3 Biggest 49ers Hall of Fame Snubs in Team History

The San Francisco 49ers might have struggled during their early days, but they have since become one of the NFL's gold star franchises, winning five Super Bowls in 13 seasons between 1981 and 1994 behind the likes of Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young, just to name a few. While most of the deserving 49ers have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, some of the best players in franchise history have yet to be inducted.

Players like defensive tackle and sack master Bryant Young, longtime center Jesse Sapolu, and Pro Bowl guard Randy Cross were all amazing talents, but these three former 49ers need to be in Canton as soon as possible.

3. QB John Brodie

Brodie, who started 158 games in 17 years for San Francisco, was the quarterback of some bad 49ers teams in the days after the "Million Dollar Backfield", but he was productive almost every single year. A league MVP in 1970, Brodie led the NFL in completion percentage and touchdowns twice while leading the league in passing yards three times. Despite playing in an era where they did not throw the ball like the NFL does today, he ended his career with 31,548 passing yards, which is more than Terry Bradshaw and Len Dawson, and 214 touchdown passes, more than Bob Griese and Ken Stabler.

2. LB Patrick Willis

Willis' short career was like a comet streaking across the sky. The light burned out quickly, but was it ever spectacular. In eight years, Willis made the Pro Bowl seven times, only missing it in 2014 because he played six games. A five-time first-team All-Pro, Willis was regarded as one of the best linebackers in the game from the day he stepped on an NFL field, as his ability to cover, stuff the run, and rush the passer all in one package was awe-inspiring. He wasn't a finalist for the Hall in 2020, but his time will come soon enough.

1. RB Roger Craig

Likely because the writers don't want to put every player from those great 49ers teams of the 80s into the Hall of Fame, Craig has not received a call from Canton. This is simply a crime against football. Craig touched the ball 225 times or more in each of his first seven seasons, rushing for over 1,000 yards three times and recording at least 1,150 yards from scrimmage in each of those seasons. He topped 2,000 scrimmage yards twice. The premier rusher on one of the best teams in NFL history, the four-time Pro Bowler became the first player to record 1,000 yards receiving and rushing in the same season. It's possible to make a case that Craig is the biggest Hall of Fame snub in history, regardless of era or position.