49ers legend Bobb McKittrick wins NFL assistant coach recognition
Late 49ers legend McKittrick wins NFL assistant coach recognition originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Longtime 49ers offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick was announced Monday as a winner of the Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award given for lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL.
McKittrick died in 2000 at the age of 64 after a 14-month battle with bile duct cancer. He was a finalist for the award presented by the Pro Football Writers of America in each of the past 10 years.
McKittrick was honored along with Don “Wink” Martindale and John Mitchell. The men are the 21st, 22nd and 23rd recipients of the award, which the PFWA instituted in 2014.
Former 49ers coach George Seifert described McKittrick as one of the organization’s “secret weapons.” He served as 49ers’ offensive line coach for 21 seasons under Bill Walsh, Seifert and Steve Mariucci. He continued to coach during the 1999 season even after the diagnosis of his terminal condition.
McKittrick was known for taking undersized, unheralded players and molding them into groups that formed some of the top offensive lines in the NFL during a period of time in which the 49ers won five Super Bowls.
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This is the third year in a row in which an assistant coach with 49ers ties has been recognized. In 2021, 49ers running backs coach Bobby Turner won the award. Last year, long-time quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp was recognized. Knapp died in July 2021 at the age of 58 when a motorist stuck him while he was cycling.
