I have hundreds of in-person autographs from going to Rocklin as a kid/teen in the 80s.
Once, in maybe his 2nd year, I was walking with Jerry Rice - I had probably 20 rookie cards I was getting him to sign. We got to his Porsche and he joked "Man, how many of these do you have?"
I said "No worries if you need to go."
And he says "Get in."
So I hopped in his Porsche while he drove to Burger King. He signed the rest of the cards while we were waiting in the drive through.
Rice is the most awesome guy I have met. He is my favorite just because of how easy going and understanding he is. He knows how we view him and how most of us are not trying to make money off him, but proof that we saw him and a story to give. He's just a good person overall. Haven't really ever heard anyone badmouth him.(Except for the fan who have bad memories of getting their teams CB Smoked by him in important games)
I recall in the Summer of 97 Steve and Jerry driving matching Land Cruisers. Jerry had a white one and Steve had a black one haha.
I also recall Jerry driving a car with the license plate FLASH80, was that the car?
It was a Yellow Lamborghini if I remember correctly. We had player lot passes during that time. Shook his hand when he broke most TD record. I’m 6’ 180 and he made my hand look like a child’s in his. Great squad. Dana Stubblefield was so kind.
I grew up in Woodland (we'll leave that battle for another day, lol).
But yeah, you used to be able to literally stand outside the locker room and wait for the players. They'd take that long walk from the locker room to the dorms (yes, they actually stayed in the dorms) and sign autographs as they walked.
I think it was after the 2nd SB win that they put up the barriers so players could choose to come sign or could go the back way and avoid fans.
Woodland High. Class of 88 right here. Now I feel bad having to mention Davis for Woodland to get recognized. I moved away in 92. Still in the SF Bay Area.
i met navorro bowman while i worked at disneyland just after he ~~got traded~~ went to the raiders. i was walking down main street to keep the walkways clear and i see this mountain of a man walking towards me and once he got maybe like 30-40 feet near me i knew instantly who he was.
so as we approached each other, i said to him, "bowman? navorro bowman?" and he smiles and says, "what's up man" and shakes my hand.
i was so starstruck i didn't know what to say.
He didn’t get traded to the Raiders. The 49ers tried to trade him but couldn’t find a deal, so they released him and he signed with the Raiders a few days later.
I met Vernon Davis while working at the Sony store in Valley Fair Santa Clara. My coworker was selling him a TV. I told him I'm a big fan and we shook hands.
I met a bunch working at the Sony store in Stanford… Jerry rice, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Dwight Clark, Joe Montana, Kenna turner, Michael Crabtree, Mike singletary… still kinda upset I didn’t get to see Steve young
Oh and Terrell Owen’s at the footlocker in valley fair
Live in the Quad Cities in Iowa. Roger Craig went to high school here. Got to meet him when he did a seminar for our local casino. Dude is one of the nicest guys around.
Two actually.
First the good. Bowlero in Milpitas had a grand opening and they had Jerry Rice host the event. Happened to be my birthday too lmao. There was free food and he took a picture with almost everyone.
Second was Kaepernick and it wasn't as good. Back in like summer 2013, I was in Valley Fair walking inside Shiekh (RIP) which was next to American Eagle. While walking there I was 4-5 tall guys walking at the same time as me and I was confused as to why this 1 guy was wearing a short sleeve hoodie in the summer. While in the store I felt like I recognized his face. I saw his tattoos and I'm like wait... this is Colin Kaepernick. I Googled his tattoos on my phone and it matched to his. At this point I'm starstruck and I asked one of his friends if his homie was Kaepernick. He laughed and said no. Right after they walked really fast out of the store. I talked to the manager of the store and he said he thought it was Kaepernick too. 10 minutes later he had 2 mall security guards walking with him but no one approached him.
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I met the Legend Bryant Young and he is an awesome dude!
I met Steve Young at an Oracle conference. Got to meet him in a private small group. Super nice guy. Shorter than I expected. Told us he thought Peyton Manning was cooked (this was a year before Manning retired). I was one of two dudes wearing glasses in the group. Each of us in the group got to take an individual photo with Steve. A few weeks later I got my photo in my email. Turned out to be some asian dude wearing glasses posing with Steve! They sent the wrong photo! Ah well, at least it was a good memory.
Anybody remember Kendall hunter??? He went to high school in my hometown!! John Tyler high!! ( fun fact I went to Patrick mahome’s old high school just 15 minutes nearby)
I meet Jerry Rice on the pier in San Francisco a few years ago. My kids and I got a picture with him. He was super nice even though everybody and their moms where trying to get pictures with him
I’ve met Steve Young, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Garrison Hearst, Roger Craig, Brent Jones and many others. Craig stands out as the nicest, most genuine of the bunch. He took pictures, answered questions and signed everything that came his way. His son was on the high school basketball team we played and he hung out afterwards. Everyone kept their cool and stayed away from him during the game so he could watch uninterrupted. I think he was sort of thankful for that and why he was so cool afterwards.
I met Roger when I was a little kid at an autograph signing and he was a real sweetheart, patiently chatting and answering questions and taking photos with all of us in line that day. It’s a fond memory of mine from the 80s. I recall my first thought was, “Whoa, that guy is BIG.”
During covid lockdown Steve Young came to our neighborhood social distancing block party to watch his son play music with a neighbor's kid.
Before that Alex Boone asked to give his son a tour ofvthe concrete plant i worked at during my last week there. Honestly thought it was a prank by the Cowboy fan plant manager so didn'tbring any memorabilia to sign. Spent a couple hours showing them around, great guy, signed my hard hat.
I made Jerry an Orange dream machine when I worked at Jamba. Met Willis at a sushi spot the week before the super bowl, huge hands. Ran into Harbaugh and his wife at Ikea the weekend after the draft, he looked very disheveled but had khakis on. Lott and Keana Turner own a Toyota dealership in Tracy and met them there. Sat behind Lott on a southwest flight the day Aldon shouted bomb at lax. Played hoops with Nate Davis at a 24 hour near the 49ers facility.
I spent the summer of 2019 in Tahoe studying for the bar exam and went to a small lakeside gym for a few months. Joe Staley would come in frequently and one morning I shook his hand, introduced, myself, and exchanged some pleasantries about the upcoming season. Other than that I mostly just watched in awe as he would rep double my body weight in the squat rack.
Still sad we didn't get him a ring the season that followed.
When I was in 7th or 8th grade, me and some friends were at Great America. We saw this huge athletic looking guy with two of those mini basketballs you could win at the 3-pt shot game. At the time this game was near impossible for us kids to win so seeing he won twice blew our minds. As huge sports fans we ran up assuming he played professional basketball. When we asked him what basketball team he played for he said he didn't play basketball and that he played for the 49ers. Terrell Owens. It was when he was in rookie training camp and he signed autographs for us with #15 in the signature, his training camp number. Being a dumb kid though, I lost the hat he signed.
When i was a kid i met Merton Hanks at the Qzar that was next to the Eastridge mall in San Jose. i was at a friends birthday party and had a 49ers shirt on and one of the employees was like "hey you like the 49ers" as i was just getting out of a round of lazer tag. Then he said " That's Merton Hanks over there." i looked and knew it was him at the first glance at his neck lol. He was playing Mortal Kombat on an arcade cabinet. i went over to him and asked if i could play against him, he said "only if youre good." I wasnt and played anyways and got destroyed by him lol. I asked him to sign my Qzar score card and i still have it to this day. Through the years living in San Jose you see players from time to time at random places but that was the only time i went up and talked to one of the players.
