On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that Dave Wilcox, who was a prominent member of the San Francisco 49ers team during the late 1960s and early 1970s, passed away at the age of 80.

From 1970-1972, Wilcox played in seven Pro Bowls and was a member of the 49ers team that went to the playoffs for three consecutive years.

“Dave Wilcox was a great man,” 49ers CEO Jed York wrote on Twitter. “He will be missed.”

Wilcox was drafted by the NFL’s 49ers and the AFL’s Oilers after playing at Oregon.

Wilcox spent his entire 11-season career in San Francisco, where he chose to play.

Wilcox, who was given the nickname “The Intimidator,” earned a spot in the Pro Bowl during 1966 and between 1968 and 1973.

“Defensively, I had an area,” Wilcox said. “And I did not like people in that area. So when I prepared to play the game it was to keep everybody out of that area. Nobody was going to run in my area, nobody was going to pass in my area. This is my spot and nobody was welcome there.”

According to Rams MVP quarterback Roman Gabriel, Wilcox’s playing style resembles that of legendary Bear Dick But middle linebacker.

“Because the rules weren’t quite the same, you could hit people anywhere, anytime, in the face, in the neck, whatever it took to make the play as long as it was aggressive within the rules,” Gabriel stated.

In both 1971 and 1972, Wilcox earned the honor of being named first-team All-Pro.

“Sad to hear of Dave Wilcox passing,” Chris Long, who used to play as a defensive end for the Rams and is the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, tweeted. “That dude was awesome. Down to earth and an absolute badass. Went into the Hall with my pops and loved being around him. Was so cool to us. His family is awesome. Rest easy.”

In 2000, Wilcox was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“While Dave Wilcox was nicknamed ‘The Intimidator’ for his aggressive style of play, he was a kind, humble and gracious man in all other aspects of life,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter stated. “He transformed the outside linebacker position — one of the many feats that earned him a forever home in Canton.”

Justin and Josh, who are his sons, played college football at Oregon as well.

The California Golden Bears now have Justin Wilcox as their head coach.