San Francisco 49ers All - Time Team

The 49ers have an interesting history. They started in the All-America Football Conference, played there for all four years of the rival league’s existence, and jumped to the NFL in 1950. With five Lombardi Trophies, they boast a strong history. From 1981-95, the 49ers won all five of their titles. Those were their glory days. They were a dynasty. It took a while for them to return to anything close to that level but they have been serious contenders recently. They returned to the Super Bowl in 2012 and 2019. The 49ers experienced something new in each. After five wins, they finally lost Super Bowls. The San Francisco 49ers have been one of best, most talented teams in the league since Kyle Shanahan took the coaching reigns in 2017. Shanahan and his 49ers make their Super Bowl return this year. Here’s a look at some of the best players in the great 77-year history of the San Francisco 49ers. 

San Francisco 49ers All - Time Team

Offense

Quarterback 

Joe Montana

Running Back

Hugh McElhenny 

Fullback

Joe Perry

Wide Receivers

Jerry Rice

Billy Wilson

Tight End

George Kittle

Tackles

Trent Williams

Bob St. Clair

Guards

Randy Cross

Bruno Banducci

Center

Forrest Blue

Defense

Defensive Ends

Fred Dean 

Charles Haley

Defensive Tackles

Leo Nomellini

Bryant Young

Linebackers

Dave Wilcox

Fred Warner

Patrick Willis

Cornerbacks

Jimmy Johnson

Eric Wright

Safeties

Ronnie Lott

Merton Hanks

Special Teams

Kicker

Robbie Gould

Punter

Tommy Davis

Returner

Abe Woodson

Early Draft Crushes

With the Senior Bowl done and the Scouting Combine three weeks away, some draft crashes for the Minnesota Vikings are developing. It’s still early in the draft process but these feelings are impossible to control. It just happens. Most of these crushes are firmly connected to the needs of the Vikings. There are plenty and most are on the defensive side of the ball. 

Edge

Defensive Tackle

Cornerback

For now, I’m excluding the all-important quarterback position. On offense, the biggest need is the interior offensive line and perhaps running back. Other than that, it’s overall depth 

With those needs in mind, here are some of my early draft crushes.

Edge

Dallas Turner, Alabama

Laiatu Latu, UCLA

Jared Verse, Florida State

Adisa Isaac, Penn State

Austin Booker, Kansas 

Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State

Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian

Defensive Tackle

Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

Darius Robinson, Missouri

T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

Byron Murphy II, Texas

Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State

Braden Fiske, Florida State

Khristian Boyd, Northern Iowa

Cornerback

Terrion Arnold, Alabama

Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri

Max Melton, Rutgers

Cam Hart, Notre Dame

Mike Sainristil, Michigan

Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Louisville

Interior Offensive Line

Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Zak Zinter, Michigan

Graham Barton, Duke

Cooper Beebe, Kansas State

Running Back

Blake Corum, Michigan

Jonathon Brooks, Texas

Kimani Vidal, Troy

Dylan Laube, New Hampshire

Wide Receiver

Ladd McConkey, Georgia

Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

Ricky Pearsall, Florida

As for that all-important quarterback position. 

Much of the Vikings draft plans are dependent on what they do at quarterback. If they re-sign Kirk Cousins, the draft is probably defensive-centric and maybe grab a promising quarterback that can sit, learn, and develop for a season or two. If they hope to find their quarterbacking future in the draft, everything changes. There are two options, each with pro and cons.

Option 1. Re-sign Kirk Cousins and select a “developmental” quarterback.

The possible QBs:

J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Michael Penix Jr., Washington

Bo Nix, Oregon

My only crush here is for J.J. McCarthy. I currently like him enough that I wouldn’t be disappointed if the Vikings select him with the 11th pick. If they like him enough, there is no reason to risk losing him. 

Option 2. Trade all that it takes to grab one of the Big 3 QBs. 

Caleb Williams, USC

Drake Maye, North Carolina

Jayden Daniels, LSU

If the Vikings love one of the above enough to do what it takes to get him, fine. As for my favorite, it fluctuates often between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. I doubt that Caleb Williams is an option as I don’t think that there’s any way the Vikings can pry the #1 pick from the Chicago Bears. 