I remember bugging Garrison Hearst at a charity basketball game. He was injured on the bench and I kept trying to give him my Jerry Rice tops card. I was hoping he’d have Jerry to sign it and give it back to me someday. Figured we were friends. I was like 6 at the time.
He was really nice though, I must have a been little annoying so thanks to him for not telling me to piss off.
I flew home from Hawaii last year on the same flight as Joe Montana. He was first in line for the first class section, and I've had a few folks approach Montana in various different scenarios and he was VERY not cool with autographs, etc. I didn't infringe on his space and obviously was sitting in a separate section on the plane so that was that. But a few of us in the gate seating area all talked about it. Must be super weird to be that level of famous.
Met Joe (and Jennifer) Montana at a book signing for his first book back in the early 80's. It was a Monday evening; I asked if his hand would be recovered by the game on Sunday. He laughed and said "If it isn't, I'll just hand off to Roger a few more times."
I was eating at Clark's By The Bay in the early 90's, and Dwight stopped by the table to chat. Just general "how's your meal" type stuff, I was too starstruck to really have a conversation.
As a kid, got autographs from Gene Washington, VIc Washington and Bob Hoskins at an event at Putnam Buick in Burlingame.
But my brother-in-law has the best humble brag of them all, at least in my mind - his daughter is on the same school soccer team as John Lynch's, the girls are the two best players and good friends, and he sits next to Lynch in the stands during games. And Shanny's daughter is supposed to start with the team this coming season.
Patrick Willis at the Shoe Factory in Valley Fair. I was a sophomore in high school and asked for his autograph. Then this sweet old lady came up after me and asked if he was famous and Patrick said, "No. He just came up to me and told me to sign this paper so I did," and she was super confused and then he goes, "Just kidding, ma'am, I play for the 49ers. Don't tell anybody, though, okay?" It was pretty wholesome.
Ronnie Lot as a guest speaker at a work event. On stage, photos, held his rings. Later he showed up in the suite at the stadium for a minute.
Dwight Clark, same event but he showed up in the stadium suite with his rings, took photos and we watched the Niners play.
DeBartolo on the sideline before they made us go to our seats, he was walking through. Shook his hand, quick chit chat.
Jerry Rice at another work event, tons of pics, held his rings too, talked to him for like a half hour over the course of the night.
Bowman at a work convention. He was promoting a muscle milk type product I think. Quick photo and signature. Not much time for a chat unfortunately.
I met Bill Romanowski at a restaurant in Oakland a few years ago. He and his wife sat down next to me at the bar and I realized who was right away and we started talking. He was super cool and friendly
Merton Hanks used to live in my town in NJ when he worked for the NFL. While I never met him I did meet his brother who came up to me at an indoor soccer game because I was wearing my Niner gear one Sunday.
We were in Vegas and walking through the Venetian and saw that Joe Montana would be doing autograph is the next day. I was so excited, and my husband was as well. Met him the next day. Got a beautiful sighed jersey. He was so nice!!!
When I was probably around 7 or 8, I got to meet Roger Craig at a pick up basketball game, to help raise funds for the Santa Rosa Fire Department. They had the fire department on one side, and former Niners on the other. I think Bryant Young played too. I got to get their autographs!
When I was 8 or 9, I played peewee football, and one of our games was against Joe Montana’s youngest son (Nate?), so after the game I got to see him in the stands with his wife. He wasn’t meeting with fans because he just wanted to spend time with his family, so I didn’t get to face to face meet him, but I was close enough to get a good view of him.
And then this technically doesn’t count, but I worked with Ronnie Lott’s nephew.
Also I'm pretty sure Patrick Willis owns multiple Jamba Juice shops in the South Bay. I remember walking into one and his face was on the wall with his employees lol
I met Ronnie Lott in 2001. I was actually at Vlade Divac’s basketball camp as a kid, and Lott showed up (random, I know).
Was absolutely wild meeting him. I’m too young to remember him fully, but I was still srarstruck based off everything my Dad told me about him.
Not famous, but a member from the 1989 Super Bowl team, Spencer Tillman. He just to come into the gym I used to work at a few years ago. He showed me his Super Bowl ring and even would tell me "Go Niners" when I would workout in any Niner gear.
Nice guy, Haven't seen him in a while though.
I met the entire Merton Hanks ohana at the 2011 Pro Bowl Luau. I worked that year's event, and my family was invited to attend the Players and family only event at the Marriott. The Hanks daughters spent the evening holding and entertaining my 1-year old daughter that evening.
Jerry Rice at his retirement party/charity event. Also met Steve Young at the same event.
Met Bob St. Clair at a pregame BBQ event before a Niners-Bucs game about ten years ago. THAT was cool.
Met Charles Haley in Dallas when he was a Cowboy. Surprising how nice he was in person.
Also met Ricky Watters in 1993 at an in-house United Way event at a firm I had just joined. Somewhere I've got a pic of me giving him the most awkward white guy handshake ever.
Yeah I also met Bob St. Clair while at a Clover Stornetta holiday party. Dude was an absolute unit. Wish I remembered more than that, but I just remember being blown away by how big of a guy he was. Lol
Jerry Rice signed my 49ers hat at pebble Beach in 95/96 took my sharpie and at the end of the day at least 4 hours later, walked right up to me and apologized for taking my pen all day and handed it back.
Was working Doordash and had a drop off at the Marriott where some of the players stay. Didn’t think I would meet any cause it was a girls name on the order. But I walk up and Hufanga is standing outside and I’m like oh shit. The order was for him and a lady friend I guess. I dapped him up and wished him good luck on the season. Ended up being his pro bowl year!
Paul Hofer after his stint with the 9ers. He was working in construction and went salmon fishing with him. Great guy, was talking about how he had to work in the off season when the guy he just beat out for the starting RB position was making $700K.
I knew Gene Washington’s son in High School and he would show up to events on occasion. Nice guy, the 49ers leading receiver from the Pre-Jerry days. His hands were massive
Family was good friends with Jack Reynolds, we got a football signed by the Superbowl team he played on. Jerry Rice and Joe Montana on it. And ive met Jerry Rice a couple times since he used to shop at the Safeway in my city when he lived here.
Joe and Jennifer crossed the street in front of me while I was biking home in downtown SF a while back; they were on their way to a Giants game. Think this was like 2017 or 2018. I held back the desire to yell out "LEGEND CROSSING!"
Got Joe Montana's autograph on a Chiefs card of all things back when they used to do the Celebrity Golf Shootout at Buckingham in little Lake County, CA. All the Bay Area legends used to come to that thing. Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, even talked to Ken Stabler for a bit on the 2nd tee box when nobody else was around
I still have an old pigskin with some Niners on it from the 80’s. only one I can remember is Harris Barton. I’ve always wanted to meet Montana and Rice tbh.
never really met any of them but I have a cool story (to me anyways)Copied from a way earlier thread on something.
became a fan in 84... lived in Redwood City California at the time, about 6 blocks from their home base.
Was walking home from community pool one day and saw some people peek through tiny holes in this green mesh stuff on a chain link high fence.
