Terry Kirby Madden Career 1995-2003 - Peak 86 OVR

Terry Kirby was a receiving back before that was a specialty everyone wanted. A third-round pick out of Virginia by Miami in 1993, he came to San Francisco in 1996 and spent three years as the change-of-pace and third-down complement to Garrison Hearst, the man who caught the ball out of the backfield when the defense keyed the run.

Madden's grades for his 49ers years reflect a useful rotational back, topping out at an 86 for the 1997 season, with one obvious glitch, a card that lists him at an 18, a number no NFL player earns, just the scraping error that turns up here and there across this roster. The real read was a back in the mid-80s at his best, quick and sure-handed, valued more for his hands than his between-the-tackles running.

Kirby finished with 2,875 rushing yards and, tellingly, even more receiving yards, 3,222, across a ten-year career with the Dolphins, 49ers, Browns and Raiders. He was never a feature back and never needed to be, exactly the versatile role player every good offense keeps around. San Francisco used him exactly right, as a complement rather than a centerpiece, and his Madden grade marked him as the solid third-down back he was.