As for my current favorite 1-2 draft combination from the above crushes:

1. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

2. Darius Robinson, Missouri

-or T’Vondre Sweat, Texas

-or Adisa Isaac, Penn State

-or Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri

Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Round-up

As soon as the season ends for an NFL team it’s mock draft season. It only picks up with the Senior Bowl, the Scouting Combine, and each Pro Day. The Senior Bowl was Saturday. The Scouting Combine is in a few weeks. It’s mock draft season. For this fan of the Minnesota Vikings, mock drafts have been on my mind for a while. Here’s a round-up of some Vikings mock drafts from those that I respect the most. 

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

Round 1: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

Diante Lee, The Athletic

Round 1: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com

Round 1: Byron Murphy Jr., DT, Texas

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com

Round 1: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

Eric Edholm, NFL.com

Round 1: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

Mel Kiper, ESPN

Round 1: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Jordan Reid, ESPN

Round 1: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

Matt Miller, ESPN

Round 1: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Round 2: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Eight isn’t a large sample size. Of the eight predictions for the Vikings first round pick, four are going with an edge rusher, two with a corner, and two with a defensive tackle. The only repeat prediction is Florida State edge Jared Verse. There’s really no debate that the Vikings biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. At 11, the Vikings are in position to select one of the top two or three edge players, the best corner, or the best defensive tackle. The only need that might top those defensive needs is if the Vikings take a draft day swing at a quarterback. The anointed Big 3 QBs (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels) should be long gone. Could the Vikings trade a load of picks to grab one of the three? Maybe. It feels a little pricey for a team with so many defensive needs. Or, could the Vikings perhaps reach a bit for a quarterback like J.J. McCarthy at 11? Who knows? I’d love to see the Vikings somehow come out of the first two rounds with one of the draft’s top defensive players and McCarthy. The debate will rage over the next few months. It’s all just getting started. 

A Couple More Minnesota Vikings 4-Round Mock Drafts

It appears that Minnesota Vikings fans currently split on their team’s draft strategy.

1. Trade what it takes to get in position to select one of the draft’s perceived top quarterbacks.

- Caleb Williams

- Drake Maye

- Jayden Daniels

2. Go defense with the first pick and hopefully find a potential future quarterback from the next wave.

- J.J. McCarthy

- Bo Nix

- Michael Penix Jr.

The second option would probably include the Vikings re-signing Kirk Cousins for a year or two. For me, this changes daily. Perhaps more frequently. Today, I’m probably leaning #2. This is a mock draft using that strategy.

1. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

2. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

4. Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State

4. Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy

The Vikings must add defensive playmakers in this draft. That’s probably why I’m currently leaning into going after a quarterback with the second pick. Cornerback, edge, and defensive tackle, in some order, are the biggest defensive needs. With the 11th pick, I believe that the Vikings will have the opportunity to grab the best corner in this draft. Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins should all be available. I’m going with Arnold in this mock draft but Mitchell is coming on fast after an excellent week of practices at the Senior Bowl. 

As for the quarterback, I really like J.J. McCarthy. I’ll like him even more after sitting behind Cousins after a year, or two. If the Vikings decision-makers like him enough, and worry about him not being available later, I wouldn’t be disappointed if he’s the pick at 11. If that happens, this draft would work for me.

1. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

2. Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

   -or Adisa Isaac, Edge, Penn State

4. Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State

4. Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy

I’d be very happy with either draft. In reality, I seriously doubt that Michael Hall Jr. will be available in the fourth round. It’s more likely that he’s off the board in the second round, certainly the third round. Florida State’s Braden Fiske might be a more likely fourth round option. Although, he may soon follow Hall on Day 2. Not having a third round pick is painful. That’s the price a team pays to add a player like T.J. Hockenson. Thinking about Hockenson as the Vikings third round pick eases the pain of not having the pick. 

If the Vikings go with Option #1, I sure hope that they do heavy defensive work in free agency. Which quarterback would they pursue? Caleb Williams won’t be an option. The Chicago Bears are either grabbing him or trading the first pick to another team that will. That team won’t be the Vikings. Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels? I’m currently thinking Drake Maye. But Jayden Daniels sure would be fun. 

Until the next mock draft. 

