The 49ers had two legendary defensive players among the NFL’s semifinalists for the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, but only one made the cut down to 15 finalists. Defensive lineman Bryant Young is a finalist for the first time, while linebacker Patrick Willis did not make it in his first year of eligibility.
Young was a dominant defensive tackle for the 49ers from 1994 to 2007. Across his 14 seasons, he earned four trips to the Pro Bowl, an All-Pro nod, a Comeback Player of the Year award, and won a Super Bowl during his rookie season.
He started all 208 games he played in San Francisco, and finished his career with 89.5 sacks, including two seasons with 11.0 or more. Game-changing defensive tackles are hard to come by in the NFL, and Bryant certainly was one from the time he stepped on the field as the No. 7 overall pick out of Notre Dame in 1994, and his production never really slowed. Even in his final season as a 35-year-old on a bad 49ers team he posted 6.5 sacks.
Here is the full list of 15 Modern-Era finalists:
S Steve Atwater
OT Tony Boselli
WR Isaac Bruce
S LeRoy Butler
OL Alan Faneca
WR Torry Holt
OL Steve Hutchinson
RB Edgerrin James
FS John Lynch
LB Sam Mills
S Troy Polamalu
DL Richard Seymour
LB Zach Thomas
WR Reggie Wayne
DL Bryant Young
One glaring omission from the list of finalists is former 49ers LB Patrick Willis.
Willis’ Hall of Fame case is pretty rock solid despite his relatively short career. He spent just eight years in the league, but he was undeniably dominant for all eight of those years. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, and a key cog in one of the most dominant defenses of the 2010s.
On the other hand, it was only his first year of eligibility, and getting into the Hall of Fame is exceptionally difficult. Several of the finalists, including 49ers GM and former safety John Lynch, are extremely worthy, but forced to wait several years before finally getting in. Willis, due to his lack of longevity, may wind up having to wait.
Both Young and Willis should be inducted into Canton by the time all the dust settles on their illustrious careers. It won’t be this year for Willis, but Young could certainly take his well deserved spot among the league’s all-time greats.