5 49ers that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration

2. LB Patrick Willis

His NFL career was pretty short but awfully sweet. Linebacker Patrick Willis was the 11th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He played under three different head coaches during his first four seasons in the league, a span that saw the team amass a dismal 26-38 overall record.

That didn’t stop the former Ole Miss standout from dominating. He led San Francisco in tackles in each of those years, amassing at least 125 stops in each campaign. Willis was a Pro Bowler each year, earned three All-Pro nods and was the 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Over the next three seasons, he was the Niners’ second-leading tackler behind NaVorro Bowman. They were quite the combination and over that stretch, made the Pro Bowl each year and was named All-Pro in 2011 and ’12. More importantly, the team went to three straight NFC title games and reached Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. His 2014 season ended after six games due to a toe injury.

In March of 2015, Willis announced his retirement apparently very content with his decision. “In my head, I’m already a Hall of Famer. I am leaving this with closure. I’m happy today, more happy today than the day I was drafted.”

It seems like only a matter of time before the star linebacker is enshrined in Canton. Willis was a Semifinalist in his first two years of eligibility and a Finalist in 2022 and ’23.