Teddy Bridgewater’s Going Home

Teddy Bridgewater is going home. 

This week, Teddy Bridgewater was named the head coach at Miami Northwestern High School. He played there. Now, he’s the head coach. It’s a beautiful thing. 

If you’d asked me in early August 2016 where Bridgewater would be in early February 2024, I would’ve said that he’d be leading the Minnesota Vikings to their next Super Bowl win.  Everything felt so right for player and team at that time. Mike Zimmer was happy. The ornery coach loved football and finally had his own team. His team was guided by perhaps the only quarterback Zimmer ever loved. Every Vikings quarterback that followed had an impossible task. Following Teddy Bridgewater. Zimmer loves Teddy. Everyone loves Teddy. The Vikings were coming off a 2015 season that ended with a playoff game they should’ve won. A playoff game decided by a missed 27-yard field goal. Everything felt promising about the 2016 Minnesota Vikings. Then, tragedy. About a week before the promising season, Bridgewater’s knee exploded during a practice as he was taking a snap from center. Everything changed for player, coach, and team in that dreadful moment.

Teddy Bridgewater’s last meaningful snap for the Vikings took place in that playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks on the frozen field of TCF Bank Stadium. The brutal knee injury ended the playing career that Bridgewater was supposed to have. Despite that terrible injury, he managed a ten-year NFL career. It wasn’t the career he was supposed to have but it was the career he had. Along the way, he played for six other teams. 

New York Jets

New Orleans Saints

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

Detroit Lions

At every stop, he won over teammates, coaches, and fans. He’s quite possibly the most likeable, loveable player I’ve ever known. He’s always smiling, always laughing, always humble, always supportive. 

In my mind, Teddy Bridgewater will always be a Minnesota Viking. Excluding that horrible August day in 2016, thinking about Bridgewater always brings a smile. It’s frustrating to think of the football career that he might’ve had. It’s wonderful thinking about the man that he’s always been. It’s so easy to think of him as a high school football coach. It makes me wish that I was an itty-bitty football player for Miami Northwestern. While I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on a fast coaching track to the NFL, I can easily see a long, happy, coaching life at Miami Northwestern. The kids will be better for it. 

Congratulations Teddy Bridgewater. 

And Then There Were None

This year, the NFL’s annual head coach churn had eight openings. 

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Atlanta Falcons

Washington Commanders

Tennessee Titans

Seattle Seahawks

New England Patriots

The last two were perhaps the most surprising as Super Bowl-winners Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick had become synonymous with the respective franchises they led for so long. The team’s might as well have been called the Carroll Seahawks and Belichick Patriots. Change is inevitable. 

Unless something unexpected happens in the coming weeks, the Washington Commanders closed this year’s head coach churn with the hiring of Dan Quinn as their new head coach. With that, here are this year’s new head coaches.

Carolina Panthers - Dave Canales

Las Vegas Raiders - Antonio Pierce

Los Angeles Chargers - Jim Harbaugh

Atlanta Falcons - Raheem Morris

Washington Commanders - Dan Quinn

Tennessee Titans - Brian Callahan

Seattle Seahawks - Mike Macdonald

New England Patriots - Jerod Mayo

Perhaps because Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, and Mike Vrabel didn’t get one of these jobs, fresh, young coaches were this year’s hiring theme. While Antonio Pierce was the Raiders interim head coach for a handful of games, five of the eight jobs went to coaches that have never been an NFL head coach. 

Dave Canales, 42

Antonio Pierce, 45

Brian Callahan, 39

Mike Macdonald, 36

Jerod Mayo, 37

Mike Macdonald and Jerod Mayo are the league’s youngest head coaches. Brian Callahan is the sixth youngest. After swapping out 70-year old coaches for these newbies, the NFL’s head coach fraternity got a lot younger. 

Even more important, the NFL head coach fraternity got a little more diverse. Half of the head coach jobs went to minorities. 

Dave Canales

Antonio Pierce

Jerod Mayo

Raheem Morris

While it’s the most equal opportunity hiring cycle that I can recall, the league has a long way to go. Only nine of the 32 head coach jobs are held by a minority coach.