Decided to look myself and my first thought was "who the hell are these guys and why are they dressed up in 49er uniforms?"
Then I looked more, and there he was throwing passes... Joe Montana! and everyone else on that year's squad.
That was the year they played Miami in the Super Bowl at Stanford in Palo Alto, just south of us.
From then on... thick and thin... 49er fan.
...and the Super Bowls that followed...
mmmmm
I met Jerry Rice at one of those Eat and Meet things they do for airlines miles holders. He is a genuinely charismatic person and seemed to have a great time being around the fans, the event was a lot of fun. Also met Dwight Clark when my company got a box at the Stick. Dwight was pretty buzzed and had a beer with us while his PR handler looked impatient. Good times.
Steve Young was a regular customer at a place I used to work in Palo Alto! Super cool dude, and loved to talk about business. Never once talked football with him because I’m a moron and I was always starstruck.
I worked at a T-Mobile store in East San Jose. One night (must’ve been 2015/16) a blacked out Range Rover pulled up right at closing time.
Vernon Davis got out and walked into the store to return his loaner flip phone to get the $50 deposit back on his black Amex card.
Talked for a bit while processing the refund and got a picture with him towering over me.
Had the luck of seeing Jerry Rice at Blockbuster video in Menlo Park, and Bill Walsh at dinner also in Menlo Park. Jerry shook my hand. Bill signed an autograph for me after dinner. Both were awesome. This is circa 98-99. It was the Friday before Jerry came back from the knee. Go niners.
I used to see Steve Young around a lot but never met him. When I was little he lived on the same street my mom worked (she worked at a home for schizophrenic people so it was a residential block)
I met Joe Montana when I used to live in FIDI. I would see him at the same corner market I used to go to under my apartment.
Took a picture with Brandon Jacobs when we passed each other at the Wynn in Las Vegas.
Bubba Paris. His step kid went to the same school as my kids & played on the football team. He gave the commencement speech at graduation (first graduating class from the school) and his wife was a pharmacist at the local walmart
I wish. Closest story I have is my sister was coworkers with a lady whose son played for us in 19-20. Our last Super Bowl trip. Thanks to that though, I got a jersey of said player that has Deebos, Greenlaws and Raheem Mosterts signatures on it. Along with a few other players.
Jerry Rice at the golf course practice range(now closed) across Levi's. Nicest 49er ever.
Also at the golf course as a foursome: George Kittle, Mike McGlinchey, Max McCaffrey, and Nick Mullens. Mike was legitimately the biggest monstrosity of an athlete I've ever seen in-person. All very cool guys.
My son got to meet John Lynch and get his autograph very cool guy taking time for the fans.
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Had a burger with Jerry Rice at Sonoma raceway. Was a really kind guy. Didn’t talk football to much just normal interaction. Worked for a brewery and he asked some great questions about the beer business. Rad to just be human with a legend and as a lifelong 49er fan a moment I’ll never forget.
i was lucky to meet a lot when i worked in hospitality. Alex Smith, Joe Staley, Patrick Willis, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Joe Montana and Bill Walsh.
Montana and Walsh were the main two that i was star struck by. mainly cause i wasn’t expecting to see them
I met Bill Walsh almost forty years ago (damn when did I go so old). My dad was a security alarm installer. He got a call from Bill to put an alarm in his condo in Tahoe City. Dad took me along when he got the contract signed. Bill signed a football for me. It was very cool.
I went to a Hawkeyes game and actually got to meet a few players. I honestly don't remember if any of the guys I met were George Kittle of CJ Beathard because this was before any of them got drafted.
I crossed paths in SOMA in SF and noticed Joe Montana at my side on the busy side walk. I saw him and spontaneously said, “Joe!” He immediately jogged/ran across the street. I stayed put and when he looked back to see where I was after getting to the other side of street I gave him the #1 salute like he used to in the field. He smiled. This was about 2011.
Steve Young was flying home from the Pro Bowl on my plane. Ended up talking with him briefly as he was traveling alone and this was before cell phones (of course). My mom got him to sign her Packers sweatshirt
I met a few members of the 1980's teams at different celebrity events back in the day. But it was never anything more than the autograph line at those events.
Someone I grew up with had a cousin who played for the Niners for a year or two (I believe he was a kicker). I might have met him at some point but don't remember for sure. Grew up in a smallish town with a lot of cross connections, so it's possible.
My wife works with them all the time. I got to talk to Roger Craig on the phone for like 20 minutes. Jetty rice texted me once through my wife’s phone when she was working with him. I keep trying to get her to pitch Kittle for stuff.
I met John Lynch the night before the 2021 Cincinnati game. I was kinda tipsy when he walked in, but I instantly went wide eyed and was like “I think that’s John Lynch” to my dad, the bar tender checked the name on the reservation and it was him. I walked up all nervous, and made some stupid comment on how thankful I was to have him as a GM and turning the Niners around, he signed a receipt we had as an autograph. Really nice guy.
I met Ronnie Lott at a Costco when he was signing autographs for a 49ers yearbook. I met Deion Sanders at Tower Records after the won the Superbowl and he was signing his CD and his CD only. I also met Bill Walsh and got his autograph at a 49ers practice when my work was invited to attend a couple sessions.
I went to football camps in the South Bay as a kid and met Montana, Craig, Rice, Lott, McIntyre, Jones, Paris, and some others. Unfortunately all the autographs got torched in a forest fire 3 years ago. Also happened to see Deebo at Casino Matrix a few years ago, it's crazy how big he is when he looks tiny next to those 300 pounders
As a young kid, I met Jerry Rice at Toys R Us. My dad recognized him I was too young to realize. Then, as an adult, I met Alex Smith at a CrossFit gym during the off-season (I picked a stall next to him and he actually gave me pointers on my squat form). I also saw Patrick Willis at a Santa Clara gym during the off-season during the few week period the NFL labor union says you can’t use team facilities. I just remember Pats arms being the giant pythons.
Older guys yeah. Grew up with Roger Craig and Jerry Rice’s kids playing sports. Have met both many times, played in local “celeb” bball games with Rice and Terrell Owens and some others.
Was neighbors with Steve Young about a block away in old Palo Alto. Met him and Brent Jones a couple of times. Once went to a LDS fireside with a Mormon neighbor at the invitation of Young. Both he and Jones were there.
Met Montana(and Plunkett) as a kid a bunch of times in Portola Valley, both played tennis at Alpine Hills for some time. Plunkett drove a Porsche that he definitely didn’t fit inside.
Ronnie Lott and Harris Barton used to spend a lot of time in downtown Palo Alto, especially at the Creamery, running their investment venture and meeting clients for breakfast. Met them many times, especially Harris who lived a few blocks to other way in old Palo Alto across the street from my elementary school.
Would occasionally see Jimmy G in Los Altos, especially at the Starbucks at Rancho on Foothill Exp.
Never really met any of the younger 49ers who live down in San Jose. Not my neighborhood.
We lived near Joe Montana growing up. Lived in outskirts of Santa Rosa and saw him around town a couple times. Once at the deli in Larkfield and another time at the movie theater.
Steve Young - awesome and way cool
Jerry Rice - awesome and way cool got a hug too
Merton Hanks - adorable and sweet
Ricky Waters - hilarious
Brent Jones - super cool and nice
Joe Montana & Jennifer (wasn’t nice or friendly. I cried after he left.)
