he San Francisco 49ers have a long history of excellence over the years. Currently, the franchise has struggled with massive injury issues over the last two years, but are hoping to get back to being a Super Bowl contender soon.
Unfortunately, on Thursday, the 49ers announced the death of a former three-time Super Bowl champion with the franchise.
As shared in their press release, former linebacker Jim Farnhorst passed away on September 17 at the age of 66.
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“The San Francisco 49ers are deeply saddened by the passing of former linebacker Jim Fahnhorst, who passed away on Wednesday, September 17th at the age of 66,” they wrote.
Farnhorst was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 1982 NFL Draft at No. 92 overall. He played for two years in the USFL before signing with San Francisco. In the USFL, he played for the Chicago Blitz in 1983 before playing for the Arizona Wranglers the following season.
After being drafted by the Vikings, Farnhorst never played a single game for the franchise.
Throughout his career with the 49ers, Farnhorst played in seven years. He racked up 232 total tackles, seven interceptions, and a sack during his NFL career with San Francisco. He also was a part of winning three Super Bowls during his tenure in San Francisco and was a starter during those runs.
Interesting to note, Farnhorst’s older brother, Keith, was an offensive lineman with the 49ers from the 1974 season through 1987. Keith Farnhorst passed away back in 2018 and was also 66 years old at the time of his passing.
In an interview back in 2018, Farnhorst spoke out about playing alongside his brother in the NFL.
“We ran into each other a few times at practice, but we had an understanding that we weren’t going to try and make each other look bad,” Jim said. “It was kind of uncomfortable.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Farnhorst’s family and friends. He found a lot of success during his time with the 49ers and his loss has been felt by the franchise.
Originally born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Farnhorst played his college football at the University of Minnesota. He was a First-Team All-Big Ten member in 1981.
