How long since 49ers won super bowl

The San Francisco 49ers have made a couple of appearances in the big game but have not won a championship since Author: Richard Cote. The 49ers are one of the most decorated NFL franchises but haven't won a Super Bowl in some time. Will they end that lengthy drought Sunday? The 49ers have competed in the Super Bowl seven times, and have won five championship titles, although they haven't won the championship since. At present, the 49ers share, along with the Cowboys, the second historical place for the most Super Bowls won with five How long since 49ers won super bowl trophies in.

When Was the Last Time the 49ers Made the Super Bowl?

How many years since 49ers won a Super Bowl? The 49ers' last Super Bowl win came in the 1994 season (Super Bowl XXIX). They beat the Chargers 49-26.

When Was the Last Time the 49ers Won the Super Bowl?

He also had a rushing TD in the win. San Francisco won the Super Bowl after finishing the regular season Super Bowl 23 marked the second championship game meeting between San Francisco and Cincinnati. Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice produced 11 receptions, receiving yards and a touchdown in the win in January He won three total Super Bowls as 49ers head coach.

Fantasy Sports. On Her Turf. Figure Skating. Dog Show. All-American Bowl. Fantasy Home. Betting Home. Fantasy Football. Football Player News. Matthew Berry. Fantasy Baseball. Baseball Player News. Key players for these 49ers included running back Ken Willard , quarterback John Brodie , and offensive lineman Bruce Bosley. How long since 49ers won super bowl During this time the 49ers became the first NFL team to use the shotgun formation.

It was named by the man who devised the formation, San Francisco 49ers' coach Red Hickey , in The formation, where the quarterback lines up seven yards behind the center, was designed to allow the quarterback extra time to throw. The formation was used for the first time in and enabled the 49ers to beat the Baltimore Colts , who were not familiar with the formation.

In , primarily using the shotgun, the 49ers got off to a fast 4—1 start, including two shutouts in back-to-back weeks. In their sixth game they faced the Chicago Bears, who by moving players closer to the line of scrimmage and rushing the quarterback, were able to defeat the shotgun and in fact shut out the 49ers, 31—0. Though the 49ers went only 3—5—1 the rest of the way, the shotgun eventually became a component of most team's offenses and is a formation used by football teams at all levels.

In , the 49ers had a frustrating season as they won only 6 games that year. They won only one game at Kezar Stadium while on the road they won five of seven games. After posting a losing record in Victor Morabito died May 10, , at age The season was another lost campaign. According to the 49ers Yearbook, the co-owners of the team were: Mrs.

Josephine V. Morabito Fox, Mrs. Jane Morabito, Mrs. Heintzelman, Lawrence J. Purcell, Mrs. William O'Grady, Albert J. Spadia and James Ginella. The 49ers rebounded nicely to finish with a 7—6—1 record. They were led that year by John Brodie, who after being plagued by injuries came back to become one of the NFL's best passers by throwing for 3, yards and 30 touchdowns.

In , the Morabito widows named Lou Spadia team president. For the season , the 49ers hired Dick Nolan , who had been Tom Landry 's defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys , as their head coach. Nolan's first two seasons with the 49ers had gone much the same as the previous decade, with the 49ers going 7—6—1 and 4—8—2.

The 49ers started out the season 7—1—1, with their only loss a one-point defeat to Atlanta. After losses to Detroit and Los Angeles , the 49ers won their next two games before the season finale against the Oakland Raiders. Going into the game, the 49ers had a half-game lead on the Rams and needed either a win or a Giants victory against the Rams in their finale to give the 49ers their first-ever divisional title.

In the early game, the Giants lost to the Rams 31—3, thus forcing the 49ers to win their game to clinch the division. In wet, rainy conditions in Oakland, the 49ers won against the Raiders, 38—7, giving the 49ers their first divisional title, which made them champions of the NFC West. The 49ers won their divisional playoff game 17—14 against the defending conference champion Minnesota Vikings , thus setting up a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC Championship.