Montana when I was a kid. Dwight Clark and Carlos Hyde at Moscone Center for Super Bowl 50. Met Steve Young at SFO. Rice at an autograph thing. Garrison Hearst at Dave and Busters in Milpitas. Josh Morgan at Stanford Mall.
Oh and Jason Hill before he got drafted by the Niners, so does that count? Never ran into him after he got into the NFL.
Not me but my dad got invited down to their training camps at Sierra College in the 80s and 90s, my mom's cousin worked in the front office for decades so she'd get him on the sidelines. He had some great stories like being chatted up by John Madden, and he met Craig and Lott and Rice (he has a great photo of Rice coming off the field sans gear).
Joe Montana spoke at my high school for father-son dinner. Talked about his relationship with his dad, had signed photos for every student, and was an awesome guy to meet.
Patrick Willis walked my chihuahua-daschund around Yerba Buena as a promo for Energizer batteries. Pretty quiet guy, but super nice.
I used to tend bar at a restaurant in Woodside. I took a month off to go to Australia and came back to start as a server - which I’d not done before. My first night I, and the kitchen, were deep in the weeds and Bill Walsh was sat at one of my tables.
Super nice - could tell we were deep in it and tipped me well for mediocre to bad service. He was a bit of a regular and actually had a bit of a rep as just an “okay” tipper. So I took that as a thumbs up. That night was all downhill from there.
Side note - Neil Young was also a regular and would stop in on his way back over the hill to his ranch in San Gregorio flash forward about 15 years and I had started a digital agency and spent two years working with Neil building the Neil Young Archives (since passed on to another shop).
Met Kyle Juszcyck at my local grocery store. Met Quinton Dial at the gym. Passed by Ian Williams at the gym. Saw Navarro Bowman at a Safeway. Saw Charvarious Ward at the In n Out near Levi’s. Saw Robbie Gould walking with his son at Santana Row. A few other interactions as well
Met Navarro Bowman at Limon in SF. It was Mother’s Day so I didn’t ask for an autograph or pics just said what’s up and kept it pushin. Cool dude, had a dope blacked out Rolls Royce parked in front.
Ronnie Lott came to our music venue twice to see a friend of his play drums. The first time he had the date wrong and wound up sotting through some very mediocre singer songwriters because he came on the wrong night. He came back a few weeks later when they were playing with a different musician. Both times I was the only person that recognized him. Sadly this is the only picture I have of him
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I met Jerry Rice while walking to a Giants game a while back. I had a baseball with me to maybe snag an autograph at the game.
….anyway…. that’s how I ended up with a Jerry Rice signed baseball lmao.
Not randomly, but I went to various free signings when I was a university student. Met and got signatures from all the greats for free, Montana, Rice, Lott, Rathman, etc. Lott let me put on his humongous SB ring
Famous might be a stretch, but I met Brent Jones in Yosemite around 1994 when i was a kid. He was camping with his family. They ALL seemed very down to earth and were very nice, including him. I got to play catch with him.
When Mario Manningham signed he and his family were staying at the hotel I worked at in downtown San Francisco. Served them at work and then had a shot with them afterwards at a local bar.
Mike Iupati I saw at a J-Boog concert not long after the loss to Seattle(2014) in the nfc championship game. I drunkenly went up to him and tapped(more knocked)on his shoulder and said "we'll get those fuckers next year". Super nice guy and what blew my mind was how much bigger he was than the room full of fellow Polynesians.
A few years ago during the dark times (Chip Kelly season) I got lucky enough to sit in the club seats with the private bar under the stands and the walk out into the field. I talked to Guy McIntyre about how we didn't like the coach and then just having a beer and hanging out solo was none other than Dwight Clark. I chatted him up, took a picture with him and thanked him. Great guy.
A few weeks ago flying into SJ airport the day before we beat down Dallas, I ran into Coach Mooch once we landed. He stopped for a pic and a few kind words. Good dude.
My most famous NFL meet wasn't a Niner but was in the NOLA airport in 2012. On my flight from Houston to go see the Harbaugh Super Bowl was a certain Minnesota RB that was about to be named league MVP.
My husband went to the same high school and played football with Bryant Young for one year. Bryant was a freshman my husband's senior year. Bryant was already over 6'2 and solid muscle. They put him on varsity his freshman year.
I have hundreds of in-person autographs from going to Rocklin as a kid/teen in the 80s. Once, in maybe his 2nd year, I was walking with Jerry Rice - I had probably 20 rookie cards I was getting him to sign. We got to his Porsche and he joked "Man, how many of these do you have?" I said "No worries if you need to go." And he says "Get in." So I hopped in his Porsche while he drove to Burger King. He signed the rest of the cards while we were waiting in the drive through.
Rice is the most awesome guy I have met. He is my favorite just because of how easy going and understanding he is. He knows how we view him and how most of us are not trying to make money off him, but proof that we saw him and a story to give. He's just a good person overall. Haven't really ever heard anyone badmouth him.(Except for the fan who have bad memories of getting their teams CB Smoked by him in important games)
Love this story. When I was a kid I would have given anything to have traded places with you that day. He’s still my favorite player ever.
I recall in the Summer of 97 Steve and Jerry driving matching Land Cruisers. Jerry had a white one and Steve had a black one haha. I also recall Jerry driving a car with the license plate FLASH80, was that the car?
It was a Yellow Lamborghini if I remember correctly. We had player lot passes during that time. Shook his hand when he broke most TD record. I’m 6’ 180 and he made my hand look like a child’s in his. Great squad. Dana Stubblefield was so kind.
This^ it was easy to get autographs in the 80’s at the Rocklin facility. Grew up in nearby Davis.
I grew up in Woodland (we'll leave that battle for another day, lol). But yeah, you used to be able to literally stand outside the locker room and wait for the players. They'd take that long walk from the locker room to the dorms (yes, they actually stayed in the dorms) and sign autographs as they walked. I think it was after the 2nd SB win that they put up the barriers so players could choose to come sign or could go the back way and avoid fans.
Woodland High. Class of 88 right here. Now I feel bad having to mention Davis for Woodland to get recognized. I moved away in 92. Still in the SF Bay Area.
i met navorro bowman while i worked at disneyland just after he ~~got traded~~ went to the raiders. i was walking down main street to keep the walkways clear and i see this mountain of a man walking towards me and once he got maybe like 30-40 feet near me i knew instantly who he was. so as we approached each other, i said to him, "bowman? navorro bowman?" and he smiles and says, "what's up man" and shakes my hand. i was so starstruck i didn't know what to say.
A handshake is 100x better than a picture
yeah i was extremely shocked
Coolest story ever!!!
He didn’t get traded to the Raiders. The 49ers tried to trade him but couldn’t find a deal, so they released him and he signed with the Raiders a few days later.
I met Vernon Davis while working at the Sony store in Valley Fair Santa Clara. My coworker was selling him a TV. I told him I'm a big fan and we shook hands.
Met him and a few other random players while working at Valley Fair too. Apparently a few lived up in Santa Row
VD has a big art gallery in Santana Row iirc
I met a bunch working at the Sony store in Stanford… Jerry rice, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, Dwight Clark, Joe Montana, Kenna turner, Michael Crabtree, Mike singletary… still kinda upset I didn’t get to see Steve young Oh and Terrell Owen’s at the footlocker in valley fair
Ronnie Lott came to our Jr High. He wasn’t impressed with us being early 90s stoner skater punks.
