TOP 10 Greatest LB units
Niner Report|December 2020
When the 49ers traded veteran Kwon Alexander to the New Orleans Saints, Nov. 2, they broke up one of the best young groups of starting linebackers in today’s NFL, a group including Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw that played a significant role in lifting San Francisco into Super Bowl LIV last season.
Craig Massei
TOP 10 Greatest LB units

Perhaps Warner and Greenlaw can continue their promising career climbs and stay together long enough with the team to someday spearhead a group that can find its way onto this list of the greatest linebacker units in 49ers history.

1 Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, AldonSmith, Ahmad Brooks: This fearsome foursome in San Francisco’s 3-4 scheme was featured in the top-flight defense that carried the 49ers into three consecutive NFC Championship games, reaching its zenith during San Francisco’s Super Bowl season of 2012. In one of the greatest performances by a linebacker unit in NFL history, all four players were named Pro Bowlers that year while Willis, Bowman and Smith earned All-Pro first-team honors and Brooks was named to the All-Pro second team. Willis and Bowman were on the fast track toward the Hall of Fame before injuries prematurely derailed their careers before age 30. Willis, a Hall semifinalist last season in his first year of eligibility, likely will still get there.

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