Being a linebacker didn’t come easy for Jim Fahnhorst, especially in the early days. At 6-foot-4, he was often told he was “too tall” for the position, and even he admitted, “I’d get the crap beat out of me… why am I playing this stupid game?”

But whenever doubt crept in, Jim only had to look at his role model: His older brother, Keith Fahnhorst. Watching Keith dominate on the field seven years ahead of him flipped that frustration into motivation. “Then I’d see Keith playing in high school, and I’d go, ‘Oh, that’s why,” Jim further recalled.

Without Keith’s example, maybe Jim never would’ve stuck with football. Maybe he never would’ve put on a 49ers red and gold. And maybe he never would’ve walked away with three Super Bowl rings. On September 18, the 49ers shared the heartbreaking news: Jim Fahnhorst had passed away at the age of 66—the very same age his brother was when he passed.

As we pay tribute to the 49ers legend, let’s explore the family background and the NFL career of Jim.

A look at Jim Fahnhorst’s parents and personal life

Born on November 8, 1958, Jim Fahnhorst was the youngest son of Victor Boniface Fahnhorst and Gertrude Philipsek Fahnhorst. His dad, Victor, was a standout on the football field in high school. Victor’s younger sister, Kathleen, once recalled that he was good enough to land a college scholarship. But Jim’s dad turned it down.

For him, football wasn’t actually his first love. He didn’t want to be seen as just another “jock” who scraped by in the classroom. Instead, he poured himself into books. A night owl by nature, he’d stay up reading until late and, for reasons only he knew, baking loaf after loaf of bread for the family. The downside?

He’d miss his morning classes so often that it ultimately took him five years to graduate. Victor then went on to marry Jim’s mom, Gertrude, when he was 32 years old. Gertrude, meanwhile, was 29 at that time. Even though Victor didn’t pursue a long-time football career, he made sure that both of his sons, Jim and Keith, played at the highest level of football.

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From there, the Fahnhorst brothers went on to play for the University of Minnesota during their collegiate career before eventually cementing themselves as two of the best in the 49ers’ history. As for his personal life, unfortunately, there’s no credible data that can confirm whether Jim was married or not.

But one thing’s for sure: He and his brother etched their names into the 49ers’ history as one of the franchise’s great sibling duos, even with seven years between them.

Who is Jim Fahnhorst’s brother, Keith Fahnhorst?

Unlike Jim, his older brother, Keith, used to play on the offensive side of the ball. At 6-foot-6, the lineman kicked off his professional career with the 49ers in 1974 when the team picked him in the second round with the 35th overall pick. From there, Keith went on to spend his entire 14-season-long career in San Francisco, while also hoisting a couple of Lombardi trophies (including the 49ers’ 1st Super Bowl in 1981).

Despite being a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time All-Pro, the thought of playing with his younger brother in the NFL seemed too far-fetched to even consider at that time. But Jim, on the other hand, had already made up his mind. Just like his older brother, Jim enrolled in the University of Minnesota, became a full-time LB, and was named First Team All-Big Ten in 1981.

But there was a wrinkle before he kicked off his NFL career. The 1982 draft rolled in, and the Minnesota Vikings picked Jim in the fourth round with the 92nd overall pick. But the Vikings never made a compelling offer, and Jim turned down the contract. From there, Jim shifted his focus to the USFL, where he played for a couple of years (1983-84) with the Chicago Blitz in 1983 and the Arizona Wranglers in 1984.

Fast forward to summer ’84, and the 49ers eventually planned to sign Jim. It was the inception of his NFL journey, and the linebacker spent his entire seven-season career in San Francisco, becoming a three-time Super Bowl champion. Over his career, he appeared in 82 games with 38 starts, recording 232 tackles, seven interceptions, and one sack.

“It was a no-brainer,” Jim once said, recalling his decision to join his brother in red and gold. “…It was more surreal than anything. When Bill Walsh called the team together after one practice I remember looking around at all the talent on the team. I remember thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ It was just a great feeling at the time.”

From backyard football to the NFL, the Fahnhorst brothers, separated by seven years, found themselves lining up against each other in the 49ers’ practice. But that understanding, that bond, and that respect for each other’s game were always there.

“We ran into each other a few times at practice, but we had an understanding that we weren’t going to try and make each other look bad,” Jim once recalled. “It was kind of uncomfortable.” The Fahnhorst brothers, separated by seven years, played for four seasons together with the 49ers.

While their career earnings and estimated net worth are not clear yet, the combined NFL numbers pretty much tell the story: between the two of them, that’s 21 seasons, 275 games, 198 starts, and five Super Bowl rings.

Back in June 2018, Keith passed away at the age of 66. Seven years later, this September, his younger brother Jim now rests in peace as the NFL community mourns the loss of the 49ers legend. Seven years apart in age, and now, seven years apart in their passing. Almost poetic, in a heartbreaking way.