"Frank Gore and Patrick Willis will serve as team captains for the 49ers this year, coach Jim Harbaugh announced on a conference call. In two previous seasons, Mike Singletary picked six captains, and last year appointed starting quarterback Alex Smith one of them.

This year, Harbaugh put it to a player vote, and the winners were Willis, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of his previous three seasons, and Gore, who signed a three-year contract extension earlier this week. That Gore was voted to the offensive captaincy speaks to his popularity in the locker room and to the importance of the 49ers taking care of him with a contract extension. It also is notable after Smith organized and ran all of the player practices during the lockout."