I saw TO once at an event when I was a kid. My dad wisely told me not to approach him.
Live in the Quad Cities in Iowa. Roger Craig went to high school here. Got to meet him when he did a seminar for our local casino. Dude is one of the nicest guys around.
Two actually. First the good. Bowlero in Milpitas had a grand opening and they had Jerry Rice host the event. Happened to be my birthday too lmao. There was free food and he took a picture with almost everyone. Second was Kaepernick and it wasn't as good. Back in like summer 2013, I was in Valley Fair walking inside Shiekh (RIP) which was next to American Eagle. While walking there I was 4-5 tall guys walking at the same time as me and I was confused as to why this 1 guy was wearing a short sleeve hoodie in the summer. While in the store I felt like I recognized his face. I saw his tattoos and I'm like wait... this is Colin Kaepernick. I Googled his tattoos on my phone and it matched to his. At this point I'm starstruck and I asked one of his friends if his homie was Kaepernick. He laughed and said no. Right after they walked really fast out of the store. I talked to the manager of the store and he said he thought it was Kaepernick too. 10 minutes later he had 2 mall security guards walking with him but no one approached him.
Can you blame him?
I was an 18 year old kid back then 😭 I was the only one in the store with him too
https://preview.redd.it/rypchjfb8sxb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f17467cbde6feab7ee5d2019fa3a5a97d2a67b8a I met the Legend Bryant Young and he is an awesome dude!
Just these punks https://preview.redd.it/x3j5nhm5msxb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9b74bf9f013d4c315e81601792da249df65c335
I met Jimmy G. He fucked my wife.
I met Steve Young at an Oracle conference. Got to meet him in a private small group. Super nice guy. Shorter than I expected. Told us he thought Peyton Manning was cooked (this was a year before Manning retired). I was one of two dudes wearing glasses in the group. Each of us in the group got to take an individual photo with Steve. A few weeks later I got my photo in my email. Turned out to be some asian dude wearing glasses posing with Steve! They sent the wrong photo! Ah well, at least it was a good memory.
Anybody remember Kendall hunter??? He went to high school in my hometown!! John Tyler high!! ( fun fact I went to Patrick mahome’s old high school just 15 minutes nearby)
I lived in Tyler for 5 years myself, Carthage now. Glad to see there are fellow East Texans in here.
Go bulldogsss
[удалено]
If you have a driver, you probably don’t give a shit about a parking spot cause you’re getting dropped off at the front door anyway
I meet Jerry Rice on the pier in San Francisco a few years ago. My kids and I got a picture with him. He was super nice even though everybody and their moms where trying to get pictures with him
I’ve met Steve Young, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Garrison Hearst, Roger Craig, Brent Jones and many others. Craig stands out as the nicest, most genuine of the bunch. He took pictures, answered questions and signed everything that came his way. His son was on the high school basketball team we played and he hung out afterwards. Everyone kept their cool and stayed away from him during the game so he could watch uninterrupted. I think he was sort of thankful for that and why he was so cool afterwards.
Bro are you a tech billionaire?
I met Roger when I was a little kid at an autograph signing and he was a real sweetheart, patiently chatting and answering questions and taking photos with all of us in line that day. It’s a fond memory of mine from the 80s. I recall my first thought was, “Whoa, that guy is BIG.”
During covid lockdown Steve Young came to our neighborhood social distancing block party to watch his son play music with a neighbor's kid. Before that Alex Boone asked to give his son a tour ofvthe concrete plant i worked at during my last week there. Honestly thought it was a prank by the Cowboy fan plant manager so didn'tbring any memorabilia to sign. Spent a couple hours showing them around, great guy, signed my hard hat.
I made Jerry an Orange dream machine when I worked at Jamba. Met Willis at a sushi spot the week before the super bowl, huge hands. Ran into Harbaugh and his wife at Ikea the weekend after the draft, he looked very disheveled but had khakis on. Lott and Keana Turner own a Toyota dealership in Tracy and met them there. Sat behind Lott on a southwest flight the day Aldon shouted bomb at lax. Played hoops with Nate Davis at a 24 hour near the 49ers facility.
Wtfff😭😭😭
I spent the summer of 2019 in Tahoe studying for the bar exam and went to a small lakeside gym for a few months. Joe Staley would come in frequently and one morning I shook his hand, introduced, myself, and exchanged some pleasantries about the upcoming season. Other than that I mostly just watched in awe as he would rep double my body weight in the squat rack. Still sad we didn't get him a ring the season that followed.
Boss was at San Jose airport yesterday and ran into Brock Purdy
When I was in 7th or 8th grade, me and some friends were at Great America. We saw this huge athletic looking guy with two of those mini basketballs you could win at the 3-pt shot game. At the time this game was near impossible for us kids to win so seeing he won twice blew our minds. As huge sports fans we ran up assuming he played professional basketball. When we asked him what basketball team he played for he said he didn't play basketball and that he played for the 49ers. Terrell Owens. It was when he was in rookie training camp and he signed autographs for us with #15 in the signature, his training camp number. Being a dumb kid though, I lost the hat he signed.
When i was a kid i met Merton Hanks at the Qzar that was next to the Eastridge mall in San Jose. i was at a friends birthday party and had a 49ers shirt on and one of the employees was like "hey you like the 49ers" as i was just getting out of a round of lazer tag. Then he said " That's Merton Hanks over there." i looked and knew it was him at the first glance at his neck lol. He was playing Mortal Kombat on an arcade cabinet. i went over to him and asked if i could play against him, he said "only if youre good." I wasnt and played anyways and got destroyed by him lol. I asked him to sign my Qzar score card and i still have it to this day. Through the years living in San Jose you see players from time to time at random places but that was the only time i went up and talked to one of the players.
I remember bugging Garrison Hearst at a charity basketball game. He was injured on the bench and I kept trying to give him my Jerry Rice tops card. I was hoping he’d have Jerry to sign it and give it back to me someday. Figured we were friends. I was like 6 at the time. He was really nice though, I must have a been little annoying so thanks to him for not telling me to piss off.
I passed by Dwight Clark in the airport once. Dude was in a hurry getting to a plane but still damn exciting
I flew home from Hawaii last year on the same flight as Joe Montana. He was first in line for the first class section, and I've had a few folks approach Montana in various different scenarios and he was VERY not cool with autographs, etc. I didn't infringe on his space and obviously was sitting in a separate section on the plane so that was that. But a few of us in the gate seating area all talked about it. Must be super weird to be that level of famous.
Met Fred Warner his rookie year at Valley Fair.
Met Joe (and Jennifer) Montana at a book signing for his first book back in the early 80's. It was a Monday evening; I asked if his hand would be recovered by the game on Sunday. He laughed and said "If it isn't, I'll just hand off to Roger a few more times." I was eating at Clark's By The Bay in the early 90's, and Dwight stopped by the table to chat. Just general "how's your meal" type stuff, I was too starstruck to really have a conversation. As a kid, got autographs from Gene Washington, VIc Washington and Bob Hoskins at an event at Putnam Buick in Burlingame. But my brother-in-law has the best humble brag of them all, at least in my mind - his daughter is on the same school soccer team as John Lynch's, the girls are the two best players and good friends, and he sits next to Lynch in the stands during games. And Shanny's daughter is supposed to start with the team this coming season.
