San Francisco 49ers
Greatest Player: Jerry Rice
Statistics in sports don’t always tell the whole story. But as we all know, numbers don’t lie, and the numbers say that Jerry Rice is the NFL all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, and that makes him the greatest wide receiver of all-time, no questions asked. Rice was also one of the hardest-working players in the game.
He knew how to take care of his body, rarely missing in over two decades in the NFL. He also paid close attention to detail while becoming one of the most precise route runners the game has ever seen. Just in case there was any doubt, the 13 Pro Bowl selections, three Super Bowl rings, and over 100 NFL records leave no room for debate.
San Francisco 49ers
Runner Up: Joe Montana
While three-time Super Bowl MVP Montana lacked the power passing skills of many of the QB’s populating this list, “Joe Cool” was the quintessential catalyst of the “West Coast Offense” system perfected by late 49ers’ head coach Bill Walsh. Montana’s detached precision was the necessary ingredient to manifest Walsh’s sophisticated passing designs.
Together they forged a dynasty in San Francisco that would eventually see their offensive schemes lead to five Super Bowls championships with two different coaches and quarterbacks, the second being Steve Young. When Montana was traded to Kansas City in 1993 to make room for Young to take over, it was an earthquake like no other that hit the Bay Area.