The San Francisco 49ers kick off the 2015 NFL regular season on Monday Night Football, on September 14. That game. means San Francisco is now a mere 56 days away from kicking off its 2015 regular season. In the spirit of that approaching date, I thought I would steal this idea from our Oakland Raiders site.
Who wore it best: C Fred Quillan (1978-1987)
The number 56 is often associated with linebackers. I imagine this happened due in large part to the influence of Lawrence Taylor. However, the 49ers have had their share of centers hold down the number. The most notable would have to be Fred Quillan. The 49ers drafted Quillan in the seventh round of the 1978 NFL Draft. He then spent ten years with the team before retiring when he was traded to San Diego.
Quillan earned a pair of Super Bowl rings with the 1981 and 1984 teams, and was voted to the Pro Bowl in 1984 and 1985. There is not a lot about him out there, but I did come across this article. In it, Quillan talks about how he thought Steve DeBerg was better prepared to be quarterback. He acknowledged that Montana was quiet, so veterans did not really know what he brought to the table as a leader.
Who wears it now: OL Dillon Farrell (2014-present)
The San Francisco 49ers continue the center tradition, with Dillon Farrell entering his second season sporting No. 56. The 49ers signed Farrell last year as an undrafted free agent. He made the roster and found himself in the starting lineup after Daniel Kilgore went down and Marcus Martin dealt with injuries.
Farrell faces a huge competition for a roster spot in 2015, even with Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis out of the picture. His roster chances could depend in part on how quickly Kilgore returns to action. If he is ready to go early in training camp, Farrell will be looking at third or fourth in terms of center practice reps. Joe Looney fits into the mix as well. While Kilgore was rehabbing during the offseason workout program, Marcus Martin bounced between center and right guard, with Looney filling in at center when Martin was at guard. Farrell got much-needed experience, but it is going to be a tight squeeze for an interior line position.