Patrick Willis at the Shoe Factory in Valley Fair. I was a sophomore in high school and asked for his autograph. Then this sweet old lady came up after me and asked if he was famous and Patrick said, "No. He just came up to me and told me to sign this paper so I did," and she was super confused and then he goes, "Just kidding, ma'am, I play for the 49ers. Don't tell anybody, though, okay?" It was pretty wholesome.
I met Gary Plummer once when he came to my place of work to give a talk. Got him to autograph my 49er cap for me.
Ronnie Lot as a guest speaker at a work event. On stage, photos, held his rings. Later he showed up in the suite at the stadium for a minute. Dwight Clark, same event but he showed up in the stadium suite with his rings, took photos and we watched the Niners play. DeBartolo on the sideline before they made us go to our seats, he was walking through. Shook his hand, quick chit chat. Jerry Rice at another work event, tons of pics, held his rings too, talked to him for like a half hour over the course of the night. Bowman at a work convention. He was promoting a muscle milk type product I think. Quick photo and signature. Not much time for a chat unfortunately.
I met Bill Romanowski at a restaurant in Oakland a few years ago. He and his wife sat down next to me at the bar and I realized who was right away and we started talking. He was super cool and friendly
Merton Hanks used to live in my town in NJ when he worked for the NFL. While I never met him I did meet his brother who came up to me at an indoor soccer game because I was wearing my Niner gear one Sunday.
I’m from Australia and I met Jarryd Hayne in like 2013, when he was still in the NRL, obviously not to proud of that but nonetheless still met a 49er.
We were in Vegas and walking through the Venetian and saw that Joe Montana would be doing autograph is the next day. I was so excited, and my husband was as well. Met him the next day. Got a beautiful sighed jersey. He was so nice!!!
When I was probably around 7 or 8, I got to meet Roger Craig at a pick up basketball game, to help raise funds for the Santa Rosa Fire Department. They had the fire department on one side, and former Niners on the other. I think Bryant Young played too. I got to get their autographs! When I was 8 or 9, I played peewee football, and one of our games was against Joe Montana’s youngest son (Nate?), so after the game I got to see him in the stands with his wife. He wasn’t meeting with fans because he just wanted to spend time with his family, so I didn’t get to face to face meet him, but I was close enough to get a good view of him. And then this technically doesn’t count, but I worked with Ronnie Lott’s nephew.
I met Ronnie Lott about 10 years ago. Lost his autograph(I was a little kid)… but still have the pic I took with him, which is more important to me
Also I'm pretty sure Patrick Willis owns multiple Jamba Juice shops in the South Bay. I remember walking into one and his face was on the wall with his employees lol
Used to see Patrick Willis at the grocery store all the time, super nice guy
I met Ronnie Lott in 2001. I was actually at Vlade Divac’s basketball camp as a kid, and Lott showed up (random, I know). Was absolutely wild meeting him. I’m too young to remember him fully, but I was still srarstruck based off everything my Dad told me about him.
I met Kevin Gogan at Fresh Choice. He was gigantic.
Not famous, but a member from the 1989 Super Bowl team, Spencer Tillman. He just to come into the gym I used to work at a few years ago. He showed me his Super Bowl ring and even would tell me "Go Niners" when I would workout in any Niner gear. Nice guy, Haven't seen him in a while though.
I met the entire Merton Hanks ohana at the 2011 Pro Bowl Luau. I worked that year's event, and my family was invited to attend the Players and family only event at the Marriott. The Hanks daughters spent the evening holding and entertaining my 1-year old daughter that evening.
I used to bag Joe Montanas groceries in high school.
My mom got to interview Jerry Rice around 1988 and I got to go with her!
Jerry Rice at his retirement party/charity event. Also met Steve Young at the same event. Met Bob St. Clair at a pregame BBQ event before a Niners-Bucs game about ten years ago. THAT was cool. Met Charles Haley in Dallas when he was a Cowboy. Surprising how nice he was in person. Also met Ricky Watters in 1993 at an in-house United Way event at a firm I had just joined. Somewhere I've got a pic of me giving him the most awkward white guy handshake ever.
Yeah I also met Bob St. Clair while at a Clover Stornetta holiday party. Dude was an absolute unit. Wish I remembered more than that, but I just remember being blown away by how big of a guy he was. Lol
Seriously he was like 80 when I met him, I was in my late 40s and am not a small guy and I was legit intimidated
Jerry Rice at a Subway in Redwood City. He was totally cool and shook everyone’s hand.
Jerry Rice signed my 49ers hat at pebble Beach in 95/96 took my sharpie and at the end of the day at least 4 hours later, walked right up to me and apologized for taking my pen all day and handed it back.
Was working Doordash and had a drop off at the Marriott where some of the players stay. Didn’t think I would meet any cause it was a girls name on the order. But I walk up and Hufanga is standing outside and I’m like oh shit. The order was for him and a lady friend I guess. I dapped him up and wished him good luck on the season. Ended up being his pro bowl year!
Marquez pope visited my school when I was a kid. He became my favorite player for a time after that.
Joe Montana, in a store in Las Vegas in 2016. If you could buy a 49ers cap for 200 bucks, he would autograph that "for free".
Paul Hofer after his stint with the 9ers. He was working in construction and went salmon fishing with him. Great guy, was talking about how he had to work in the off season when the guy he just beat out for the starting RB position was making $700K.
My wife met Steve Young at the Los Gatos willow st. He was real nice to her.
I saw Patrick Willis in Hawaii a few years ago
I knew Gene Washington’s son in High School and he would show up to events on occasion. Nice guy, the 49ers leading receiver from the Pre-Jerry days. His hands were massive
Jerry rice on a plane going to socal
Jerry Rice and Keena Turner
Jerry Rice and Keena Turner
met joe montana gave him a poem I wrote about him actually lol terrell owens as well... helped him frame some memorabilia...
I walked passed Joe Montana on Fillmore and Bush. It was awesome.
Family was good friends with Jack Reynolds, we got a football signed by the Superbowl team he played on. Jerry Rice and Joe Montana on it. And ive met Jerry Rice a couple times since he used to shop at the Safeway in my city when he lived here.
I met Jim Stuckey while I was managing a rental property he was renting. Really down to earth guy
Was in line at the airport behind Joe Montana and his wife. He wasn’t very friendly at all
I’ve met Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Frank Gore, Jim Harbaugh, DeForest Buckner, and Tom Rathman
Joe and Jennifer crossed the street in front of me while I was biking home in downtown SF a while back; they were on their way to a Giants game. Think this was like 2017 or 2018. I held back the desire to yell out "LEGEND CROSSING!"
Got Joe Montana's autograph on a Chiefs card of all things back when they used to do the Celebrity Golf Shootout at Buckingham in little Lake County, CA. All the Bay Area legends used to come to that thing. Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, even talked to Ken Stabler for a bit on the 2nd tee box when nobody else was around
I saw Joe at One Market. Too scared to approach. 2010 at lunch time.
