Eddie DeBartolo Jr.

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

DeBartolo was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Marie Patricia (Montani) and Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., a real estate developer. He went to high school at Cardinal Mooney. He developed shopping malls as part of a corporation founded by his father, which became one of the largest public real estate businesses in the United States. During his 23 years owning the 49ers beginning in 1977, the team won five Super Bowls under coaches Bill Walsh and George Seifert: Super Bowl XVI in 1982, XIX in 1985, XXIII in 1989, XXIV in 1990, and XXIX in 1995. According to quarterback Steve Young, DeBartolo's 'family approach' to running the team changed the landscape of the NFL. DeBartolo was involved in the 1998 corruption case of former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards. He pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to report a felony and received a $1 million fine along with two years of probation in return for his testimony against Edwards. He was fined by the NFL and barred from active control of the 49ers for a year. On February 18, 2021, President Donald Trump granted DeBartolo a presidential pardon.

In Their Own Story

The 1990s were a turbulent time for the 49ers. On the field, the team continued to win, but off the field, Eddie DeBartolo Jr. faced a legal battle. In 1999, he was convicted of failing to tell authorities that former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards attempted to extort him. The conviction led to a one-year suspension from the NFL. After the suspension, Eddie could have resumed control of the 49ers, but he made a different choice. He decided to turn his controlling stake in the team over to his sister, Denise, in return for other portions of the family interests. For years, there was a perception that the league forced the transaction, but in a 2016 interview, Eddie set the record straight: he made the decision himself to focus on his family. It was a quiet end to a legendary ownership run.

Reader's Guide

DeBartolo ceded control of the franchise to his sister, Denise York, in 2000, in return for other parts of the family business empire. He confirms the transfer was voluntary, stating: 'Truthfully, the team really wasn't taken away from me... it came down to a decision that had to be made whether or not I wanted the 49ers or whether or not I wanted to take the other part of the company.'

Did You Know?

• DeBartolo was accused of sexual assault in 1992 at his Menlo Park condo but was never charged; he reportedly paid $200,000 to settle the case out of court.
• In 2007, DeBartolo co-founded Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Tampa, Florida with fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame member Derrick Brooks.
• DeBartolo's mother, Marie Patricia Montani DeBartolo, is the namesake of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame.
• On December 1, 2024, Donald Trump nominated DeBartolo's son-in-law Chad Chronister as head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Chronister withdrew his name a few days later.