The San Francisco 49ers have been a rollercoaster ride since the turn of the century, as they’ve had some great years (including three Super Bowl appearances) and some downright awful years (including six seasons with five or fewer wins).
Despite the ups and downs, the 49ers have had some of the best talent that the NFL has seen over the last 25 years, even if they all didn’t play in the red and gold during their prime.
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ESPN’s Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder released their NFL All Century Team on Wednesday, putting together a 53-man roster and coaching staff that took into account the players’ and coaches’ resumes since 2000. Interestingly the 49ers were well represented, with six players and one coach selected.
The list of players included running back Christian McCaffrey, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, wide receiver Randy Moss, wide receiver Terrell Owens, offensive tackle Trent Williams and cornerback Richard Sherman. San Francisco’s head coach, Kyle Shanahan, was named as the offensive coordinator for his work running offenses for the 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders and Houston Texans.
Here’s what Schatz and Walder said about each current and former 49er:
RB Christian McCaffrey (2022-present)
“As the best receiving back of the past 25 years, McCaffrey needs to be included on this roster. He averages 47 receiving yards per game, which is more than anyone else with at least 500 carries in the span.
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“But he’s not only a receiving back. What makes McCaffrey special is that he has maintained 4.7 yards per carry over his career, 14th-best among running backs this quarter century.”
FB Kyle Juszczyk (2017-present)
“Juszczyk’s nine Pro Bowl selections are four more than the Ravens’ Patrick Ricard and five more than former Charger Lorenzo Neal. He’s a unique playmaker as a fullback in the passing game, with the ability to move around and run all kinds of different routes.”
WR Randy Moss (2012)
“The greatest receiver of the 21st century based on the eye test, Moss also dominated in advanced metrics. He set the all-time NFL record with 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007, a season that ranks third all time in DYAR.
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“Moss ranked No. 1 in receiving DYAR three times: 2000, 2003 and 2007. In each of those seasons, he had at least 1,400 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He is also the leader in total receiving value by DYAR whether you add together a player’s top five seasons or top 10 seasons since 2000. Plus, he’s a legend of the podium interview.”
WR Terrell Owens (1996-2003)
“In the 11 seasons Owens played in this quarter century, he recorded three second-place finishes in DYAR and one infamous driveway news conference. He led the league in receiving touchdowns three times, and his 80.3 receiving yards per game ranks sixth among WRs with at least 50 games played since 2000.
“Owens would play through any injury for this team, as evidenced by his miraculous 122-yard performance in Super Bowl XXXIX after breaking his leg seven weeks earlier.”
OT Trent Williams (2020-present)
“Williams was chosen for the Pro Bowl in 11 seasons from 2012 to 2023, the most by any offensive tackle since 2000. He was very good in his 20s for Washington before holding out the entire 2019 season over disagreements with the team’s medical staff. He is even better in his 30s for San Francisco, leading all tackles in pass block win rate in 2023.”
CB Richard Sherman (2018-20)
“Sherman headlined the “Legion of Boom” secondary that took over the NFL in the 2010s, making the game-clinching deflection that sent the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl appearance of the 21st century. And in retrospect, it’s a testament to Sherman and Earl Thomas III that the emulations by other teams of Seattle’s Cover 3 defense never had as much success as the original. From 2012 to 2014, Sherman earned three straight first-team All-Pro selections and recorded 20 interceptions.”
HC (OC) Kyle Shanahan (2017-present)
“Our criteria for the coordinators was that head coaches were allowed as long as they spent some time as a coordinator in this quarter century. Shanahan — along with Sean McVay and the resulting coaching tree — proliferated a schematic shift across the league that happened to be quite successful.
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“Teams coordinated or coached by Shanahan averaged 0.06 EPA per play (postseason included), including three seasons where they ranked top two in DVOA and six seasons in the top six. Shanahan’s statistical success is notable given that he usually hasn’t had elite quarterbacks playing for him — the quarterback with the most playing time under him is Jimmy Garoppolo.”
More 49ers: Did 49ers GM reveal key change coming to 49ers offense in 2025?
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: ESPN picks seven 49ers for All Quarter Century Team
