San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Fred Dean dies from coronavirus

Hall of Famer Fred Dean, a fearsome pass rusher who led the San Francisco 49ers to a pair of Super Bowl victories, died Wednesday night. He was 68.

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Dean’s death was confirmed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dean was hospitalized last week with the coronavirus and was on a ventilator and in intensive care, former teammate Dwight Hicks told The Associated Press.

“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Fred Dean,” Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker said in a statement. “He exemplified many of the values learned from this great game -- commitment, integrity, courage -- over the course of his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Fred’s wife, Pam, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations.”

Dean excelled in college as a linebacker for Louisiana Tech and was a second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1975. He was shifted to defensive end and made an immediate impact, becoming a six-time Pro Bowl selection. He was also named a first-team All-Pro four times.

Dean was traded to the 49ers from San Diego and unofficially had 12 sacks (the statistic did not become an official NFL statistic until 1982) as he led San Francisco to victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.

He also led the 49ers to victory against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. He played in three NFC Championship Games.

For his career, Dean finished with an unofficial total of 93.5 sacks.

“The 49ers family is heartbroken to learn of the passing of one of the game’s all-time greats, Fred Dean,” the 49ers said in a statement. “Fred not only impacted countless opposing quarterbacks throughout his career, but also the future of the game of football as one of the NFL’s first true pass-rushing specialists.”

“I am heartbroken by the sudden passing of my dear friend, Fred Dean,” former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. said in a statement. “He was a humble, kind and quiet giant, with a smile as big as he was. The greatness of the #49ers truly began with Fred’s arrival in San Francisco.”

In a statement, Los Chargers owner Dean Spanos called Dean a “feared defender.”

“Yet, off the field, you would be hard-pressed to find a kinder human being,” Spanos said. “He was a gentle giant with a smile matched only by his own sheer size. Everyone who knew Fred was better for it, and we are all terribly saddened by the news of his passing.”

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Dawn Wells FILE PHOTO: Actress Dawn Wells attends the 2015 TV Land Awards at Saban Theatre on April 11, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. Wells died Wednesday of illness related to COVID-19. She was 82. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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