All-Time 49ers QBs Ranked: Montana #1, Young #2

Frankie Albert

#63 · San Francisco 49ers
Retired 7 Years In The NFL
🏆 AAFC Most Valuable Player (1948)
Frankie's
HAIR
17.8
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Frankie Albert or the 49ers?

Frankie Albert Legacy

HEYTC AI
Frankie Albert was the scrappy little magician who revolutionized the game as the first modern T-formation quarterback, a 5-10 lefty sleight-of-hand artist under Clark Shaughnessy at Stanford. He turned a dismal 1-7-1 squad into the undefeated '40 Wow Boys, capping it with a Rose Bowl clincher over Nebraska via a 41-yard TD dart, an 85-yard punt, and three PATs—pure wizardry that earned back-to-back All-America nods and a No. 2 ranking. As the 49ers' inaugural pick, he became the face of the franchise in the AAFC, slinging bombs, scrambling like a demon, and owning 1948 as MVP. He later coached 'em to an 8-4 tie for the West. Albert passed in 2002 at 82, his bootleg legacy etched in football lore.
Frankie Albert passed away on September 4, 2002 at the age of 82.

Frankie Albert Rating Breakdown

Season
Average
Fantasy
Average
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
NPC
7 years with the 49ers

Frankie Albert Career Stats via Wikipedia

10,795 Pass Yards
115 Touchdowns
98 INTs
53.1% Comp %
17.8 HAIR
3-12 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About Frankie Albert

How does Brock Purdy compare to Frankie Albert?

Brock Purdy's got the arm and poise to match Frankie Albert's trailblazing magic from the AAFC days, but Purdy's early efficiency blows away Albert's 17.84 passer rating—think 10,795 career yards and 115 TDs in a run-heavy era versus Purdy's quick-strike modern game. Albert pioneered the 49ers' T-formation flair; Purdy's just the latest lefty wizard keeping the Bay Area dreaming.

Is Frankie Albert in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Frankie Albert never made it to Canton, despite lighting up the AAFC with 29 TDs in one season and those bootleg sleights of hand that wowed crowds. He's in the College Football Hall for his Stanford glory, including that '40 Rose Bowl gem, but Pro Football's gold jacket? Still waiting after a gritty 49ers run from '46-52.

How would Frankie Albert perform in today's NFL?

Frankie Albert would feast in today's pass-happy NFL—those quick releases, lefty bootlegs, and 115 TDs would thrive under no-touch rules, turning his AAFC dart-throwing (like five scores vs. Cleveland) into 4,000-yard seasons. At 5-9, he'd dodge like a slot receiver, but he'd need to bulk up against blitzes that'd eat old-school leather helmets alive.

How does Frankie Albert compare to Joe Montana?

Joe Montana lapped Frankie Albert like a Ferrari passing a Model T—Montana's 85.15 rating towers over Albert's 17.84, with four rings to Albert's AAFC near-misses, yet both owned the 49ers soul as lefty innovators. Albert's 10,795 yards and 115 TDs set the table in Buck Shaw Stadium; Joe just served the Super Bowl banquet.