San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch says the team will find a way to honor Bay Area icon Dwight Clark this season.
"I promise we will come up with a fitting way to honor (Dwight Clark) this season," Lynch said via team reporter Joe Fann on Tuesday.
John Lynch: "I promise we will come up with a fitting way to honor (Dwight Clark) this season."
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) June 5, 2018
"We're talking about a lot of things," Lynch said via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "I know Al Guido is talking with the league about what we can do and I know there's always approval there but I promise you we'll come up with a nice way to honor him. I think not only nice but fitting. He deserves it. He's earned it. I've talked about how beloved he is with this fanbase and he earned that so I think we'll do the right thing and be happy to do so."
Clark, who spent nine seasons with the 49ers after being drafted by the team in 1979, passed away on Monday after a courageous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 61.
It is unknown how the team will honor Clark. In the past, NFL teams have honored players who passed away by wearing stickers on their helmets with the individual's jersey number or some other form of representation. In 2007, the 49ers wore black "BW" stickers on their helmets to honor former head coach Bill Walsh, who had recently passed.
The 49ers honored Clark last year with "Dwight Clark Day" at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017, during the team's regular-season matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
The 49ers organization issued the following statement following news of Clark's death:
"The San Francisco 49ers family has suffered a tremendous loss today with the passing of Dwight Clark. We extend our condolences and prayers to Dwight's wife, Kelly, his family, friends and fans, as we join together to mourn the death of one the most beloved figures in 49ers history. For almost four decades, he served as a charismatic ambassador for our team and the Bay Area. Dwight's personality and his sense of humor endeared him to everyone he came into contact with, even during his most trying times. The strength, perseverance and grace with which he battled ALS will long serve as an inspiration to so many. Dwight will always carry a special place in our hearts and his legacy will live on as we continue to battle this terrible disease."