In the final home game for the 49ers at Kezar Stadium , the 49ers kept up with the Cowboys before losing 17—10, which resulted in the Cowboys going to Super Bowl V. Following the season, the 49ers moved from Kezar Stadium to Candlestick Park. Despite being located on the outskirts of the city, Candlestick Park gave the 49ers a much more modern facility with more amenities that was easier for fans to access by highway.

The 49ers won their second straight divisional title in with a 9—5 record. The 49ers again won their divisional playoff game, this time against the Washington Redskins , by 24— Though the defense again held the Cowboys in check, the 49ers offense was ineffective, and the eventual Super Bowl champion Cowboys beat the 49ers again, 14—3.

In , eight 49ers made the Pro Bowl , including defensive back Jimmy Johnson and Gene Washington , both for the second year in a row, as well as defensive end Cedric Hardman , running back Vic Washington , and offensive lineman Forrest Blue. The 49ers won their third consecutive NFC West title in with five wins in their last six games, making them the only franchise to win their first three divisional titles after the AFL—NFL merger.

Their opponents in the divisional playoffs were the Dallas Cowboys , making it the third consecutive year the teams faced each other in the playoffs. Vic Washington took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a score, and the 49ers took a 21—6 lead in the second quarter. After the 49ers took a 28—13 lead in the fourth quarter, Tom Landry sent quarterback Roger Staubach , who was backing up Craig Morton , into the game.

Staubach quickly led the Cowboys on a drive to a field goal, bringing the score to within 28—16, and as the game wound down it appeared that this would be the last points the Cowboys would get. However, Dallas completed the comeback in the last two minutes. Just after the two-minute warning, Staubach took just four plays to drive 55 yards in only 32 seconds, hitting Billy Parks on a twenty-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 28— Cowboys kicker Toni Fritsch then executed a successful onside kick that was recovered by Mel Renfro , giving the Cowboys the ball at midfield with left on the clock.

With the 49ers on the ropes, Staubach scrambled for 21 yards, then completed a yard sideline pass to Billy Parks who went out of bounds at the yard line to stop the clock. Staubach then completed the comeback with a yard touchdown pass to Ron Sellers with only 52 seconds left, giving the Cowboys a dramatic 30—28 victory; it was the third straight season the Cowboys had defeated the 49ers in the postseason.

It would also be their last postseason appearance for nine years. The 49ers run at the top of the NFC West ended in with the 49ers falling to a 5—9 record, their worst since The team lost six of its last eight games, including games to the also-ran New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions.

In the final season of his career, longtime 49ers quarterback John Brodie split playing time with two other quarterbacks, most notably longtime backup Steve Spurrier. The team also suffered from not having a dominant running back, with Vic Washington leading the team with only yards rushing.

In , the 49ers drafted Wilbur Jackson from the University of Alabama to be the team's primary back. Jackson enjoyed a fine rookie year, leading the 49ers with yards rushing. He and fellow running back Larry Schreiber combined for over 1, yards rushing. With Steve Spurrier injured and missing nearly the entire year, the 49ers did not have a regular quarterback but did put together a respectable 6—8 record.

The 49ers dropped to 5—9 in what would be Dick Nolan's final season as coach in , losing their final four games of the season. Wilbur Jackson was hurt much of the year and Delvin Williams led the 49ers in rushing with yards rushing. Following the season the 49ers traded for New England Patriots quarterback Jim Plunkett , former Heisman Trophy winner from nearby Stanford University which was also the alma mater of John Brodie.

Though Plunkett had shown promise with the Patriots, he had not won there, and it was thought that he needed a change of scenery. Nuggets wolves prediction Monte Clark was also brought on as 49ers head coach. The 49ers featured one of the best running games in the NFL in Delvin Williams emerged as an elite back, gaining over 1, yards rushing and made the Pro Bowl.

