Who Wore It Best? - A journey through a 49er history of jersey numbers

After seeing the players who changed numbers and a brief conversation in another thread about retired team numbers I went down a google rabbit hole a bit, and I thought this could be a fun topic in the week before the new season starts.

TLDR: Rankings are fun. Let's discuss!

Full Explanation: I'm going to look at all 100 numbers (0-99) through the history of the 49ers and make a conclusion on who was the best player to wear that number as a 49er. Some of these will be slam dunk easy decisions, some will be a bit tougher, either because the pickings are slim, or multiple players are worthy. I'll be sure to mention any players that were memorable if not the top choice.

There will be some disagreements, but that's the fun part. Feel free to chime in and debate it!

This will obviously be more difficult for the players who were 49ers back in the 1940s-70s, as 1) those teams were overall less successful, 2) few here ever saw them play (including myself), 3) even if we could see them play the league coverage and game style were quite different. I can only do my best, which will admittedly rely on honors such as Hall of Fame, All-Pro, playoff success, etc.

The four AAFC years of 1946-1949 are included, though I don't see it making a difference outside a few already well-known players.

I'll predominantly be using Pro Football Reference and Wikipedia for roster number reference. In later years we've seen many players change their numbers as the number rules changed (Deebo Samuel, Charvarius Ward). In these cases their play WILL be split by how they did with each number. So, Ward will be considered for both 35 (in 2022) and 7 (in 2023) separately. In most cases I don't think this will effect a player's ability to be the top choice; after all, great players are great no matter their number. Usually.

I'm gonna look at 5 numbers at a time for each post. This will allow for better discussion, will keep the posts shorter, and not require me to do 100 numbers in one fail swoop.

Next post will be a few additional notes, then numbers 0-4 will be covered in the post after that.

Additional Notes

Active Roster Only
Player has to spend time on the active roster to qualify. Pre-season or Practice Squad only numbers do not count. For example, Brock Purdy only wore 14 in the 2022 pre-season.

AAFC 1946-1949 Numbers
The uniform numbering system for positions was different in the AAFC compared to the NFL. This may create a few oddities for some early players.

Roster Sizes
Due to increases in roster sizes, later seasons have more numbers issued, so this is sure to also tip the scales to more modern players.

What About 0 and 00?
While the NFL allowed 0 and 00 prior to 1973 it seems like no 49er player ever wore either of these numbers in those early years (best I can tell, 00 was only ever worn by four players total across the three relevant leagues). While 00 is still not allowed, the NFL allowed 0 to be issued again starting in 2023 (congrats, Samuel Womack). The numbers 90-99 were not allowed to be issued in the NFL from 1973-1978.

This Is Mostly for Fun to Fill Time
Don't hate me if I pick someone you wouldn't.

Numbers 0-4

0 - Samuel Womack, DB (2023) - Literally the only player to play with the number 0 on the 49ers. Truly a legend... who is now on the Colts. Rookie Renardo Green just changed to the number 0, and can in theory tie or surpass Womack as the greatest number 0 in 49er lore in this upcoming 2024 season.

1 - Jimmie Ward, S/DB (2021-2022) - From 1946-1979 do you know how many players wore single digit 1-9 numbers for the 49ers? Two. One guy wore 6 from 1950-1951 (more on him when we discuss 6), and for exactly seven games as a backup in 1969 a WR named Noland Smith wore 1, probably because it was available and he had worn it in the AFL for the Chiefs for a few seasons. So, that really only leaves Jimmie Ward in his last two years with the team (including an injury riddled 2022). How is that our best choice, you ask? Well, the only other options include a couple of briefly employed kickers: Gary Anderson in 1997, the year before he broke all Vikings fans' hearts, and Jose Cortez in his one-game-only return in 2005, where he attempted one field goal... and missed. That leaves Troy Smith, who started six games at QB for the about-to-be-fired Mike Singletary in 2010. So, yes - Jimmie Ward wins almost by default, though to be fair he had a solid 2021 season, starting 16 games and helping the team to the NFC Championship Game. If Deebo Samuel has even an average 2024 by his standards he'll claim this spot.

2 - David Akers, K (2011-2012) - Akers wins a dull race by virtue of his All-Pro 2011 season for the resurgent Harbaugh 49ers, where it seems he scored most of the team's points. Again, the lack of candidates hurts this number, which means if Deommodore Lenoir breaks out as is anticipated in 2024 he could very well lock this top spot down. (Thank you, NFL, for allowing WRs and DBs to wear 0-9 in recent years; it's really upping the competition here). Other players of (foot)note are journeyman QBs Blaine Gabbert (2014-2016) and Brian Hoyer (2017), and K Todd Peterson, who suffered on (but also did little to help) some truly terrible Dennis Erickson teams in 2003-2004. Fun factoid: No player has worn 2 longer than Gabbert's three seasons.

3 - Jim Miller, P (1980-1982) - Honestly, winning Super Bowl XVI is the only distinguishing achievement of Miller, who was as middle-of-the-road as they come. Contrast that to Jaquiski Tartt (2021) and Ray-Ray McCloud (2022-2023), who both had infamous negative plays in the 2021 NFC Championship Game (in the one year he wore 3) and Super Bowl LVIII, respectively. Overall the work put in by those guys is superior, but also rather brief while wearing 3. (Tartt is hurt by changing his number from 29 to 3). I'm going with the guy who won a ring by not being remembered for a negative play. C.J. Beathard also wore 3 in some tough fought, but ultimately not good enough QB efforts amongst his 2017-2020 stint with the team. P Mitch Wishnowsky switched to this number for 2024.

