Why are the San Francisco 49ers called the 49ers?
The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most famous teams in the NFL. With elite defensive coordinator Robert Saleh having switched the west coast for the east coast when he took up the head coaching job with the Jets, and with the likes of CBs Richard Sherman and Jason Verrett not expected to be on the roster come autumn, there are some big questions for the 49ers war room to ponder during the offseason, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
It is better to leave defensive tactics and trades to the professionals though so rest assured that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will have a handle on all of that during his well-earned spring/summer vacation.
An even bigger question than what's going to happen to that feared San Francisco D without Saleh and Sherman? (and one that's much easier for me to answer), is, why the heck are the 49ers called the "the 49ers" in the first place?"
Let's take a look:
Why are the San Francisco 49ers called the 49ers?
San Francisco opted to nickname its franchise 'the 49ers' as a nod to the geographical and cultural history of the bay area in California. 'The 49ers' was the nickname given to the influx of hopefuls who flocked to Northern California in search of gold during the mid-1800s, a huge coup for the Californian economy in general. This was a period that became the basis of the region's success in many ways and, in that sense, it's a fitting nickname for one of the NFL's most popular franchises.
Just like San Francisco is one of the most successful examples of modern civilization (so long as we agree not to discuss the homelessness), the 49ers have gone on to become one of the most successful teams in the NFL, racking up five Super Bowl titles since the inception of the franchise in 1946.
Lucky 49ers fans have been treated to some spectacular football over the years too, with several of the greatest talents to ever don the cleats having strutted their stuff in the famed red and gold of San Francisco: the likes of Steve Young, Joe Montana, and Jerry Rice.
There's been a proverbial 'gold-rush' of outstanding grid-iron played in northern California for three-quarters of a century now, which begs us to wonder if maybe the adage is true and success really is all in the name.