Wilbur Jackson also enjoyed a resurgence, rushing for yards. Once again Gene Washington was the team's leading receiver with yards receiving and six scores. The 49ers started the season 6—1 for their best start since Most of the wins were against second-tier teams, although the 49ers did shut out the Rams 16—0, in Los Angeles on Monday Night Football.

In that game the 49ers recorded 10 sacks, including 6 by Tommy Hart. However, the 49ers lost four games in a row, including two against divisional rivals Los Angeles and Atlanta that proved fatal to their playoff hopes. Lou Spadia retired from the 49ers in upon the team's sale to the DeBartolo Family.

The team was sold to Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. Under coach Ken Meyer the 49ers lost their first five games of the season , including being shut out twice. Though they won five of their next six, they lost their last three games to finish the season 5—9. Playing in San Francisco did not revive Plunkett's career as he had another disappointing season, throwing only 9 touchdown passes.

Bright spots for the 49ers included defensive linemen Tommy Hart and Cleveland Elam , who made the Pro Bowl, and running backs Wilbur Jackson and Delvin Williams , who combined for over 1, yards rushing. Gene Washington again led the team in receiving in , his final year with the 49ers.

The offseason was marked by a number of questionable moves by Joe Thomas that backfired badly. Thomas's big offseason acquisition was running back O. Simpson from the Buffalo Bills. As with Plunkett two years previously, it was thought that rescuing Simpson from a bad situation and bringing him to the west coast where he had been raised would rejuvenate his career.

Thomas also released Jim Plunkett, giving up on him after two seasons. Finally, Thomas fired Meyer after only one season, and replaced him with Pete McCulley , his third coach in three seasons. The season was a disaster for the 49ers, as they finished 2—14, their only wins coming against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Simpson indeed led the team in rushing, but with less than yards. It became apparent that Simpson's knees and body were worn out, and he was near the end of his career. Wilbur Jackson also missed the entire season due to injury. Even worse for the franchise was that their first pick of the draft was traded to the Bills as part of the O.

Simpson deal. Joe Thomas was fired following the season. How long since 49ers won super bowl Some of the key players that became part of the 49ers stunning rise began their 49ers career in The team was led in its turnaround from late s doormat by new owner Edward J. The former head coach of Stanford University was known for stockpiling draft picks, making excellent draft selections, and patching roster holes by acquiring key free agents.

Bill Walsh was hired to be the 49ers head coach in the off-season. Walsh was a disciple of Paul Brown , and served as Brown's offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals from to However, Brown did not appoint him as his successor upon his retirement, choosing another assistant, former 49ers center Bill "Tiger" Johnson. Walsh was hired by Stanford University in He went 17—7 in two seasons for the Cardinal before being hired by the 49ers in Walsh is given credit for popularizing the ' West Coast offense '.

The Bill Walsh offense was actually created and refined while he was an assistant coach with the Bengals. The offense is extremely difficult to defend against as it is content to consistently make 6—8-yard gains all the way down the field. The other West Coast offense—more focused on the vertical, or downfield, passing game—was actually created by s L.

In Walsh's first draft, the 49ers had targeted Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana as an early-round pick. Montana had enjoyed a storied college career, leading the Fighting Irish to the national title and a number of dramatic comeback victories, the most stunning of all being his final game, at the Cotton Bowl Classic. Playing the University of Houston in an ice storm, and with Montana suffering from a bad flu, Notre Dame was down 34—10 in the third quarter.

However, Montana led a magnificent rally that culminated with him throwing a touchdown pass on the game's final play to give Notre Dame the 35—34 win. Despite this, most scouts did not peg Montana as a top prospect. Although 6'2" and — lbs. Although he did get his share of the credit, most thought of him as a system player surrounded by a great team.

In the draft, the Dallas Cowboys were placed just ahead of the 49ers. The Cowboys' draft strategy through that time was to take the highest-ranked player on their draft board at the time of their selection, regardless of position. When the Cowboys' turn came up in the third round, the highest-rated player on their board was Montana. However, feeling that the quarterback position was in excellent long-term shape with Roger Staubach and Danny White , and desperately needing a tight end, the Cowboys went off their strategy and drafted Doug Cosbie.