4 - Andy Lee, P (2004-2014) - Back-to-back punters, but a much different story here. In his 11 seasons with the 49ers Lee was a 3-time All-Pro and was arguably the top "offensive weapon" outside of Frank Gore in the leaner of those years. His 50.9 Y/P average in 2011 for a 13-3 playoff team is a testament to his ability to flip the field for a so-so 49ers offense that often struggled to move the ball consistently drive-to-drive. QB Nick Mullens (2017-2019) had a memorable first start his rookie year, while K Phil Dawson (2016) was solid in our run of veteran free agent kickers, but only wore 4 his last year with the team. P Reggie Roby capped his long career with SF in 1998. K Doug Brien (1994-1995) won Super Bowl XXIX without being tasked with a single stressful FG attempt all year in 1994, while P Max Runager (1984-1987) won Super Bowl XIX in 1984 with similar low stress. He arguably had similar or slightly better numbers than number 3 top guy Jim Miller, but thems the numbers breaks. Finally, in recent years DB Emmanuel Moseley (2021-2022) and K Jake Moody (2023) have worn 4. It's gonna take a lot of years of stellar kicking for Moody to surpass Lee here, IMO.

Who's Wearing It In 2024?
0 - Renardo Green, CB
1 - Deebo Samuel, WR
2 - Deommodore Lenoir, CB
3 - Mitch Wishnowsky, P
4 - Jake Moody, K

What's Next?
Numbers 5-9, where we hope to get out of our P/K suffering.

This should be a fun thread! Love the breakdowns and write ups so far! Added this to my follow list

Numbers 5-9

5 - Jeff Garcia, QB (1999-2003) - Aside from Kurt Warner and Tony Romo Jeff Garcia may be the NFL's best undrafted free agent QB since the draft was reduced to seven rounds in the mid-90s. He helped delay the major downturn that was to come for the franchise after Montana/Young, with a strong rapport with Terrell Owens before the latter got... odd. The team wasn't strong enough to go deep into the playoffs, but the comeback against the Giants in the 2002 playoffs will always keep Garcia high up among the stars who didn't quite win it all. Aside from Garcia you have a few names people will remember: P Bradley Pinion (2015-2018), QB David "We Want" Carr (2010), and, er, QB Trey Lance (2021-2022). Backup QB Joshua Dobbs has 5 this year.

6 - Mike Cofer, K (1988-1993) - Roleplay LB Don Burke (1950-1951) wore 6 before switching his number, and remained the only multi-season single digit uniform Niner until 1980. I'm giving this to Cofer in a very tight race with K Joe Nedney (2005-2010) courtesy of Cofer winning two rings and being an All-Pro once. However, Nedney brought stability after some disastrous kickers in the years before he was signed, starting off the 18-year run of veteran Ks for the franchise of Nedney-Akers-Dawson-Gould from 2005-2022. Other notable 6s are backup QB Matt Cavanaugh (1983-1985), and, dragging the K rep down, the roller coaster that was Jose Cortez in his initial 2001-2002 time with the team. This was P Mitch Wishnowsky's (2019-2021) first of three numbers. S Malik Mustapha has it in 2024 after WR Danny Gray (2022-2023) did nothing with it.

7 - Colin Kaepernick, QB (2011-2016) - Truly a bright flame that burned out too quick, his 2012-2013 seasons were a real kick in the head to the league. Helped get the 49ers back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years. The tumult of the head coach/front office relationships from 2014-2016 probably helped push him looking for fulfillment elsewhere than the NFL. While I don't think he matched Shanahan's preferred QB skillset by then and would have been released anyway, it would have been interesting to see him with another team, but it was not to be, for a myriad of reasons people should debate elsewhere on this forum. CB Charvarius Ward (2022-2023) is already the #2 for 7. K Wade Richey had it from 1998-2000, then handed it off to P Jason Baker in 2001-2002, and that's about it, as the other handful were one-year whoevers.

8 - Steve Young, QB (1987-1999) - Young isn't just the best to wear 8 for the Niners, he's the *ONLY* player to ever wear it. Never issued before he retained it after the trade from Tampa Bay, Young seized it in a stranglehold and never let go. 7-time Pro Bowler, 3-Time All-Pro, 2-time league MVP, 3-Time Super Bowl champ, Hall-of-Famer, post career cheerleader for the franchise in the best of ways. The guy could have had a third act with Mike Shanahan in Denver after Elway retired but decided staying a Niner at the end of his career was more valuable to him. A real one. I haven't looked ahead, but he's probably the only Niner to be the only wearer of his number in the franchise's history.

9 - Robbie Gould, K (2017-2022) - Gould edges out his predecessor K Phil Dawson (2013-2015) courtesy of his clutch playoff kicks, going 21/21 for FGs and 19/19 for PATs in three post-seasons with SF. His game-winning FG in snowy Green Bay is his defining moment as a 49er. Backup QB Jeff Kemp played for an injured Montana in 1986, which helped inspire the trade for Young, so that's a legacy of sorts.

Who's Wearing It In 2024?
5 - Joshua Dobbs, QB
6 - Malik Mustapha, S
7 - Charvarius Ward, CB
8 - Nobody (# Retired in 2008)
9 - Brayden Willis, TE (Practice Squad)

What's Next?
Numbers 10-14, which looks to be a run of QBs, but not quite to the end.

Wards already better than Kap

Originally posted by Hysterikal:
Wards already better than Kap

There's certainly an argument for it. I leaned towards Kaep due to being a QB and really changing defensive game plans for a 1.5 year period.