Dream Team Project
San Francisco 49ers Dream Team
The all-time 49ers lineup, position by position. Every player here suited up for the 49ers. Disagree with a pick? Leave a comment or nominate someone below.
How we pick
One real lineup per franchise, judged on what each player did in this uniform: impact, playoff moments and longevity with the team first, league honors second. Players are measured against their own era, and every entry is checked against the team site, the Pro Football Hall of Fame or Pro Football Reference.
The roster
Our picks, grouped by unit.
Offense
11 playersQB
Joe Montana
Won all four of his Super Bowls and was MVP of three.
4× Super Bowl champ; 3× Super Bowl MVP; 2× NFL MVP; 7× Pro Bowl with SF
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
RB
Frank Gore
Ten seasons of relentless running made him the team's rushing leader.
5× Pro Bowl; 2006 2nd-team All-Pro; 49ers career rushing leader
Sources: Wikipedia
WR
Jerry Rice
The greatest receiver ever, and he did nearly all of it as a 49er.
3× Super Bowl champ; SB XXIII MVP; 12× Pro Bowl with SF; 10× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
WR
Terrell Owens
Dominant physical receiver who took over from Rice as the top target.
4× Pro Bowl with SF; 3× 1st-team All-Pro with SF (2000-2002); 49ers Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
WR
Dwight Clark
Made "The Catch", the play that launched the 49ers dynasty.
2× Super Bowl champ; 2× Pro Bowl; 1982 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
TE
George Kittle
Complete tight end, as feared as a blocker as he is as a receiver.
7× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro (2019, 2023); 49ers TE record 210 receiving yards in a game
Sources: Wikipedia
LT
Joe Staley
Thirteen-year left tackle who started in two Super Bowls.
6× Pro Bowl; 3× 2nd-team All-Pro; NFL 2010s All-Decade
Sources: Wikipedia
LG
Guy McIntyre
Athletic left guard who made five straight Pro Bowls on title teams.
3× Super Bowl champ; 5× Pro Bowl (1989-1993)
Sources: Wikipedia; web search results (position)
C
Jesse Sapolu
Fifteen-year 49er who won four rings at center and guard.
4× Super Bowl champ; 2× Pro Bowl (1993, 1994)
Sources: Wikipedia
RG
Randy Cross
Thirteen-year guard and center who won three titles.
3× Super Bowl champ; 3× Pro Bowl; 3× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia; web search results (position)
RT
Bob St. Clair
Hall of Fame tackle who blocked for the Million Dollar Backfield.
5× Pro Bowl; NFL 1950s All-Decade; Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
Defense
11 playersDT
Leo Nomellini
Hall of Fame tackle who made ten Pro Bowls in 14 seasons.
10× Pro Bowl; 6× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1950s All-Decade
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
DT
Bryant Young
Hall of Fame tackle who gave 14 seasons, all to the 49ers.
Super Bowl XXIX champ; 4× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1990s All-Decade
Sources: Wikipedia
DE
Nick Bosa
Defensive Player of the Year and the team's best pass rusher in decades.
2022 Defensive Player of the Year; 5× Pro Bowl; 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year
Sources: Wikipedia
EDGE
Charles Haley
Ferocious rusher from linebacker and end on back-to-back champions.
2× Super Bowl champ with SF; 3× Pro Bowl with SF; 1990 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Patrick Willis
All-Pro from his first season; the standard for modern linebackers.
7× Pro Bowl; 5× 1st-team All-Pro; 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Dave Wilcox
Hall of Fame linebacker who made seven Pro Bowls in 11 seasons.
7× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro (1971, 1972); Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Fred Warner
Best coverage linebacker of his era and the leader of the defense.
4× Pro Bowl; 4× 1st-team All-Pro (2020, 2022-2024)
Sources: Wikipedia
CB
Jimmy Johnson
Hall of Fame corner who played 16 seasons, all in San Francisco.
5× Pro Bowl; 4× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1970s All-Decade; No. 37 retired
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
CB
Eric Wright
Cover corner on four champions, with interceptions in two Super Bowls.
4× Super Bowl champ; 2× Pro Bowl; 1985 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
S
Ronnie Lott
The most feared hitter of his time, at corner and then at safety.
4× Super Bowl champ; 9× Pro Bowl with SF; 7× 1st-team All-Pro with SF
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
S
Merton Hanks
Four straight Pro Bowls as the playmaker of the mid-90s secondary.
Super Bowl XXIX champ; 4× Pro Bowl (1994-1997); 2× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
Special Teams / Coaching
4 playersK
Ray Wersching
Kicker of the first two title teams; left holding the team scoring records.
2× Super Bowl champ; led NFL in scoring 1984; 1986 2nd-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
P
Andy Lee
Eleven seasons as one of the league's very best punters.
3× Pro Bowl; 3× 1st-team All-Pro (2007, 2011, 2012)
Sources: Wikipedia
RET
Abe Woodson
Pro Bowl corner who was also the most dangerous kick returner of his day.
5× Pro Bowl (1959-1963); led NFL in kick return average 1959, 1962 & 1963
Sources: Wikipedia
COACH
Bill Walsh
Built a dynasty and popularized the West Coast offense.
3× Super Bowl champion head coach (XVI, XIX, XXIII); 1981 AP Coach of the Year
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
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