San Francisco 49ers Top 5 Quarterbacks of All Time

(last updated on January 29, 2026)

The San Francisco 49ers are and have been one of the model franchises in the NFL for the last 50 years or so. Eight Super Bowl appearances and five Lombardi Trophies have set a high bar for this franchise. The Niners actually have the most conference championship game appearances in NFL history (19). This team by the bay was undoubtedly the team of the 1980s with four championships and a charismatic quarterback. Then they added another title in the 1990s with a matinee idol signal-caller. Since then they have been close several times and always seem to be a problem in the NFC. With a rich legacy, you know the 49ers have had some great gunslingers at quarterback. In fact, three of the men on this list have a permanent residence in Canton. Now let’s glide over the Golden Gate Bridge and examine the top quarterbacks in San Francisco 49ers history.

Jeff Garcia will never be a Hall of Famer, but he produced well enough to be acknowledged as one of the top quarterbacks in San Francisco 49ers history. From 1999-2003, Jeff Garcia was one of the NFL’s steadiest arms. His best three years all resulted in Pro Bowl appearances, 20+ passing touchdowns, over 3,300 passing yards, and at least a 62.1 completion %. 2000 was his best year as he had a 97.6 passer rating, 4,278 passing yards, 31 TDs, 10 interceptions, and 414 rushing yards. In 2001 and 2002, #5 led the Niners to the postseason and helped restore normalcy at Candlestick Park. Garcia’s overall record as a starter in San Fran isn’t earth-shattering (35-36), but he ranks fourth all time in franchise history with 16,408 passing yards 16,408 and fifth in passing touchdowns (113). Until 2023, Jeff had the single-season passing yards mark for the 49ers before Brock Purdy broke it by a mere two yards. And would you believe this San Jose State product actually has a lower career interception rate (2.4) than Joe Montana (2.7)? Jeff Garcia was a spark of energy for five years in San Fran, and that makes him one of the best QBs in 49ers history.

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And now for a Double Jeopardy clue … he is the first 49ers quarterback to win the AP NFL MVP award. Who is John Brodie? Correct! For 17 seasons, Brodie was by the bay, and after sitting behind another entrant on this list, he became the starter in 1961. Then in an era of running-dominated offense, #12 helped ignite the league’s passing game with 10 seasons of 2,000+ passing yards. He led the NFL in that category in 1965, 1968, and 1970, and he twice led the league in passing TDs. Back in 1965, throwing for 30 touchdowns was pretty rare. Wins were also pretty rare for the 49ers in the 1960s, but then came along Brodie’s 1970 MVP year. He led the NFL in many passing categories: 2,941 passing yards, 24 TDs, 223 completions, a 2.6 interception rate, and a 93.8 passer rating. But, most importantly, San Fran went 10-3-1, and Brodie led them to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to Dallas. In 1971, it was deja vu as this QB led the Niners back to the same game, against the same team, and with the same result. This man is still second in the franchise’s passing yards (31,548), second in game-winning drives (22), and third in passing TDs (214). John Brodie was one of the arms that helped introduce major passing attacks to the NFL, and that makes him one of the top quarterbacks in the history of the San Francisco 49ers.

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Who did the previous man replace at quarterback for the Niners? Hall of Famer Y.A. Tittle is the answer. The Bald Eagle went 45-31-2 at QB for San Francisco and earned four Pro Bowls. In the ground-centric days of professional football, Tittle was one of the OG’s of the aerial attack. He had four seasons of 2,000 passing yards or more with the 49ers in the 1950s. Compared to today’s passing-obsessed offenses, those stats seem pedestrian, but they were impressive back when drive-in theaters were king. 1957 was Old Reliable’s best season in San Fran when he led the league in completion % (63.1), threw for 13 TDs, and accrued 2,157 yards through the air. That season he led the Niners to the playoffs and finished second in MVP voting. Yes, some of Y.A.’s best years came as a New York Giant, but his QB accomplishments in San Francisco have stood up: third in game-winning drives (19), fourth in wins (45), fifth in passing yards (16,016), and sixth in passing touchdowns (108). Because of the era, Y.A. Tittle’s passing numbers may not seem as prodigious as modern times, but he was still one of the best quarterbacks ever for the San Francisco 49ers.

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Remember how Mary Jensen described Pat Healy in a 1998 classic comedy … “He’s no Steve Young.” A truer statement was never uttered. There was only one Steve Young. Very arguably the greatest lefty quarterback ever, this ultra-athletic BYU product became a San Francisco legend after sitting behind another legend for a long time. Young was one of the most efficient passers of all time. He led the league in completion % five times and passer rating six times; he has career marks of 64.3% and 96.8 in those two stats. When he retired after the 1999 season, #8 had the highest career passer rating of all time. He lit up the misty bay air with six seasons of 3,000 or more passing yards, and he led the league in passing touchdowns four times. Yes, this guy won as well; he had a 91-33 record as a starter with the Niners, and he won three Super Bowl titles (one as the starting QB). He was the league’s MVP in 1992 and 1994. That 1994 season was the year he got the monkey off of his back and won his first Super Bowl as the starter. In Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers, Young was the game’s MVP with 325 passing yards, 6 TDs (still a Super Bowl record), 0 picks, and a 134.8 passer rating as the 49ers cruised to a 49-26 title. As far as a signature moment, Steve Young’s epic touchdown scramble against the Vikings in 1988 showcased his heart and athleticism. Steve Young is an NFL Hall of Famer and undoubtedly one of the top quarterbacks in San Francisco 49ers history.

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Not only is Joe Montana widely considered the best quarterback in San Francisco 49ers history, he is on the short list of the best quarterbacks of all time. This two-time NFL MVP (1989 and 1990) is one of only three QBs ever to have at least four Super Bowl wins as a starter. He was the major piece of the 49ers dynasty in the 1980s. His 100-39 regular-season record, a 14-5 postseason record, 35,124 passing yards, 244 TD passes, and 25 game-winning drives are all franchise records. Joe Cool’s efficiency in the pocket was demonstrated with five times leading the league in completion % and twice leading the league in passer rating. His postseason theatrics are well known by all: three Super Bowl MVP awards, “The Catch” in the 1981 NFC Championship Game, decisively outdueling Dan Marino in Super Bowl XIX, the last-minute drive to beat the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII, and the five-touchdown performance to stomp the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. In terms of NFL Playoff history, Montana is tied for third in passing touchdowns (45) and 7th in passing yards (5,772). There is a lot more we could add about #16, but I only have one paragraph. Joe Montana is one of the most famous names in NFL history, so it would be hard to put any other quarterback above him for the San Francisco 49ers.

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 6th, 2024 at 3:20 pm and is filed under Top Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.