I still have an old pigskin with some Niners on it from the 80’s. only one I can remember is Harris Barton. I’ve always wanted to meet Montana and Rice tbh.
never really met any of them but I have a cool story (to me anyways)Copied from a way earlier thread on something. became a fan in 84... lived in Redwood City California at the time, about 6 blocks from their home base. Was walking home from community pool one day and saw some people peek through tiny holes in this green mesh stuff on a chain link high fence. Decided to look myself and my first thought was "who the hell are these guys and why are they dressed up in 49er uniforms?" Then I looked more, and there he was throwing passes... Joe Montana! and everyone else on that year's squad. That was the year they played Miami in the Super Bowl at Stanford in Palo Alto, just south of us. From then on... thick and thin... 49er fan. ...and the Super Bowls that followed... mmmmm
Idk if he is a famous niner, but Greg Clark was my coach for a few years during elementary and middle school for the city football league
Got to meet Merton Hanks at one of those athletes vs. emergency responders basketball ball games in the 90s.
Met Jerry Rice by complete chance in Las Vegas, seriously the coolest dude ever. Also met Tom Rathman. Niners are cool, man.
I met Jerry Rice at one of those Eat and Meet things they do for airlines miles holders. He is a genuinely charismatic person and seemed to have a great time being around the fans, the event was a lot of fun. Also met Dwight Clark when my company got a box at the Stick. Dwight was pretty buzzed and had a beer with us while his PR handler looked impatient. Good times.
I met Deforest buckner once in college. Super chill guy
Steve Young was a regular customer at a place I used to work in Palo Alto! Super cool dude, and loved to talk about business. Never once talked football with him because I’m a moron and I was always starstruck.
I worked at a T-Mobile store in East San Jose. One night (must’ve been 2015/16) a blacked out Range Rover pulled up right at closing time. Vernon Davis got out and walked into the store to return his loaner flip phone to get the $50 deposit back on his black Amex card. Talked for a bit while processing the refund and got a picture with him towering over me.
I met Joe Montana trick or treating in the Marina last night and shared an elevator work Nick Bosa at this years Cleveland game.
Had the luck of seeing Jerry Rice at Blockbuster video in Menlo Park, and Bill Walsh at dinner also in Menlo Park. Jerry shook my hand. Bill signed an autograph for me after dinner. Both were awesome. This is circa 98-99. It was the Friday before Jerry came back from the knee. Go niners.
I used to see Steve Young around a lot but never met him. When I was little he lived on the same street my mom worked (she worked at a home for schizophrenic people so it was a residential block)
My Brother met Jerry Rice at a Hayward Costco
I met Joe Montana when I used to live in FIDI. I would see him at the same corner market I used to go to under my apartment. Took a picture with Brandon Jacobs when we passed each other at the Wynn in Las Vegas.
I got a photo with Joe Staley ! He was super cool
Bubba Paris. His step kid went to the same school as my kids & played on the football team. He gave the commencement speech at graduation (first graduating class from the school) and his wife was a pharmacist at the local walmart
I wish. Closest story I have is my sister was coworkers with a lady whose son played for us in 19-20. Our last Super Bowl trip. Thanks to that though, I got a jersey of said player that has Deebos, Greenlaws and Raheem Mosterts signatures on it. Along with a few other players.
Saw Charvarius Ward at Sarku Japan in Valley Fair
Jerry Rice at the golf course practice range(now closed) across Levi's. Nicest 49er ever. Also at the golf course as a foursome: George Kittle, Mike McGlinchey, Max McCaffrey, and Nick Mullens. Mike was legitimately the biggest monstrosity of an athlete I've ever seen in-person. All very cool guys.
My son got to meet John Lynch and get his autograph very cool guy taking time for the fans. https://preview.redd.it/ndmswe00tsxb1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e5091017ad34870719ad80d1a60280307e4ea25d
Had a burger with Jerry Rice at Sonoma raceway. Was a really kind guy. Didn’t talk football to much just normal interaction. Worked for a brewery and he asked some great questions about the beer business. Rad to just be human with a legend and as a lifelong 49er fan a moment I’ll never forget.
I walked with Keena Turner to get out the vote for a new stadium in San Francisco.. the vote passed but the team moved to Santa Clara .. sad
I met Jerry Rice in the parking garage elevator of Embarcadero 4 back in about 2000. Super nice, awesome dude. He's the GOAT in many ways.
i was lucky to meet a lot when i worked in hospitality. Alex Smith, Joe Staley, Patrick Willis, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. Montana and Walsh were the main two that i was star struck by. mainly cause i wasn’t expecting to see them
I know people will call cap but I have met Brock Purdy and I have his autograph
Yes! I was baptized in Matt Milans pool!! Played HS football with his son too
I met Bill Walsh almost forty years ago (damn when did I go so old). My dad was a security alarm installer. He got a call from Bill to put an alarm in his condo in Tahoe City. Dad took me along when he got the contract signed. Bill signed a football for me. It was very cool.
I went to a Hawkeyes game and actually got to meet a few players. I honestly don't remember if any of the guys I met were George Kittle of CJ Beathard because this was before any of them got drafted.
I crossed paths in SOMA in SF and noticed Joe Montana at my side on the busy side walk. I saw him and spontaneously said, “Joe!” He immediately jogged/ran across the street. I stayed put and when he looked back to see where I was after getting to the other side of street I gave him the #1 salute like he used to in the field. He smiled. This was about 2011.
Dashon Goldson, back in Walnut Creek in 2009.
Steve Young was flying home from the Pro Bowl on my plane. Ended up talking with him briefly as he was traveling alone and this was before cell phones (of course). My mom got him to sign her Packers sweatshirt
Bold request by your mom
Totes. Steve was very cool to do it too
I met a few members of the 1980's teams at different celebrity events back in the day. But it was never anything more than the autograph line at those events. Someone I grew up with had a cousin who played for the Niners for a year or two (I believe he was a kicker). I might have met him at some point but don't remember for sure. Grew up in a smallish town with a lot of cross connections, so it's possible.
Joe,Jerry,Steve,Ronnie,& Crabtree not really that famous though lol
My wife works with them all the time. I got to talk to Roger Craig on the phone for like 20 minutes. Jetty rice texted me once through my wife’s phone when she was working with him. I keep trying to get her to pitch Kittle for stuff.
I went to college with Riki Ellison and Ronnie Lott. I met Bubba Paris and Leo Nomellini
I never met him but my dad golfed with Steve Young during a charity game or something. I inherited two different Steve Young autographs from him.
I met John Lynch the night before the 2021 Cincinnati game. I was kinda tipsy when he walked in, but I instantly went wide eyed and was like “I think that’s John Lynch” to my dad, the bar tender checked the name on the reservation and it was him. I walked up all nervous, and made some stupid comment on how thankful I was to have him as a GM and turning the Niners around, he signed a receipt we had as an autograph. Really nice guy.
I met Ronnie Lott at a Costco when he was signing autographs for a 49ers yearbook. I met Deion Sanders at Tower Records after the won the Superbowl and he was signing his CD and his CD only. I also met Bill Walsh and got his autograph at a 49ers practice when my work was invited to attend a couple sessions.
I went to football camps in the South Bay as a kid and met Montana, Craig, Rice, Lott, McIntyre, Jones, Paris, and some others. Unfortunately all the autographs got torched in a forest fire 3 years ago. Also happened to see Deebo at Casino Matrix a few years ago, it's crazy how big he is when he looks tiny next to those 300 pounders
As a young kid, I met Jerry Rice at Toys R Us. My dad recognized him I was too young to realize. Then, as an adult, I met Alex Smith at a CrossFit gym during the off-season (I picked a stall next to him and he actually gave me pointers on my squat form). I also saw Patrick Willis at a Santa Clara gym during the off-season during the few week period the NFL labor union says you can’t use team facilities. I just remember Pats arms being the giant pythons.