The 49ers took Montana. The 49ers' other notable draft choice of the draft was wide receiver Dwight Clark in the 10th round. Walsh discovered the unheralded Clark while scouting quarterback Steve Fuller of Clemson University as Clark ran routes for Fuller during Walsh's evaluation of the quarterback.

Walsh's serendipitous discovery of Clark proved to be an early glimpse into his philosophy for picking talent. As Walsh implemented his strategies and game plan, the 49ers had another year of losing, finishing 2—14 like the previous season. There were, however, a number of bright spots. Freddie Solomon also had a good year, with over yards receiving.

The running game was patchwork, with Paul Hofer leading the team with yards and O. Simpson , in his final season, rushing for only yards and being sidelined with injuries. The 49ers got off to a strong start in , winning their first three games of the season.

However, the team, still maturing, lost their next eight games in a row. Many of those games though were close, and the 49ers acquitted themselves well. During the season Walsh alternated DeBerg and Montana at quarterback. Though DeBerg had played well for the 49ers, Walsh felt the team's best chance to win in the long run was with Montana.

He alternated the two quarterbacks, giving Montana some experience while keeping opponents off guard. This strategy of alternating quarterbacks from game to game and during games is rare in football, although it had been employed by other successful teams in the past, specifically the Dallas Cowboys of the early s who alternated Roger Staubach and Craig Morton , and the Los Angeles Rams of the late s alternating Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield.

In all DeBerg started nine games, going 4—5 with 1, yards, 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Montana started seven games, going 2—5 with 1, yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine picks; Montana also had a better completion percentage at The highlight of the season, and a sign of good things to come, came in Week The 49ers trailed the New Orleans Saints , who at the time were winless at 0—13, 35—7 at halftime.

However, led by Joe Montana , the 49ers made what was then possibly the greatest comeback in NFL history, coming back to tie the score in regulation and winning the game in overtime with a field goal by Ray Wersching to give the 49ers an incredible 38—35 victory. It was this game, which marked Montana's first big NFL comeback win, that won Montana the quarterback job full-time.

A number of key players emerged for the 49ers in Among them were Dwight Clark , who led the 49ers with 82 receptions and just under 1, yards receiving, and running back Earl Cooper , who ran for over yards. With the offense playing well consistently, Walsh and the 49ers focused on overhauling the defense in Walsh took the highly unusual step of overhauling his entire secondary with rookies and untested players, bringing on board Ronnie Lott , Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson and giving Dwight Hicks a prominent role.

He also acquired veteran linebacker Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds and veteran defensive end and sack specialist Fred Dean. These additions, when added to existing defensive mainstays like Keena Turner , turned the 49ers into an offensively and defensively balanced, dominant team. After a 1—2 start, the 49ers won all but one of their remaining games to finish with a 13—3 record; at this time, it was the team's best regular-season win—loss record.

Dean made the Pro Bowl , as did Lott and Hicks. Led by Montana, the unusual offense was centered on the short passing game , which Walsh used as ball control. Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon had excellent years receiving; Clark as the possession receiver, and Solomon as more of a deep threat. The 49ers' running game, however, was among the weakest in the league.

Ricky Patton led the 49ers with only yards rushing. The 49ers' most valuable running back, however, might have been Earl Cooper, whose strength was as a pass catching back. The 49ers faced the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs and won, 38— This set up an NFC championship game match-up with the Dallas Cowboys , whom the 49ers historically could not beat during their playoff runs in the early s.

The 49ers played the Cowboys tough, but the Cowboys forced six turnovers and held the lead late. The 49ers were down 27—21 and on their own yard line with remaining. As Montana had done for Notre Dame and the 49ers so many times, he led the 49ers on a sustained final yard drive to the Cowboys' 6-yard line.

