A TWO-TIME Super Bowl champion has died aged 64 with tributes pouring in for the San Francisco 49ers icon.

Former 49ers linebacker Todd Shell sadly passed away on November 1.

Shell, who won Super Bowl XIX in 1984 under legendary head coach Bill Walsh, saw his career end in the most heartbreaking of ways.

Entering his fifth season in the league in 1988, Shell was involved in an on-field collision with teammate Ron Heller during training camp.

On what was just a warm July 22 day to begin with, it would prove to be a devastating one for Shell and all those close to him.

He suffered a severe spinal cord injury and never saw the field again, despite his best hopes at the time.

Thankfully, Shell was able to walk again, but his injury was deemed significant enough that a return to football was out of the question.

It was a true shame for the 1984 first-round pick of the NFL Draft, who was placed on injured reserve for what was another Super Bowl-winning season.

He had suffered with several injuries throughout his NFL career, so much so his teammates nicknamed him ‘Crystal’, but they had never stopped him.

It was only the threat to life as he knew it that made Shell give up the sport he truly loved, having been ‘never so scared’ in his life.

The NFL franchise paid tribute to Shell with a heartfelt post on Wednesday.

“The 49ers mourn the passing of former linebacker and Super Bowl XIX Champion Todd Shell,” their statement read.

“Our organization sends its deepest condolences to his wife, Kelli, and the entire Shell family.”

In his first season, the star linebacker out of BYU made NFL history as the first rookie to record 2.0+ sacks and a touchdown in a single game.

Not only was he a BYU legend and a 49ers icon, but he was also the pride of Mountain View High School.

The hard-nosed linebacker helped lead the school to its first ever state football championship in 1978.

His daughter Krystal also paid tribute to her late father under the 49ers’ post, writing, “My hero forever, I love you always daddy. Until we meet again.”

Shell would go onto coach in the AFL following his NFL career being cut short, leading the San Jose SaberCats, Arizona Rattlers and New York Dragons in his post-playing career.