Tittle Truly One Of The Greats

Legacy of legendary 49ers QBs began with ‘Bald Eagle’

Before Joe Montana … before Steve Young … before every other notable star quarterback to play the position for the 49ers … there was Y.A. Tittle.

The first in the lineage of Hall of Fame quarterbacks produced by the franchise, Tittle arrived on the scene in San Francisco nearly seven decades ago during a different kind of era in professional football and promptly introduced the team to a modern passing game. The 49ers have never been the same since. Tittle — who would return to San Francisco after his 17-year pro career was completed and became a successful businessman, prominent figure and part of the culture in the City by the Bay — died at 90 on Oct. 8 at Stanford Hospital, just down the road from 49ers headquarters. He was 16 days short of his 91st birthday.

He’s a throwback to the beginning of the great lore that is 49ers history. A four-time Pro Bowler and 1957 NFL Player of the Year during his decade in San Francisco (1951-1960), Tittle was a flamboyant character with his sidearm throwing style, bald pate and striking personality that made the “Bald Eagle” — as many called him then — one of the most unforgettable players during the embryonic stages of the franchise.

“Y.A. Tittle will forever hold a special place in not only 49ers history, but that of the National 

Football League,” 49ers CEO Jed York said.

York got that right. Some of Tittle’s greatest seasons came after the 49ers shipped him to the New York Giants in 1961 in one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history.