Fred Dean, 68, fearsome pass rusher of 49ers' dynasty, dies
FILE - In this Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008, file photo, former San Diego Chargers defensive end Fred Dean waves to fans after his speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio. Dean, the fearsome pass rusher who was a key part of the launch of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty, has died. His death on Wednesday night, Oct. 14, 2020, was confirmed Thursday by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
Fred Dean, 68, fearsome pass rusher of 49ers' dynasty, dies
Dean, the fearsome pass rusher who was a key part of the launch of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty, has died. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)SAN FRANCISCO – Fred Dean, the fearsome pass rusher who was a key part of the launch of the San Francisco 49ers' dynasty, has died. “The 49ers family is heartbroken to learn of the passing of one of the game’s all-time greats, Fred Dean,” the team said in a statement. Dean’s career in San Diego ended in a contract dispute in 1981 and he was traded to San Francisco in October. "I could consider it being born by the Chargers but having a renewal life with the 49ers,” Dean said in his Hall of Fame speech.