San Francisco 49ers: Top Players for Each Uniform Number, 76-99 (2024)

With the San Francisco 49ers reporting to training camp later today, we finish our final offseason countdown, and with it, our list of the top players to wear each number in franchise history. We've covered numbers 1-25, which was filled with Hall of Fame quarterbacks. We've handled the running back-heavy 26-50. We filled our lineman-heavy 51-75. Now, we'll cover the last 24 numbers.

The 80s are numbers for wide receivers and tight ends, and the 49ers have donevery well at those positions. When you have so many great quarterbacks slinging the ball around, you're going to have a lot of production from pass-catchers. This set of numbers also includes linebackers and offensive and defensive linemen and features the most loaded number in franchise history.

We may well have saved the best for last. This section includes possibly the best player in franchise history, a number which may feature two Hall of Famers in the near future and three retired jerseys. This group's main competition is the set of the running backs and cornerbackswho wore numbers 26-50, but this is my favorite grouping of players.

76: Len Rohde (1960-1974)
No offensive lineman has played more games for the 49ers than Rohde has. In fact, only Jerry Rice and Jimmy Johnson have appeared in more games period, and neither of them were battling in the trenches day in and day out. Rohde manned the left tackle position as a starter for over a decade, making the Pro Bowl in 1970.

Dwaine Board, the best pass-rushing lineman for the 49ers in the early part of Bill Walsh’s reign, is worth an honorable mention.

77: Bruce Bosley (1956-1968)
A trio of linemen fought for dominance at this number. Mike Iupati might be the best run-blocking guard in franchise history, and Bubba Paris won three Super Bowls as the blindside protector for Joe Montana. In the end, though, Bruce Bosley’s decade of starting at both guard and center gives him the edge. The four-time Pro Bowler was a core member of the successful ‘60s offenses, keeping John Brodie upright.

78: John Thomas (1958-1967)
Thomas, a 1966 All-Pro guard, is remembered mostly as a solid player who could handle both guard and tackle, playing in 122 games for the 49ers over the years, including some stretches as a two-way player and linebacker.

Bosley (77), Thomas (78) and Bob St. Clair (79) anchored the offensive line during this era, and all get nods as the best at their respective numbers, though Pierce Holt and Scott Gragg might have bested them had either played more than five seasons with the franchise.

79: Bob St. Clair (1953-1963)
This is the closest I came to not picking a player who has had his number retired. Since St. Clair’s day, 79 has been worn by many solid players, including Cas Banaszek in the ‘70s and Harris Barton in the ‘80s. St. Clair didn’t have his number retired until 2001.

Still, St. Clair is a Hall of Famer and five-time Pro Bowler, with a combination of size and speed that was rare for his era. It took the 49ers long enough, but he did deserve to have his number taken out of circulation.

80: Jerry Rice (1985-2000)
Forget whether Rice is the best player to wear No. 80 for the franchise—is Rice the best 49er of all time? He holds nearly every receiving record in NFL history, with a period of dominance matched only by Don Hutson, who was 30 or 40 years ahead of his time back in the 1940s.

Rice has played more games than any other 49er. He was twice Offensive Player of the Year, he has three Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP Award on his shelf. The only argument you can have against him is the fact that Joe Montana or Steve Young, being quarterbacks, played a more valuable position than Rice did.

Still, Montana and Young might be the best quarterbacks of all time, or are at least in the discussion. There is no discussion at the wide receiver position. Rice is head and shoulders above everyone else at his position. That’s enough to give him the nod for best 49er of all time for me.

81: Terrell Owens (1996-2003)
The holder of every 49er receiving record in the non-Jerry Rice category, Owens’ on-field production was one of the few things that could match his oversized off-field persona.

Serving first as an excellent complementary receiver to Jerry Rice, then surpassing him and becoming one of the top receivers in the NFL, Owens put up 8,572 of his nearly 16,000 career yards as a 49er. He also led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2001 and 2002. Assuming the writers can look past some of his more abrasive personality traits, he should be entering the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later.