On a 3rd-and-3 play, with his primary receiver covered, Montana rolled right and threw the ball off balance to Dwight Clark, who leaped in the end zone and caught the ball to tie the game at 27 " The Catch " , with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead. The Cowboys had one last chance to win. On the first play of the next possession, Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson caught a pass from Danny White and reached midfield before he was pulled down by the jersey at the 49ers' yard line by cornerback Eric Wright, who prevented a winning touchdown.

On the next play, White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Jim Stuckey , giving the 49ers the win and a trip to their first-ever Super Bowl, against the Cincinnati Bengals , who were also in their first Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XVI The 49ers took a 20—0 halftime lead and held on to win 26—21 behind kicker Ray Wersching 's four field goals and a key defensive stand.

In the '81 season, the defense had been a significant reason for the team's success, despite hiding in the shadow of the then-innovative offense. Montana won MVP honors mostly on the strength of leading the 49ers on a yard, play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Earl Cooper. The 49ers completed one of the most dramatic and complete turnarounds in NFL history, going from a 2—14 season and a 6—10 season to a Super Bowl championship.

The season was a retrogression; the team lost all five games at Candlestick Park en route to a 3—6 record in a strike-shortened season. This year was the 49ers' last losing season for the next 17 years. Joe Montana was the one highlight, passing for 2, yards in just nine games, highlighted by five straight games in which he broke the yard barrier.

In , the 49ers won their final three games and finished 10—6, winning their second NFC Western Divisional Title in three years. Leading the rebound was Joe Montana with another stellar season; he passed for 3, yards and 26 touchdowns. The 49ers jumped in front early and led 17—9 entering the 4th quarter, but the Lions roared back, scoring two touchdowns to take a 23—17 lead.

However, Montana led a comeback, hitting wide receiver Freddie Solomon on a game-winning yard touchdown pass with on the clock and putting the 49ers ahead 24— In , the 49ers had one of the greatest seasons in team history by finishing the regular season 15—1, setting the record for most regular-season wins that was later equaled by the Chicago Bears , the Minnesota Vikings , the Pittsburgh Steelers , the Green Bay Packers and finally broken by the New England Patriots with 16 regular-season victories.

The 49ers' only defeat in the season was a 20—17 loss to the Steelers; a late field goal attempt in that game by San Francisco kicker Ray Wersching went off the uprights and was no good. In the NFL draft , the team received the 28th overall pick after winning the Super Bowl the previous year. On draft day, the 49ers traded its first two picks for New England's first-round choice, the 16th selection overall the teams also swapped third-round picks as part of the deal , and selected Jerry Rice from Mississippi Valley State.

It was reported that the Dallas Cowboys, who had the 17th selection overall, were intending to pick him. In the season, the 49ers were not as dominant as in , finishing the regular season with a 10—6 record and a wild card berth. Jerry Rice struggled at times dropping numerous passes , but he still impressed the NFL in his rookie season for the 49ers in , especially after a catch, yard game against the Los Angeles Rams in December.

In the playoffs, the 49ers were quickly eliminated from the playoffs by the New York Giants 17—3. In the NFL season, the 49ers got off to a quick start after a 31—7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening day. But the win was costly; Joe Montana injured his back and was out for two months, the injury was to a spinal disc in Montana's lower back and required immediate surgery.

The injury was so severe that Montana's doctors suggested that Montana retire. On September 15, , the 49ers placed Montana on the injured reserve list , Jeff Kemp became the starting quarterback, and the 49ers went 4—3—1 in September and October. Montana returned to the team on November 6 of that year. In his first game back from injury, Montana passed for yards and three touchdown passes in a 43—17 49er victory against the St.

Louis Cardinals. The 49ers caught fire, winning the next 5 of the final 7 games, including a 24—14 win over the Los Angeles Rams , to clinch the NFC West title. Jerry Rice continued to show improvement from the previous season catching 86 passes for a league-leading 1, yards and 15 touchdowns. However, the New York Giants would defeat the 49ers again in the playoffs, 49—3 in the team's worst post-season loss to date.

