Dave Wilcox: San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame Linebacker

Dave “The Intimidator” Wilcox dominated NFL offenses through sheer power and aggressive disruption. He punished tight ends, anchored the San Francisco 49ers defense for over a decade, and earned a permanent place in football history.

Football Bio

September 29, 1942 – Dave Wilcox was a linebacker who hailed from the University of Oregon.

He was an intimidating specimen, just as his nickname suggests, standing at 6’-3″ and weighing in at 241 pounds when he was selected by both the Houston Oilers of the AFL and the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers in the 1964 respective league drafts.

The 49ers won the bid and drafted a great player in the 3rd round.

Wilcox played for eleven seasons in the League as a linebacker, and his aggressive style of play earned him the reputation as one of the best players at the position in that era of football.

According to his bio on ProFootballHOF.com, Wilcox prided himself on being unblockable and was known for jamming tight ends at the line and knocking them off their designed routes.

In those 11 seasons, Dave Wilcox missed only one game due to injury and was selected as an All-NFL player 5 times and as a second-team All-NFL in three others!

The Pro Football Hall of Fame displayed his bronze bust during the 2000s induction ceremonies.

Dave Wilcox solidified his legacy as a relentless force on the gridiron. His unmatched physical dominance and Ironman durability established the standard for the modern outside linebacker position.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
• Selected to 7 Pro Bowls (1966, 1968–1973).
• Named First-team All-Pro 2 times (1971, 1972).
• Named Second-team All-Pro 2 times (1967, 1969).
• Missed only 1 game over a 153-game, 11-season NFL career.
• Inducted into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame (Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame).
• The San Francisco 49ers retired No. 64.
• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (1993) for his tenure at the University of Oregon.

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