82: John Taylor (1987-1995)
This isn’t a walkover for Taylor, who would have been the top receiver on about half the teams in the league during his career. Gordy Soltau had some great seasons as a receiver and kicker for the 49ers in the ‘50s, and Ted Kwalick was a solid tight end in the ‘70s. Still, I have to go with Taylor, who was a dynamic punt returner as well as a formidable receiver.

83: J.J. Stokes (1995-2002)
Most of the 49ers’ receiving numbers are occupied by legends, but 83 is a bit weaker. Still, you could do worse than Stokes, who was Taylor's replacement as Rice’s second banana before Owens took over the role a few seasons later. His 4,139 receiving yards on 327 receptions certainly aren’t shabby, even if he didn’t quite live up to his draft status as the 10th pick.

84: Billy Wilson (1951-1960)
I was torn between Wilson and Brent Jones for this slot. Jones is someone most fans will be more familiar with. Arguably the best tight end in franchise history, Jones is a four-time Pro Bowler who won three Super Bowl rings with the team, two as a starter.

Wilson, however, was one of thetop receivers of the 1950s. He led the NFL in receptions in 1954, 1956 and 1957, earning first-team All-Pro nods in 1957. He made the Pro Bowl every year between 1954 and 1959 and is still the fifth-leading receiver in franchise history, even as the game has become progressively more pass-happy.

85: Vernon Davis (2006-Present)
When you look back over the highlights of Davis' career, it's a little surprising to see that he’s never topped 1,000 yards receiving. Only twice has he had double-digit touchdowns despite being the best receiver on the 49ers for much of his career.

He has been the 49ers’ deep threat for many of his seasons on the team and thus deserves this slot. However, he’s not a clear runaway. Davis has outdistanced his competition, but ‘60s tight end Monty Stickles and ‘80s receiver Mike Wilson deserve mentions as well.

86: Cedrick Hardman (1970-1979)
We take a brief break from the litany of receiving stars to acknowledge Hardman, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end from the ‘70s. He was somewhat one-dimensional as a player, but his specialty was being a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. Though sacks were not official at the time, he unofficially had 112.5, the most in franchise history, including the then-club record of 18 sacks in 1971.

Daniel Colchico, a former Len EshmontAward winner at defensive end in the ‘60s, is also worth mentioning, as is long-time long snapper Brian Jennings, whose 13-year career with the team explains why no modern receiver has claimed this number as their own.

87: Dwight Clark (1979-1987)
"The Catch" would be enough for Clark to earn this number, which the 49ers retired for him the year after he retired. There really hasn’t been another No. 87 worth mentioning in franchise history.

Still, even with tough competition, Clark would likely come out on top. He was the all-time franchise leader in receiving yards before Jerry Rice andTerrell Owens passed him, and he was named a first-team All-Pro in the strike-shortened 1982 season, when he led the NFL in receptions.

88: Freddie Solomon (1978-1985)
Before Rice and Taylor were the dominant receiving duo for the 49ers’ West Coast Offense attack, it was Clark and Solomon. Solomon’s speed and elusiveness made him a dangerous weapon with the ball in his hands, both as a receiver and a returner.

In different times, he might have been a dual-threat weapon as a quarterback, as he was in college. After converting to receiver in the NFL, Solomon became a two-time Super Bowl winner. Dick Witcher, who had 2,359 receiving yards of his own for the 49ers of the ‘60s and ‘70s, is the runner-up.

89: Ed Henke (1951-1960)
Finally, we're cheating a little to get Henke some recognition.Henke primarily wore No. 75, but also spent seasons in the 47 and 89 jersey—and it was as No. 89 that he made the Pro Bowl in 1952, so we’re placing him here rather than going with Tai Streets.

Henke actually had two stints with the 49ers, from 1951-1952 and from 1956-1960, playing for the Calgary Stampeders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union between stints. When he was a 49er, Henke was a foundational player on both the defensive line and at linebacker.

90: Issac Sopoaga (2005-2012)
This came down to a battle of interior defensive linemen. Junior Bryant had a solid career as a rotational lineman for the team in the late ‘90s, but Sopoaga beats him out. Nose tackles don’t get much of the glory, mostly absorbing offensive linemen so the linebackers behind him can do their thing, but Sopoaga was really good at it for Jim Harbaugh’s first few playoff teams.

