The crowd at Candlestick Park is silent. With less than one minute left, the 49ers are losing to the Dallas Cowboys 20-21 in the 1981 NFC Championship Game. The 49ers have to score here to win the game and go to the Super Bowl. With the ball on the 10 yard-line, San Francisco Quarterback Joe Montana takes the snap and does his best to evade a gang of Dallas Defenders. Meanwhile, wide receiver Dwight Clark is setting himself up for a play that will define his career. With the season on the line, Montana thrusts a pass up that will likely send one team home and one to the Super Bowl. The pass is thrown high, and Clark had to leap up to make a prodigious catch using only his fingertips. A once inaudible crowd is now roaring with delight… The 49ers are going to the Super Bowl!
This moment, known as “The Catch” was one of the greatest moments in both NFL and 49er History. However, the list of great moments in 49er History is not short, ever since the franchise began in 1946, to the Modern Era, the 49ers history has been one of the finest in all of pro sports.
The 49er Franchise started in 1946 when San Francisco entered the All-American Football Conference. The Founder of the 49ers, Tony Morabito brought a football franchise over to San Francisco, because he thought it was time that their was a professional sports franchise on the West Coast in a business that was dominant on the East Coast. The 49ers did well in the All-American Football Conference, and after the league was discontinued in 1949, the 49ers, along with the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore (Now Indianapolis) Colt were chosen to join the National Football League (NFL). The 49ers Inaugural Season in the NFL was rough. They finished the season with an unimpressive 3 wins and 9 losses. Year by Year, the 49ers progressed, and by in the 1953 season, their record improved to a respectable 9-3.
One of the best eras in NFL History was the 1980s and 1990s San Francisco 49er Teams. This period in 49er History is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age”.The arrival of Joe Montana and Head Coach Bill Walsh in 1979 helped turn San Francisco from a team that was slightly above average, to a team of Super Bowl caliber. In 1981, led by Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana the 49ers made a historic playoff run, defeating the Cowboys in the NFC Championship with “The Catch” and then defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl, winning their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. The 49ers showed no signs of slowing, picking up another Lombardi Trophy in 1984. Jerry Rice was picked by the 49ers in 1985 with the 16th overall pick. The first game in 1986 Joe Montana was injured, and San Francisco was forced to trade for Steve Young. The 49ers barely missed a beat, and lead by an impressive Quarterback Combo of Steve Young and Joe Montana went on to win back to back world Championships in 1988 and 1989. The 49ers won their fifth Lombardi Trophy in 1994, led by current Hall of Famers Steve Young and Jerry Rice.
The “Golden Age” of 49er Football set a high bar for future teams, but I think todays teams have done an extraordinary job in reaching it . Led by Jim Harbaugh and a tenacious defense, the 49ers have become one of the best teams in the league. During the 2012-2013 Season the 49ers won the NFC Championship but fell short in the Super Bowl to the Ravens. This past season the 49ers lost in the NFC Championship game to the Seattle Seahawks in a bitter rivalry game. The Seattle Seahawks went on to win their first Super Bowl in Franchise history. The 49ers offense is lead by dual threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick, as well as mighty running back Frank Gore. San Francisco's defense in based around its adept Linebackers and Defensive Linemen, such as Navarro Bowmen, Patrick Willis and Ahmad Brooks. With such an impressive line up, I don’t think it will be long before San Francisco finds itself with another Lombardi Trophy.
Ever since their beginnings in the All-American Football Conference, to the Modern Era, the 49ers have been able to construct great moments, such as “The Catch”. Their ability to construct these moments allows the 49ers to have one of the greatest histories of All Time in the NFL. These moments sometimes makes me wonder what great moments in 49er History are still to come.
This moment, known as “The Catch” was one of the greatest moments in both NFL and 49er History. However, the list of great moments in 49er History is not short, ever since the franchise began in 1946, to the Modern Era, the 49ers history has been one of the finest in all of pro sports.
The 49er Franchise started in 1946 when San Francisco entered the All-American Football Conference. The Founder of the 49ers, Tony Morabito brought a football franchise over to San Francisco, because he thought it was time that their was a professional sports franchise on the West Coast in a business that was dominant on the East Coast. The 49ers did well in the All-American Football Conference, and after the league was discontinued in 1949, the 49ers, along with the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore (Now Indianapolis) Colt were chosen to join the National Football League (NFL). The 49ers Inaugural Season in the NFL was rough. They finished the season with an unimpressive 3 wins and 9 losses. Year by Year, the 49ers progressed, and by in the 1953 season, their record improved to a respectable 9-3.
One of the best eras in NFL History was the 1980s and 1990s San Francisco 49er Teams. This period in 49er History is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age”.The arrival of Joe Montana and Head Coach Bill Walsh in 1979 helped turn San Francisco from a team that was slightly above average, to a team of Super Bowl caliber. In 1981, led by Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana the 49ers made a historic playoff run, defeating the Cowboys in the NFC Championship with “The Catch” and then defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl, winning their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. The 49ers showed no signs of slowing, picking up another Lombardi Trophy in 1984. Jerry Rice was picked by the 49ers in 1985 with the 16th overall pick. The first game in 1986 Joe Montana was injured, and San Francisco was forced to trade for Steve Young. The 49ers barely missed a beat, and lead by an impressive Quarterback Combo of Steve Young and Joe Montana went on to win back to back world Championships in 1988 and 1989. The 49ers won their fifth Lombardi Trophy in 1994, led by current Hall of Famers Steve Young and Jerry Rice.
The “Golden Age” of 49er Football set a high bar for future teams, but I think todays teams have done an extraordinary job in reaching it . Led by Jim Harbaugh and a tenacious defense, the 49ers have become one of the best teams in the league. During the 2012-2013 Season the 49ers won the NFC Championship but fell short in the Super Bowl to the Ravens. This past season the 49ers lost in the NFC Championship game to the Seattle Seahawks in a bitter rivalry game. The Seattle Seahawks went on to win their first Super Bowl in Franchise history. The 49ers offense is lead by dual threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick, as well as mighty running back Frank Gore. San Francisco's defense in based around its adept Linebackers and Defensive Linemen, such as Navarro Bowmen, Patrick Willis and Ahmad Brooks. With such an impressive line up, I don’t think it will be long before San Francisco finds itself with another Lombardi Trophy.
Ever since their beginnings in the All-American Football Conference, to the Modern Era, the 49ers have been able to construct great moments, such as “The Catch”. Their ability to construct these moments allows the 49ers to have one of the greatest histories of All Time in the NFL. These moments sometimes makes me wonder what great moments in 49er History are still to come.