Mike Tomlin

Robert Saleh

Todd Bowles

Mike McDaniel

DeMeco Ryans

Dave Canales

Antonio Pierce

Jerod Mayo

Raheem Morris

Looking forward. 

Anything can happen in Year 1 of a new NFL head coach. DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans are the most recent example of that. They went from terrible to the playoffs. It doesn’t take much thought to see that Jim Harbaugh and Mike Macdonald are in position for early success. It will be fun to see what comes of the coach-quarterback pairing of Harbaugh and uber-talented Justin Herbert. As for Macdonald, he’s joining a team coming off a couple of terrific drafts. I might not be sold on their quarterback but there’s talent in Seattle. The defensive talent molded by Macdonald will be intriguing. 

I’m probably most curious about Raheem Morris in Atlanta. He was one of my favorites (with DeMeco Ryans and Kevin O’Connell) for the Minnesota Vikings head coach job during the 2022 churn. In his first head coach shot, Morris started fast with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers then faded just as fast. I believe that he learned a lot from that experience and learned even more through his experience since. He’s 47. He’s been coaching football since he was 21. 26 years. For 22 of those years, he’s been a defensive football coach. In his first run with the Falcons (2015-2020), he coached defensive backs for a year and then flipped to the offense. He wanted to learn coaching from that side of the ball. From 2016-19 he coached receivers and coordinated the offensive passing game. He’s had a remarkable coaching career and I believe that he’s very ready for this opportunity. He’s definitely earned it. 

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s head coach churn. 

Ranking The 57 Super Bowls

In a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs have emerged as the participants in Super Bowl LVIII. After decades of keeping considerable distance between the league and gambling, the NFL has brought their big game to Las Vegas. Joe Carr, Bert Bell, and Pete Rozelle would be appalled. Money, money, money. It’s all about the money and there’s never enough for those that have more than enough. The following is a ranking of the fifty seven Super Bowls. Hopefully, Super LVIII  finds a high spot in next year’s ranking. 

57. Super Bowl IV-Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7

56. Super Bowl VIII-Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7

55. Super Bowl IX-Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6

54. Super Bowl XI-Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14

53. Super Bowl XXIV-San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10

52. Super Bowl XLVIII-Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8

51. Super Bowl XX-Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

50. Super Bowl XXXV-Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

49. Super Bowl XXIX-San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

48. Super Bowl XXXVII-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

47. Super Bowl XXII-Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10

46. Super Bowl XXVII-Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

45. Super Bowl XII-Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10

44. Super Bowl XXXIII Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19

43. Super Bowl XVIII Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9

42. Super Bowl XXVI-Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24

41. Super Bowl XV-Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10

40. Super Bowl I-Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10

39. Super Bowl VI-Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3

38. Super Bowl XL-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Seattle Seahawks 10

37. Super Bowl XLI-Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17

36. Super Bowl II-Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14

35. Super Bowl XIX-San Francisco 49ers, 38, Miami Dolphins 16

34. Super Bowl V-Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13

33. Super Bowl VII-Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7

32. Super Bowl XXVIII-Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

31. Super Bowl XXI-New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20

30. Super Bowl LV-Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Kansas City Chiefs 9
29. Super Bowl XXXI-Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21

28. Super Bowl XXX-Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
27. Super Bowl L-Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
26. Super Bowl XVII-Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17

25. Super Bowl XLIV-New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
24. Super Bowl LIII-New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
23. Super Bowl XXXIX-New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

22. Super Bowl XLV-Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25

21. Super Bowl XLVI-New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17

20. Super Bowl XXXII-Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

19. Super Bowl III-New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7

18. Super Bowl XLVII-Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
17. Super Bowl XXXIV-St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

16. Super Bowl XVI-San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21

15. Super Bowl XXXVI-New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

14. Super Bowl XIV-Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19

13. Super Bowl LIV-Kansas City Chiefs 31, San Francisco 49ers 20

12. Super Bowl LVI-Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20

11. Super Bowl LII-Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

10. Super Bowl LVII-Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35
  9. Super Bowl X-Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17

  8. Super Bowl XXIII-San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

  7. Super Bowl XXV-New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

  6. Super Bowl XXXVIII-New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

  5. Super Bowl XLII-New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

  4. Super Bowl LI-New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
  3. Super Bowl XLIX-New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
  2. Super Bowl XLIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

  1. Super Bowl XIII-Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31