Fred Dean
Inducted:
2008
Player Stats
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Born:
February 24, 1952
Arcadia, Louisiana, U.S.
Died:
October 14, 2020
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Position:
Defensive End
College:
Louisiana Tech (1971–1974)
Fred Dean was one of the most feared pass rushers of his era, known for his explosive first step and relentless pressure off the edge. He began his NFL career with the San Diego Chargers, where he became a dominant defensive force as a defensive end.
Midway through the 1981 season, he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers—and immediately transformed their defense. Dean recorded 12 sacks in 11 games that season, helping lead the 49ers to their first Super Bowl title. He was a key figure in two Super Bowl-winning teams and a four-time Pro Bowler.
Though official sack stats were not recorded until 1982, Dean is widely recognized as one of the premier edge rushers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. His ability to wreck offensive game plans earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Dean's Awards and Honors
- 2× Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX)
- 2× First-team All-Pro (1980, 1981)
- 4× Pro Bowl (1979–1981, 1983)
- NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1981)
- San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
- Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame
- San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team
- San Diego Chargers 40th Anniversary Team
- Second-team All-American (1974)
- First-team Little All-American (1974)
- Second-team Little All-American (1973)
- Louisiana Tech Athletic Hall of Fame
NFL Records
- Member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- Transformed 49ers' defense mid-season in 1981
- First defensive end inducted into the Hall of Fame primarily for his edge pass-rushing in the modern 4–3 defense
NFL Teams
San Diego Chargers (1975–1981)
San Francisco 49ers (1981–1985)