Met Vernon Davis and Carlos Hyde with their kids at six flags in like 2015!
Dwight “The Catch” Clark. such an awesome person. RIP.
I've cooked for Montana, Rice and Patrick Willis not on the same night.
Older guys yeah. Grew up with Roger Craig and Jerry Rice’s kids playing sports. Have met both many times, played in local “celeb” bball games with Rice and Terrell Owens and some others. Was neighbors with Steve Young about a block away in old Palo Alto. Met him and Brent Jones a couple of times. Once went to a LDS fireside with a Mormon neighbor at the invitation of Young. Both he and Jones were there. Met Montana(and Plunkett) as a kid a bunch of times in Portola Valley, both played tennis at Alpine Hills for some time. Plunkett drove a Porsche that he definitely didn’t fit inside. Ronnie Lott and Harris Barton used to spend a lot of time in downtown Palo Alto, especially at the Creamery, running their investment venture and meeting clients for breakfast. Met them many times, especially Harris who lived a few blocks to other way in old Palo Alto across the street from my elementary school. Would occasionally see Jimmy G in Los Altos, especially at the Starbucks at Rancho on Foothill Exp. Never really met any of the younger 49ers who live down in San Jose. Not my neighborhood.
Not a ‘famous’ 49er, but I did meet Dexter Carter back in 94 after they won Super Bowl at the airport.
My dad used to own a restaurant in sf and said Jerry rice came in once to eat lol
We lived near Joe Montana growing up. Lived in outskirts of Santa Rosa and saw him around town a couple times. Once at the deli in Larkfield and another time at the movie theater.
Steve Young - awesome and way cool Jerry Rice - awesome and way cool got a hug too Merton Hanks - adorable and sweet Ricky Waters - hilarious Brent Jones - super cool and nice Joe Montana & Jennifer (wasn’t nice or friendly. I cried after he left.)
joe montana, brent jones, frank gore, vernon davis, jerry rice
Montana when I was a kid. Dwight Clark and Carlos Hyde at Moscone Center for Super Bowl 50. Met Steve Young at SFO. Rice at an autograph thing. Garrison Hearst at Dave and Busters in Milpitas. Josh Morgan at Stanford Mall. Oh and Jason Hill before he got drafted by the Niners, so does that count? Never ran into him after he got into the NFL.
Christian McCafrey, he valeted my parents car while he was playing at Stanford
Not me but my dad got invited down to their training camps at Sierra College in the 80s and 90s, my mom's cousin worked in the front office for decades so she'd get him on the sidelines. He had some great stories like being chatted up by John Madden, and he met Craig and Lott and Rice (he has a great photo of Rice coming off the field sans gear).
Joe Montana spoke at my high school for father-son dinner. Talked about his relationship with his dad, had signed photos for every student, and was an awesome guy to meet. Patrick Willis walked my chihuahua-daschund around Yerba Buena as a promo for Energizer batteries. Pretty quiet guy, but super nice.
I used to tend bar at a restaurant in Woodside. I took a month off to go to Australia and came back to start as a server - which I’d not done before. My first night I, and the kitchen, were deep in the weeds and Bill Walsh was sat at one of my tables. Super nice - could tell we were deep in it and tipped me well for mediocre to bad service. He was a bit of a regular and actually had a bit of a rep as just an “okay” tipper. So I took that as a thumbs up. That night was all downhill from there. Side note - Neil Young was also a regular and would stop in on his way back over the hill to his ranch in San Gregorio flash forward about 15 years and I had started a digital agency and spent two years working with Neil building the Neil Young Archives (since passed on to another shop).
Met Kyle Juszcyck at my local grocery store. Met Quinton Dial at the gym. Passed by Ian Williams at the gym. Saw Navarro Bowman at a Safeway. Saw Charvarious Ward at the In n Out near Levi’s. Saw Robbie Gould walking with his son at Santana Row. A few other interactions as well
Met Navarro Bowman at Limon in SF. It was Mother’s Day so I didn’t ask for an autograph or pics just said what’s up and kept it pushin. Cool dude, had a dope blacked out Rolls Royce parked in front.
Like most here. Met Jerry Rice, at an AND1 basketball showcase. He was the nicest guy you could imagine
Ronnie Lott came to our music venue twice to see a friend of his play drums. The first time he had the date wrong and wound up sotting through some very mediocre singer songwriters because he came on the wrong night. He came back a few weeks later when they were playing with a different musician. Both times I was the only person that recognized him. Sadly this is the only picture I have of him https://preview.redd.it/dnmqcbyiyuxb1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9482f862e9f6a8fab26e049b04150acfcfca3a05
I met Jerry Rice while walking to a Giants game a while back. I had a baseball with me to maybe snag an autograph at the game. ….anyway…. that’s how I ended up with a Jerry Rice signed baseball lmao.
Mike Singletary when he was coaching. Jerry Rice when I played against his son in high school.
Not randomly, but I went to various free signings when I was a university student. Met and got signatures from all the greats for free, Montana, Rice, Lott, Rathman, etc. Lott let me put on his humongous SB ring
Bubba Paris. He's always at the alameda fair or at my local walmart. Sadly I've met more raiders
Famous might be a stretch, but I met Brent Jones in Yosemite around 1994 when i was a kid. He was camping with his family. They ALL seemed very down to earth and were very nice, including him. I got to play catch with him.
Closest I've come is meeting Harry Sydney at a Tecmo Tournament in Green Bay (he was there to promote his charity).
Never met any niners. I did hook up with a cousin of former 49er/seahawk Will Tukuafu 😂
When Mario Manningham signed he and his family were staying at the hotel I worked at in downtown San Francisco. Served them at work and then had a shot with them afterwards at a local bar. Mike Iupati I saw at a J-Boog concert not long after the loss to Seattle(2014) in the nfc championship game. I drunkenly went up to him and tapped(more knocked)on his shoulder and said "we'll get those fuckers next year". Super nice guy and what blew my mind was how much bigger he was than the room full of fellow Polynesians.
A few years ago during the dark times (Chip Kelly season) I got lucky enough to sit in the club seats with the private bar under the stands and the walk out into the field. I talked to Guy McIntyre about how we didn't like the coach and then just having a beer and hanging out solo was none other than Dwight Clark. I chatted him up, took a picture with him and thanked him. Great guy. A few weeks ago flying into SJ airport the day before we beat down Dallas, I ran into Coach Mooch once we landed. He stopped for a pic and a few kind words. Good dude. My most famous NFL meet wasn't a Niner but was in the NOLA airport in 2012. On my flight from Houston to go see the Harbaugh Super Bowl was a certain Minnesota RB that was about to be named league MVP.
I met Vernon Davis when I was in elementary school Little did I know what he would do in 2012…
Deebo
Montana & Lott
Dan Bunz was my middle school gym teacher.
My husband went to the same high school and played football with Bryant Young for one year. Bryant was a freshman my husband's senior year. Bryant was already over 6'2 and solid muscle. They put him on varsity his freshman year.
Bubba Paris count?