7 Greatest San Francisco 49ers players of the 21st century

1. Patrick Willis – LB

Playing at a high level during an entire career is something that is extremely difficult to accomplish in today’s NFL. But from the moment Patrick Willis stepped onto the field for the 49ers, he immediately emerged as one of the top linebackers in the league.

Selected by San Francisco in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, Willis made the Pro Bowl and earned a First-Team All-Pro selection as a rookie. This was understandable though since he finished his first season in the league with 174 total tackles, more than any other NFL player in 2007.

Unsurprisingly, Willis was named the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2007. This was just the first of many great seasons the linebacker would have in a 49ers uniform.

During his first seven years with San Francisco, Willis earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl, five First-Team All-Pro selections, and finished six of the seven seasons with at least 100 total tackles.

He only spent eight seasons in the NFL before unexpectedly retiring in 2015, but few have made as big an impact on the 49ers franchise as the linebacker did. Willis definitely deserves to be included in the company of some of San Francisco’s greatest defenders like Ronnie Lott, Bryant Young and Charles Haley.

In 2020, he will be eligible to appear on the voting ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Based on what he was able to do out on the field in a 49ers uniform, don’t bet on it taking very long for Willis to get a gold jacket from Canton.