91: Ray McDonald (2007-2014)
It feels off to highlight McDonald, considering his alleged off-field incidents and domestic violence charges are likely the first things most fans think of when they consider McDonald. However, other than Larry Roberts’ stint as a reserve in the ‘80s and ‘90s, there’s no one else notable at this number. McDonald was a four-year starter who excelled at defending the run.

92: Aubrayo Franklin (2007-2010)
Do you like nose tackles or pass-rushers? That’s the argument between Aubrayo Franklin and Roy Barker, both of whom spent short stints with the 49ers in the middle of their careers. Barker twice recorded double-digit sacks for the 49ers in the late ‘90s, which is nothing to sneeze at, but Franklin was better at a less glamorous position.

93: Ian Williams (2011-Present)
This is a rough number to find someone for. Arguably the best is Jim Cason, who wore it for two seasons in the ‘50s, but we already used him at No. 43 earlier in the countdown, and he only wore the number for a few seasons anyway.

Only Williams, Ronald Fields and Demetric Evans have worn the number for more than two seasons, and Williams’ 10 starts lead all of them. If Williams can ever stay healthy and on the field, he’ll be a more solid pick for this number.

94: Justin Smith (2008-2014)
No. 21 has an argument for the best number in franchise history, with Frank Gore, Deion Sanders and Eric Wright. No. 63 has an argument, with Frankie Albert, Bruno Banducci and Derrick Deese. But they’re both outshined by No. 94, with the fearsome trio of Justin Smith, Charles Haley and Dana Stubblefield.

That’s quite the trio of defensive linemen, all of whom played a different position and excelled at it. Haley’s going into the Hall of Fame, but I think Smith was the better all-around player, and he should join him there one day.

95: Michael Carter (1984-1992)
The best nose tackle in franchise history, Carter is the only man to win an Olympic medal and a Super Bowl ring in the same season, picking up a silver in the shot put in Los Angeles before joining the 49ers and winning Super Bowl XIX, though he didn’t actually become a starter until the next season.

As you’d expect from a record-setting shot putter, Carter had ferocious strength, dominating in the trenches. He was named an All-Pro defensive tackle in 1987, and made three Pro Bowls over the course of his career.

96: Dennis Brown (1990-1996)
Andre Carter has probably had the better overall career at this number, but he spent most of his career outside of San Francisco, including his only Pro Bowl berth. Thus, Brown earns the honor as the team’s Rookie of the Year in 1990 and a starter in Super Bowl XXIX. Brown’s potential ended up outweighing his on-field production, but some solid years as a starter and a Super Bowl ring are nothing to sneeze at.

97: Bryant Young (1994-2007)
You could make a strong argument for retiring 97 in honor of Young. With 208 games started, only Jerry Rice and Jimmy Johnson have appeared in more games than Young did. He succeeded at two different positions, moving from defensive tackle to end late in his career. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and an All Pro in 1996, his best season with 11.5 sacks and 61 tackles.

He was also the Comeback Player of the Year in ’99 after suffering a gruesome leg injury the year before, but he returned with no decrease in his level of play. He played for a Super Bowl-winning team and he played for one of the worst teams in franchise history in 2004, but he always gave the same level of effort and performance.

98: Julian Peterson (2000-2005)
There was a time when it looked like Peterson was going to become one of the best 49ers linebackers in history. He became a starter as a rookie and kept getting better, making the Pro Bowl in 2002 and 2003, earning an All-Pro nod in the latter year.

Then, he was left via free agency, putting up multiple Pro Bowls in Seattle. The relative brevity of his 49ers career means that you could consider other names like Parys Haralson here, but Peterson was better in his shorter time.

99: Mike Walter (1984-1993)
Will Aldon Smith eventually take the lead at this number? The answer depends on two factors—whether or not he can rebound to the levels of pass-rushing dominance he flashed in 2011 and 2012, and whether he sticks with the team when his contract expires at the end of this season.

If one of those things does not occur, the number sticks with inside linebacker Walter, who earned two Super Bowl rings with the team, leading the team in tackles in each season from ’87 to ’89.

Bryan Knowles is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Follow him @BryKno on Twitter.