Dave Wilcox, a Hall of Fame linebacker who appeared in seven Pro Bowls during his 11-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, died Wednesday. He was eighty.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, announced his death but did not specify where he died or the cause, stating only that he had recently undergone heart surgery.
According to Jim Porter, president of the Hall of Fame, Wilcox “transformed the outside linebacker position—one of the many feats that earned him a forever home in Canton.”
Wilcox was drafted in 1964 by both the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the American Football League’s Houston Oilers. He joined San Francisco and went on to become one of the league’s greatest and most durable linebackers.
He was well-known for his tough style, which effectively neutralized tight ends at the line of scrimmage. However, he was also an effective covering player, with 14 career interceptions. He was nicknamed “the Intimidator” because of his aggressive style of play.
The Hall of Fame described longtime San Francisco quarterback John Brodie, who played alongside Wilcox for ten seasons, as claiming that Wilcox was “the best outside linebacker that has ever played the game—by a long way.”
Wilcox missed only one game during his 11-year career and was named first-team All-Pro in 1971 and 1972, as well as second-team in 1967.
He was a vital member of the defense that helped the 49ers win the National Football Conference championship in 1970 and 1971. San Francisco lost to Dallas both times.
