice. If your QB is shit, your offense is shit, and if your offense is shit, you aren't going to win a Super Bowl.

It all depends on what your definition of Greatest Ever is. If you go strictly by Most Valuable then it's probably Joe Montana. If you take into account talent, production, longevity, winning, and value then Rice is the logical choice. He played longer in San Fran then Montana and had just one less SB win. He is also without question the greatest receiver of all time and consistently put up ridiculous numbers pretty much every year he played in San Francisco.

 

[Davi323]

Well, I tried to look at it from the perspective of a 49er fan, even though my blood runs silver and Honolulu blue on Sundays...if I had to pick who was the greatest Detroit Lion of all time, I would figure in stats, but I would also figure in what that person meant to the team outside of the stats. Stats aren't everything. Leadership is just as important, as is whether the player was clutch or not. Obviously Jerry Rice has all three of these characteristics. His stats are unquestionable, and he was clutch, and he displayed some leadership skills. But, when they were teammates, Rice deferred to Montana as the undisputed leader of that team, and I have to consider that. The 49ers were never Rice's. They were Montana's. For as undeniably great as Jerry Rice was, he was a subordinate to Joe Montana on the field. He was an incredibly dangerous weapon, but Joe was the one firing it.

I like to say that big time players play their biggest in the big time games. Nobody ever played bigger than Montana, when the pressure was at its highest level.

I guess I just have always placed a premium on leadership over raw stats. Not that stats aren't important, but that there is more to it than that. Call it the intangibles if you want, the "it" factor, or whatever. but Montana was the face of the organization, and to some 49er fans, probably still is. Between "the catch" and the drive to finish off the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII in Pontiac, this was Joe's team.