The 49ers' best quarterbacks since 1966

Joe Montana has the most passing yards of the 57 quarterbacks who played with the 49ers since 1966, 35,124 in 167 games. Steve Young is 2nd with 29,907. Brock Purdy is 7th, with 13,433; 167 more passes Jimmy Garoppolo for 6th.

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The 49ers' quarterbacks this season

Brock Purdy7 games, 249.7 a game13,433 with the 49ers, the 7th-most since 1966. 167 more puts him past Jimmy Garoppolo for 6th.1,748passing yards

By decade: 2020s · 2010s · 2000s · 1990s · 1980s · 1970s · 1966–69

Compare with in · side by side

The 49ers' best quarterbacks since 1966
Place	Player	passing yards	passing TDs	wins
1	Joe Montana1979 – 1992 · 167 games	35,124	244	100
2	Steve Young1987 – 1999 · 150 games	29,907	221	91
3	John Brodie1966 – 1973 · 98 games	17,862	119	42
4	Jeff Garcia1999 – 2003 · 74 games	16,408	113	35
5	Alex Smith2005 – 2012 · 80 games	14,291	81	38
6	Jimmy Garoppolo2017 – 2022 · 57 games	13,599	82	38
7	Brock Purdy2022 – 2026 · still playing	13,433	99	36
	+1,748 this season · passes Jimmy Garoppolo for 6th in 1 game at his pace
8	Colin Kaepernick2011 – 2016 · 67 games	12,271	72	28
9	Steve DeBerg1978 – 1980 · 39 games	7,220	37	7
10	Steve Spurrier1967 – 1975 · 92 games	5,250	33	13
11	Nick Mullens2018 – 2020 · 19 games	4,714	25	5
12	Tim Rattay2000 – 2005 · 28 games	3,941	24	4
13	Shaun Hill2007 – 2009 · 18 games	3,490	23	10
14	C.J. Beathard2017 – 2020 · 17 games	3,469	18	2
15	Jim Plunkett1976 – 1977 · 26 games	3,285	22	11
16	Elvis Grbac1994 – 1996 · 42 games	3,098	18	6
17	Blaine Gabbert2014 – 2016 · 15 games	2,994	16	4
18	Steve Bono1989 – 1993 · 34 games	2,558	14	5
19	Mac Jones2025 – 2026 · still playing	2,151	13	5
20	Ken Dorsey2004 – 2005 · 11 games	1,712	8	2
21	Norm Snead1974 – 1975 · 12 games	1,705	11	2
22	J.T. O'Sullivan2008 · 9 games	1,678	8	2
23	Tom Owen1974 – 1975 · 14 games	1,645	11	4
24	Jeff Kemp1986 · 10 games	1,554	11	3
25	Brian Hoyer2017 · 6 games	1,245	4	0

passing yards by decade

2020s

› Brock Purdy2022 – 2026 · 56 games13,433
Jimmy Garoppolo2020 – 2022 · 32 games7,343
Nick Mullens2020 · 10 games2,437
› Mac Jones2025 – 2026 · 12 games2,151
Trey Lance2021 – 2022 · 8 games797

2010s

Colin Kaepernick2011 – 2016 · 67 games12,271
Alex Smith2010 – 2012 · 37 games7,251
Jimmy Garoppolo2017 – 2019 · 25 games6,256
Blaine Gabbert2014 – 2016 · 15 games2,994
C.J. Beathard2017 – 2018 · 11 games2,682

2000s

Jeff Garcia2000 – 2003 · 61 games13,864
Alex Smith2005 – 2009 · 43 games7,040
Tim Rattay2000 – 2005 · 28 games3,941
Shaun Hill2007 – 2009 · 18 games3,490
Ken Dorsey2004 – 2005 · 11 games1,712

1990s

Steve Young1990 – 1999 · 121 games27,656
Joe Montana1990 – 1992 · 16 games4,070
Elvis Grbac1994 – 1996 · 42 games3,098
Jeff Garcia1999 · 13 games2,544
Steve Bono1991 – 1993 · 33 games2,496

1980s

Joe Montana1980 – 1989 · 135 games30,958
Steve Young1987 – 1989 · 29 games2,251
Steve DeBerg1980 · 11 games1,998
Jeff Kemp1986 · 10 games1,554
Matt Cavanaugh1983 – 1985 · 29 games783

1970s

John Brodie1970 – 1973 · 48 games7,614
Steve DeBerg1978 – 1979 · 28 games5,222
Steve Spurrier1970 – 1975 · 58 games4,113
Jim Plunkett1976 – 1977 · 26 games3,285
Norm Snead1974 – 1975 · 12 games1,705

1966–69

John Brodie1966 – 1969 · 50 games10,248
Steve Spurrier1967 – 1969 · 34 games1,137
George Mira1966 – 1968 · 14 games920
Billy Kilmer1966 · 4 games84

Also with the 49ers: running backs · receivers · tight ends · San Francisco 49ers record book

Method

Every quarterback who played with the 49ers since 1966, ranked by passing yards over his games there. Regular-season games only.
The numbers here start in 1966, so a quarterback who played with the 49ers before then isn't here.
A quarterback's wins are his starts'.
A decade counts his passing yards with the 49ers in its seasons.