Retire #21 and #52?

Mar 16, 2015 at 5:25 PM

GNS1310
Veteran
Posts: 3,646

I'd hate to see anyone wear either of these, but I think numbers get retired too often these days.

I'd be okay with not seeing a 21 or a 52 for a few years....maybe a 5 year "retired phase" or something.

Mar 16, 2015 at 5:41 PM

LZRD_WZRD
Veteran
Posts: 2,893

As great as they were, we never did win a Super Bowl with them and neither was ever MVP or anything. I mean there's only so many numbers and I'd hate to see cool numbers like 21 made off limits

Mar 16, 2015 at 5:51 PM

ElephantHaley
Member
Posts: 7,020

I'm Not a fan of ANY number getting retired in any sport by any team. I mean we all know who #16 was. We all know who #80/42/94/33/32/21/97/52 are so why retire them? pretty soon there wont be any numbers left to choose from. Not a fan no way.

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:06 PM

ninerfan4life
Veteran
Posts: 24,883

Heard Torrey Smith is going with #80 Reggie Bush with #21 and Borland is switching his number to #52

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:10 PM

slowriot
Veteran
Posts: 3,933

Originally posted by ElephantHaley:
I'm Not a fan of ANY number getting retired in any sport by any team. I mean we all know who #16 was. We all know who #80/42/94/33/32/21/97/52 are so why retire them? pretty soon there wont be any numbers left to choose from. Not a fan no way.

Agreed. At most, I think numbers should be retired for a maximum of ten years before being brought back into circulation.

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:15 PM

kazak13
Veteran
Posts: 924

i am totally against retiring numbers.. its players making plays with the numbers that make us think of the past.. you can't tell me if someone wearing 16 will not remind you of joe.. or 80 of jerry.. or 42 of ronnie..

btw.. off topic. why was 79 used by harris barton if its retired..

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:16 PM

kazak13
Veteran
Posts: 924

Originally posted by slowriot:
Agreed. At most, I think numbers should be retired for a maximum of ten years before being brought back into circulation.

thats a great idea!

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:42 PM

gold49er2183
Veteran
Posts: 6,437

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
Heard Torrey Smith is going with #80 Reggie Bush with #21 and Borland is switching his number to #52

Supposedly lynch was getting 94

Mar 16, 2015 at 6:50 PM

Niners99
Veteran
Posts: 43,183

Originally posted by LZRD_WZRD:
As great as they were, we never did win a Super Bowl with them and neither was ever MVP or anything. I mean there's only so many numbers and I'd hate to see cool numbers like 21 made off limits

So you dont get to be honored by the franchise unless you won a SB or MVP?

Guess the Bills have to unretire Jim Kelly's number.

Whether or not we convert that game winning TD on the last drive of the SB shouldnt determine whether they deserve their numbers to be retired. Come on...

Over half of the numbers we have retired never won a championship or MVP.

Willis and Gore both deserve it. Any real 49ers fan realizes that.

Mar 16, 2015 at 7:07 PM

#10

captnkos
Veteran
Posts: 362

Originally posted by LZRD_WZRD:
As great as they were, we never did win a Super Bowl with them and neither was ever MVP or anything. I mean there's only so many numbers and I'd hate to see cool numbers like 21 made off limits

Mar 16, 2015 at 7:29 PM

#11

TlSSER
Veteran
Posts: 1,750

should we add #50 on this list too?

Mar 16, 2015 at 7:55 PM

#12

StOnEy333
Hall of Fame
Posts: 99,663

A few years ago the NFL told teams to chill with the number retiring. Teams won't issue certain numbers to anybody like the Niners and Bryant Young's 97, but it's not officially retired. With the increasing roster sizes there was starting to be a worry with certain teams and having enough numbers for everybody.

Mar 17, 2015 at 2:00 AM

#13

Niners99
Veteran
Posts: 43,183

Originally posted by StOnEy333:
A few years ago the NFL told teams to chill with the number retiring. Teams won't issue certain numbers to anybody like the Niners and Bryant Young's 97, but it's not officially retired. With the increasing roster sizes there was starting to be a worry with certain teams and having enough numbers for everybody.

There are 99 numbers, and the 49ers are among the teams with a high number of retired numbers with 12.

That leaves 87 numbers open (86 minus BY's) for the 53 man roster. Thats 33 un-used numbers. If they opened up 60-79 for positions outside OL and DL, there would be plenty of room.

I think Willis and Gore earned it. They meant enough to this organization both on and off the field to deserve that honor.

Mar 17, 2015 at 3:01 AM

#14

English
Moderator
Posts: 40,222

Originally posted by Niners99:
Originally posted by StOnEy333:
A few years ago the NFL told teams to chill with the number retiring. Teams won't issue certain numbers to anybody like the Niners and Bryant Young's 97, but it's not officially retired. With the increasing roster sizes there was starting to be a worry with certain teams and having enough numbers for everybody.

There are 99 numbers, and the 49ers are among the teams with a high number of retired numbers with 12.

That leaves 87 numbers open (86 minus BY's) for the 53 man roster. Thats 33 un-used numbers. If they opened up 60-79 for positions outside OL and DL, there would be plenty of room.

I think Willis and Gore earned it. They meant enough to this organization both on and off the field to deserve that honor.

Not sure I care about the numbers, although I wouldn't like to see anyone sporting 16 or 80. Open up the numbers between 100-999 for pre-season use and we are good for a few more decades

That being said I think the retiring numbers thing is more of an emotional thing between the player, the team and the fans. On which basis few players qualify more than BY, Frank and Pat.

Mar 17, 2015 at 6:29 AM

#15

NinerDreamer11
Member
Posts: 2,660

i think forsure you got to retire 21, that shouldn't even been touched.

52 i thought by the end of it no question, but now that he's retired. i don know if its enough to retire the number.