One of the greatest San Francisco 49ers players and defensive players in NFL history will finally receive his gold jacket.
After being nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for five consecutive years, former 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis will be enshrined in Canton. Despite the wait, a closer look at the accolades he has received throughout his career suggests it was only a matter of time before his name was called up for the prestigious honor.
Willis was a seven-time Pro Bowler. He was named All-Pro for the first time five times in his eight years in the NFL. The star linebacker also made the NFL’s All-Decade Team in the 2010s. When all was said and done, Willis knew that the time would eventually come when someone special would knock on his door.
“It really is just a full circle moment” Willis told NBC Sports“All I could think about when they called me was, ‘This is happening. ’ I said for a long time that if it’s supposed to happen, whenever it happens, it will happen. And now is the time.”
Willis was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 11th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. The Ole Miss product started all 16 games during his rookie season and recorded 174 tackles and four sacks. Not only were those numbers enough to earn Willis the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but they also proved that he was already one of the best defensive players in the league, and as a result, he received a Pro Bowl nomination and a spot on the All-Pro first team.
Former 49ers fullback Michael Robinson, who played three seasons alongside Willis, said that even as a rookie he knew Willis was different from the rest.
“The guy was always the last to arrive at the building.” Robinson told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt on Radio Row in Las Vegas before Super Bowl LVIII“We saw (former 49ers quarterback) Alex Smith leave before Patrick Willis. He lived in the building. He lived in the weight room. He was always trying to be the first to take care of his nutrition. And I was like, being so young, ‘Wow! He’s thinking about nutrition? He just started college!’ I was a sophomore and I hadn’t even thought about nutrition.”
Willis became the first 49ers player since safety Ronnie Lott to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons. Willis became the first 49ers player to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons, which is saying a lot for that franchise. He joins a star-studded list that includes Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas as the only defensive players since the 1970 merger to make the Pro Bowl in their first seven years in the NFL.
Willis also became the first Niners player to be selected as a first- or second-team All-Pro in each of his first six seasons.
The linebacker was one of the most versatile players at the position due to his nearly 240-pound strength and also his mobility on the field. As a result, the 49ers were able to utilize Willis in a variety of ways, including pass coverage both in man-to-man and in zone against running backs and tight ends.
“When Patrick Willis gets his hands on you, you fall,” Robinson said. “Trust me. I’ve practiced against him and played against him. You fall.”
“I remember playing one-on-one passes against him when I was a rookie in 2007 and he was putting all the running backs, me, Frank Gore, everybody behind us.” Robinson said on NFL Network“He was that explosive from his hips.”
In total, Willis started all 112 games he played. He recorded 1,225 tackles, 20.5 sacks, eight interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 16 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 53 passes defensed.
In his playoff career, including a trip to Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens, Willis recorded 84 tackles, two sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and two passes defensed.
Now, his achievements will be immortalized in Canton.