Million Dollar Backfield The Million Dollar Backfield was a nickname given to two historical backfield s in the National Football League . It was first used to describe the offensive attack of the then - Chicago Cardinals in 1947 after an unprecedented amount of money by Cardinals owner Charles Bidwill lured several of the days top players to the team . The Million Dollar backfield was also referred to separately as the Dream Backfield by Bidwill . In 1954 , the term was used again to describe the backfield of the San Francisco 49ers , which would go on to produce four Hall of Famers . This 49ers backfield was also referred to in circles as the Fabulous Foursome . Chicago Cardinals ( c . 1947 - 1950 ) . History . After World War II , professional football experienced an increase in popularity . The Cardinals hired Jimmy Conzelman as their new head coach . Soon afterwards Conzelman implemented the “ T ” formation . He then drafted quarterback Paul Christman in 1945 to run the offense . A year later , fullback Pat Harder and halfback Elmer Angsman were added to the line - up . It was around this time that the upstart AAFC placed a team in Chicago , the Rockets . The new AAFC franchise publicly pushed for the Cardinals to leave town , since the city had three major football teams . Bidwill grew angry and vowed to turn his team into a profitable winner . He stunned the football world in 1947 when he outbid the Rockets for the rights to All - American , Charley Trippi , signing him to a then unprecedented $ 100 , 000 contract . Trippi was the final piece of what Bidwill called his " Million Dollar Backfield " of Paul Christman , Pat Harder , Marshall Goldberg , and Trippi . The quartet led the Cardinals to defeated their cross - town nemesis , the Chicago Bears , in the season finale to win the NFL ' s Western Division title with 9 - 3 - 0 record . The backfield then led the team to their first and only undisputed NFL championship in 1947 . Sadly Charles Bidwill did not live see his " Million Dollar Backfield " win the 1947 title ; he had died of pneumonia shortly after signing Trippi . San Francisco 49ers ( c . 1954 - 1960 ) . History . The San Francisco 49ers ' " Million Dollar Backfield " began its construction in 1946 with the team ' s signing of fullback Joe Perry . In 1951 quarterback Y . A . Tittle was signed by the team . The next year the 49ers drafted Hugh McElhenny , fullback , in the first round to complement Tittle and Perry . The final piece of the puzzle came in 1954 , when John Henry Johnson joined the team . For three seasons the " Million Dollar Backfield " challenged opposing defenses with Tittle ' s arm , the power of Perry and Johnson and the exciting elusiveness of McElhenny . During their first year together , the 49ers ' backfield shattered the team record for rushing yards in a season . Perry posted 1 , 000 yards in two straight seasons and by 1956 he became the NFL ' s all - time leading rusher . With the extremely potent offense , many thought San Francisco was due to win a NFL Championship , but defensive problems landed the 49ers in third place behind the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears in 1954 . San Francisco ' s " Million Dollar Backfield " was disbanded before it could win a championship in 1957 , when John Henry Johnson was traded to Detroit . The backfield of Tittle , Perry , and McElhenny remained intact through the 1960 season . The 49ers ' " Million Dollar Backfield " is currently the only full - house backfield to have all four of its members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame . On June 9 , 2011 , it was announced that Johnson and Perry , who died within months of each other , would have their brains examined by researchers at Boston University who are studying head injuries in sports . Both men were suspected of suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy , a disorder linked to repeated brain trauma .