5 most overrated players in 49ers history ft. Alex Smith
The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most traditional franchises in NFL history. With five Super Bowl wins and plenty of playoff appearances, not many teams have had this kind of success as the 49ers.
However, with so much success it also comes a point where deeper analysis is needed. Some players were part of great 49ers teams but their contribution to their wins was overrated.
Here's a closer look at five of the most overrated players in San Francisco's history.
5 most overrated players in San Francisco 49ers' history
#1. Alex Smith
Smith's comeback history is sincerely impressive, but let's not forget that, during his days as the 49ers quarterback, he was anything but trustworthy, and the fans asked for his release many, many times. While Jim Harbaugh saved his career, Smith finished with a winning career in San Francisco, but only just. There was a reason why Colin Kaepernick took the job midway through a 6-2 season.
#2. Aldon Smith
Smith had everything to become a great player for many years, but after two excellent seasons to start his career, he threw it away with many decisions that feel impossible to understand. He had two other years with the 49ers that were far from his great level and never truly realized his prime.
#3. Dashon Goldson
Goldson had some good years, but he was inconsistent in those seasons and his high number of turnovers created a false impression that he was better than what he was. True San Francisco fans know that he left a lot on the plate during the Jim Harbaugh era.
#4. Dwight Clark
Clark had a good year in 1981 and is thought of as a legend of the position – but that arguably was never the case. He's forever in San Francisco's folklore for his role on "The Catch", but other than that, he was just a good player that written history said was better than his real level.
#5. Frank Gore
I want to be very clear that I appreciate Frank Gore a lot. But his longevity can't be the reason why so many people remember him as a great running back: he was a good one with good numbers due to his high volume, but not the best production in the world. In fact, he had just one truly great season in 2006.