John Brodie, a legendary quarterback who grew up in the Bay Area, starred at Stanford and spent his entire 17-year NFL career with the hometown San Francisco 49ers, died on Friday, the team announced. He was 90 years old.
“The 49ers family is saddened to learn of the passing of one of the franchise’s all-time great players, John Brodie,” 49ers co-chairman Dr. John York said in a statement. “As a kid, my 49ers fandom began by watching John play quarterback on television. He displayed an incredible commitment towards his teammates and his support of the organization never wavered after his playing days. John became a dear friend of mine, and he will always be remembered as an important part of 49ers history. We express our deepest condolences to his wife, Sue, and the entire Brodie family.”
Brodie played in 201 games for the 49ers over 17 years, spending more than a decade as the primary starter for his hometown team. Born in Menlo Park, Brodie went to Oakland Technical High School before transferring to Stanford. While there, Brodie played golf and football, earning unanimous All-American honors in his senior year for Stanford.
The Niners selected Brodie as the third overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft. Initially, Brodie spent multiple years as backup to Y.A. Tittle, the longtime 49ers starter and a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. By the end of the 1950s, the 49ers had their first quarterback controversy as the team moved to have Brodie supplant Tittle as the primary starter in 1960 before San Francisco traded Tittle to the New York Giants.