Montana was again injured in the first half by a hit from the Giants' Jim Burt. In the off-season, Bill Walsh was concerned about Montana's health going forward, and with no reliable back-up at quarterback he completed a trade for Steve Young , then a quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During the strike-shortened season, the 49ers became one of the NFL's elite teams once again with a league-best 13—2 record. Joe Montana had a bounce-back year after his injuries the previous year and being questioned by the media if he could still produce at a high level, by throwing 31 touchdown passes, a career-high. He also set the NFL record for most consecutive pass attempts without an incomplete pass 22 , passed for 3, yards, and had a passer rating of Rice had established himself as an elite receiver, he caught 65 passes for 1, yards and a then NFL-record 22 touchdowns in just 12 games.

By the end of the regular season the 49ers were ranked No. However, they were stunned in the NFC divisional round , losing 36—24 to what was believed to be an inferior Minnesota Vikings team, their third straight playoff loss. Joe Montana had one of the worst post-season games of his career and was eventually benched during the game in favor of Steve Young, who scored a rushing touchdown and threw another.

After the game, owner Eddie DeBartolo stripped Walsh of the team president title. Dwight Clark retired that off-season. During the off-season, a quarterback controversy between Joe Montana and Steve Young had begun after Montana's poor performance in the playoffs the previous year.

Many speculated that the season would be his last year with the team. In the NFL season , the 49ers struggled to start the season; Walsh would constantly switch QBs between Montana who suffered an elbow injury week 1 that would linger for most of the season and Young. At one point, they were 6—5 and the team was in danger of missing the playoffs.

Before week 11, Ronnie Lott called a players-only meeting; after the meeting, the team came together and defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins in a Monday night game, Montana had fully recovered from his injury and retook the starting quarterback job as the team eventually finished the season at 10—6. They gained a measure of revenge by routing the Minnesota Vikings 34—9 in the divisional playoffs.

However, despite the weather, Joe Montana picked apart the Bears' top-rated defense by scoring three touchdowns as the 49ers dominated the Bears with a 28—3 victory, earning the team's third trip to the Super Bowl, to go against the Cincinnati Bengals. Early in the fourth quarter, Montana tied the score at 13; however, Cincinnati regained the lead on a Jim Breech field goal to put the Bengals ahead 16—13 with just over three minutes left on the clock.

Following the kickoff, and a holding penalty, the 49ers took over on their 8-yard line with left on the clock. Joe Montana began the final drive by stepping into the huddle and remarking to offensive tackle Harris Barton , during a television timeout, "hey, there's John Candy ", as he pointed to the stands on the other side of the field.

In the NFL season , Joe Montana threw for 3, yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 8 interceptions, giving him a Jerry Rice, in his fifth year in the league, continued to dominate; he led the league with almost 1, receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns. The 49ers clinched their fourth straight division title, beating the Los Angeles Rams 30—27 after a dramatic second-half comeback; they finished 14—2, gaining home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Their two losses were by a combined five points. In the divisional playoffs, they easily defeated the Vikings, 41— In the NFC championship game , they played against the Rams for a third time; the previous two games had been decided by a total of 4 points, but they were able to blow out the Rams 30—3, earning another trip to the Super Bowl, where they defeated the Denver Broncos in relatively easy fashion by a score of 55—10 in Super Bowl XXIV — setting a record for points scored and widest margin of victory in a Super Bowl.

In winning the Super Bowl, the 49ers became the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls under different head coaches. This championship team is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams in NFL history, winning three playoff games by a combined points. In , the 49ers won their first 10 games, and they eventually finished 14—2.

They ripped through the season, and the coveted third consecutive Super Bowl victory seemed within reach. In the playoffs, the 49ers dispatched the Washington Redskins 28—10, [40] setting up a conference championship game with the New York Giants. Despite not scoring a touchdown in the game, the Giants took advantage of a fourth-quarter injury to Montana and converted a faked punt attempt to thwart the 49ers' attempt at a "three-peat".

