Retired 49er Greats

Having played O-Line, I've always had tremendous respect for guys like Randy Cross and Jesse Sapolu. Along with Frank Gore, my favorite 49ers have generally been linemen.

I don't know about anyone else... But I've always been a huge Cofer fan.....

Originally posted by dangerbird:
Having played O-Line, I've always had tremendous respect for guys like Randy Cross and Jesse Sapolu. Along with Frank Gore, my favorite 49ers have generally been linemen.

I knew Cas Banasek a little and ran into him at a car wash in San Carlos. I asked how he was doing and he told me he was going in for a knee replacement. He already had the other knee done and also had a hip and shoulder replacement. Ah, yes. The life of an O linemen. Unfortunately, Cas passed away in 2019 at the age of 74.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:

Originally posted by dangerbird:
Having played O-Line, I've always had tremendous respect for guys like Randy Cross and Jesse Sapolu. Along with Frank Gore, my favorite 49ers have generally been linemen.

I knew Cas Banasek a little and ran into him at a car wash in San Carlos. I asked how he was doing and he told me he was going in for a knee replacement. He already had the other knee done and also had a hip and shoulder replacement. Ah, yes. The life of an O linemen. Unfortunately, Cas passed away in 2019 at the age of 74.

Wow, yeah his body took punishment. When football was pure! Glad you got to meet him, may he RIP. Great man, great football name.

Originally posted by Geeked:
I don't know about anyone else... But I've always been a huge Cofer fan.....

I recall Cofer had a career long of 56 yards which was really impressive in those days but come 1991 or so he became terrible with consistency.

I guess you could say he was our first modern kicker. The name stood out for sure......and unlike good kickers for us like Joe Nedney, David Akers, Phil Dawson, and Robbie Gould, he was mostly a Niner first (I say mostly going by years of service and that he only played one season for another team prior to joining the squad in '88)....

(I just looked it up and I can't name one place kicker that was drafted originally with the 49ers that stayed with the team....neither Wersching nor Cofer were drafted by the Niners). I guess unless you're a HoF level kicker you'll just move around the league...

BTW, as a random off tangent...Jason Hanson of the Lions played his entire career there spanning 21 years. He was a rookie kicker playing his last game of the regular season at Candlestick when Montana played his last snaps as a Niner, and retired after the 49ers played in the Super Bowl with Harbaugh.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
Always love Rathman, a beast, I was bummed when he wasn't kept around as a our backs coach, but we got a good one in Turner. But Rathman was one of the best.

I'd bet a guy like this would have been brutal on himself as coach when the backs kept fumbling.

Originally posted by LayTheWoodall:
There is something magical about that era (camelot) of the 49ers and those players... specifically the uniforms. Obviously I'm a biased Niner fan, but they evoke the same emotion as seeing a superhero costume. This thread will be great!

In real life these guys are mountains. I love how the museum has the statues that make you feel like a dwarf next to the old champs.

Originally posted by JTsBiggestFan:
I recall Cofer had a career long of 56 yards which was really impressive in those days but come 1991 or so he became terrible with consistency.

I guess you could say he was our first modern kicker. The name stood out for sure......and unlike good kickers for us like Joe Nedney, David Akers, Phil Dawson, and Robbie Gould, he was mostly a Niner first (I say mostly going by years of service and that he only played one season for another team prior to joining the squad in '88)....

(I just looked it up and I can't name one place kicker that was drafted originally with the 49ers that stayed with the team....neither Wersching nor Cofer were drafted by the Niners). I guess unless you're a HoF level kicker you'll just move around the league...

BTW, as a random off tangent...Jason Hanson of the Lions played his entire career there spanning 21 years. He was a rookie kicker playing his last game of the regular season at Candlestick when Montana played his last snaps as a Niner, and retired after the 49ers played in the Super Bowl with Harbaugh.

Wow. That is pretty amazing even for a kicker.

Originally posted by Afrikan:
Yeah but those feet.

And I'm not a person who has a foot fetish. 😬

That could have been Jimmy g last year against kc if they fixed the o line.

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by VaBeachNiner:

How many Hall of Famers delivering crazyblox for Steve Young on that play? And the bum almost stumbles before he gets to the end zone. What a locker room conversation that would be. Quote Yeah guys I know you sacrificed your body on that play and I almost made it but I did trip over my shoelace. Maybe next time quote great times great times

Watch again closely where he breaks a few tackles, and by multiple defenders where he was all by himself. Guess you missed that part.

Good gawd this trio

Originally posted by VaBeachNiner:
Good gawd this trio

A picture that speaks volumes. Only one was a first round draft pick, but wasn't the first pick in the draft. Not even close.

Charlie Krueger passed away today.

I saw Charlie Krueger play a ton of games between 1959-1973...started 193 of 198 career games, all with the Niners. He was 6-4 260...and was one of our starting DT's for all those years. DL weren't as big then as they are now, but that didn't stop Charlie from being one of the toughest in the NFL. He was a 2-time Pro Bowler & 3-time All-Pro. He's in the Niner HOF. His # 70 was retired in 1974, just one year after his final season. RIP, Charlie.