Born October 7, 1955, in Roseville, California, Dan Bunz attended Oakmont High School before playing college football at the University of California, Riverside, and California State University, Long Beach, where he earned first-team All-Coast honors in 1977. The San Francisco 49ers selected Bunz in the first round with the twenty-fourth overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft. The linebacker was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in his debut season, immediately establishing himself as a key defensive contributor. Bunz played seven seasons with the 49ers from 1978 to 1984 before finishing his career with the Detroit Lions in 1985, retiring at age thirty after a contract dispute.
Strengths included exceptional speed for a linebacker at six feet four inches and 226 pounds, superior tackling technique emphasizing leverage and body control, outstanding pursuit angles, and the football intelligence to diagnose plays quickly. His versatility allowed him to excel at multiple linebacker positions ...