The Giants kicked a last-second field goal after recovering a Roger Craig fumble in the final minutes of the game, winning 15—13 and going on to win Super Bowl XXV. During their quest for a "three-peat" between and , the 49ers set a league record with 18 consecutive road victories. Joe Montana missed almost all of the following two seasons with a recurring elbow injury.

In , Steve Young injured the thumb on his throwing hand and later was sidelined with an injured knee. After 10 games, the 49ers had a record of 4—6. Backup quarterback Steve Bono helped the team win its next five games with Young sidelined. In the final game of the season, Monday night versus the NFC's number two seed, Young returned and the 49ers beat the Chicago Bears 52—14, finishing 10—6.

However, the team missed qualifying for the playoffs by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Atlanta Falcons , which had beaten the 49ers on a last-second Hail Mary pass earlier in the season. The and seasons saw a resurgent 49er team under the leadership of Steve Young, but a subpar and aging defense could only take them to the NFC championship game before falling to the Dallas Cowboys each time.

In , Joe Montana came back after missing almost two full seasons due to an elbow injury in his throwing arm and started the second half of a Monday night game versus Detroit on December 28, With the 49ers clinging to a 7—6 lead, Montana entered the game and looked as though he had not missed a single snap, completing 15—21 for yards and 2 touchdowns, as the 49ers defeated the Lions 24—6.

The 49ers finished the season with a 14—2 record and home-field advantage in the playoffs. At the end of the season, partly fueled by media hype, the biggest quarterback controversy in football history was in full swing. After discussions with the owner and the coach, Montana asked for, and was granted, a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the season.

Despite Eddie DeBartolo wanting Montana to stay and start, Montana realized that he and Young could not stay with the 49ers without a controversy. Montana was later quoted as saying, "If I had stayed and started, there would have been problems. If I had stayed and Steve Young had started, there would have been problems. The 49ers finished the season , the team's first without Joe Montana on the roster, with a 10—6 record and no.

In , the team spent large amounts of money on the addition of several star free agents from other teams, including Ken Norton Jr. Additionally, several rookie players made key contributions to the team, some becoming season-long starters such as defensive tackle Bryant Young , fullback William Floyd , and linebacker Lee Woodall.

Due to injuries to the offensive line, the 49ers had some tough times early in the season, including a 40—8 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles , and a 24—17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs , led by former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. Following the Eagles game, a poll conducted on local sports radio station KNBR showed that an overwhelming majority of 49er fans wanted head coach George Seifert fired.

The game against the Eagles was a turning point for the 49ers despite the lopsided score. Quarterback Steve Young was benched in the 3rd quarter and was later seen on the sidelines, shouting profanities at Seifert. The following week in Detroit, the 49ers trailed the Lions 7—0. After throwing a pass, Young was hit, picked up, and driven into the ground by three Lions defenders.

He crawled most of the way off of the field before refusing help from the trainers as he limped the remaining way off the field. He returned to the field two plays later NFL rules state that after trainers attend to an injured player, that player must leave the field for at least one play to lead the 49ers to a 27—21 victory.

The team rallied around Young to win 10 straight games, including a 21—14 victory over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. During that span the 49ers' average margin of victory was nearly 20 points per game, a sustained dominance not seen since the Chicago Bears. Despite scoring only 8 points in one game and 14 in another, the 49ers set a new record for total regular-season and post-season combined points scored.

That record was later broken by the New England Patriots in the Minnesota Vikings scored regular-season points, but only 68 postseason points, for a total of points, while the 49ers scored regular-season points and postseason points for a total of , the second-highest mark in NFL history. Even after those initial rough spots early in the season, the 49ers finished the season 13—3 and with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

In their first game, they easily defeated the Chicago Bears , 44—15, setting up the third straight 49ers—Cowboys NFC championship game. The 49ers took advantage of three early Cowboys turnovers, taking a 21—0 lead in the first quarter. Taking a 31—14 lead into halftime after a perfect yard pass from Young to Rice in the closing seconds, the game appeared to be far out of reach for the Cowboys.

