Former 49ers linebacker Craig Puki has died at age 66, according to the team.
In a tweet, the 49ers said the following:
“The 49ers mourn the passing of former LB Craig Puki. Our thoughts are with his friends and family.”
San Francisco drafted Puki with its third-round pick in 1980 from the University of Tennessee where he played running back his freshman year before becoming a full-time linebacker.
He played three NFL seasons, the first two of which were with the 49ers. He was part of the famous Super Bowl-winning 1981 team which secured the first of five Lombardi trophies for the franchise.
He played in all 16 games of that 1981 season, including all three playoff games.