But a 49er fumble on the opening kick of the 3rd quarter led to a Cowboy score, cutting the lead to 31— Later, the 49ers responded with a Young touchdown run, making it 38—21, before the Cowboys scored another touchdown in the final minutes for a final score of 38— The convincing win qualified the 49ers for their fifth Super Bowl appearance, and the first to be played by two teams from California.

The 49ers made the playoffs in and again in , being eliminated by the Green Bay Packers both times in the Divisional Round. On January 17, , George Seifert retired as 49ers head coach. On the same day as Seifert's retirement, the 49ers hired Cal head coach Steve Mariucci as his replacement.

At the time, Mariucci only had one year of head-coaching experience at any level. The first game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a disaster, as both quarterback Steve Young and receiver Jerry Rice went down with injuries. Rice appeared to be out for the season with a serious knee injury, while Young left the game with one of the many concussions he suffered throughout his career.

However, the team overcame adversity: Young returned two weeks later, and with the league's number one defense, the 49ers finished the season with a 13—3 record which included an game winning streak which was the longest by a rookie head coach at the time, and the 49ers became the quickest team in NFL history to clinch their division at the time.

Rice returned for one and a half quarters in week 16 against the Denver Broncos , before getting another injury to his knee unrelated to the first one. In the playoffs the 49ers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38—22, advancing to the NFC championship game for the first time since , where they again met the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick Park, but lost 23— During that season Eddie DeBartolo Jr.

DeBartolo later pleaded guilty to a failure to report a felony charge in He was suspended from active control of the 49ers for one year. His sister, Denise , and her husband, Dr. John York , took over operations of the team. In , Jerry Rice finally returned from his knee injury week 1 against the New York Jets , a game best remembered for running back Garrison Hearst 's yard touchdown run in overtime to win the game.

The 49ers had the 2nd most productive offense in league history. Young, who was questioned if his concussion history would put an end to his career, had his best season, throwing for 4, yards, 36 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. Stokes became the first WR-trio in team history to catch at least 60 passes in the same season, Hearst ran for 1, yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 5.

The 49ers finished 12—4, their 16th straight winning season all with 10 wins or more , earning a wildcard berth. Once again, the 49ers faced the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Things looked bleak when the 49ers trailed 27—23 in the waning seconds. However, in the game's final moment, Young hit Terrell Owens who was having a terrible game up to that point on a dramatic, game-winning yard touchdown pass, dubbed by many as " The Catch II ".

That put the 49ers ahead 30—27 with just three seconds left on the game clock, sealing the win. After finally beating the Packers, the 49ers went on to lose to the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional round 20—18, in a game that was marked by Hearst suffering a gruesome broken ankle on the first play from scrimmage.

DeBartolo returned from his suspension in , but a series of lawsuits over control of the family's vast holdings led him to surrender controlling interest to the Yorks as part of a settlement. On the field, the 49ers got off to a 3—1 start, then in a nationally televised Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals , Steve Young suffered a blindside hit from cornerback Aeneas Williams that knocked him out of the game and eventually convinced him to retire.

At the time it was believed the severe hit ended his career but Young later said in interviews he could have come back to play another season or two. After meeting with then-general manager Bill Walsh and being told about how the salary cap troubles would make the team non-competitive, Young chose to retire rather than risk his long-term health further for a likely losing club.

Without their future Hall of Famer, year-old rookie Jeff Garcia took over as starting quarterback, but he would be benched for poor performances in favor of Steve Stenstrom. Garcia would be reinstated as the starting quarterback and in the final 5 games of the regular season. The 49ers lost 11 of their last 12 games and suffered their first losing season in a non-strike year since , which was also the last time that the 49ers did not win at least ten or more games in a season.

Bobb McKittrick , 49ers offensive line coach since , also died of cancer following the season. Before the season Jeff Garcia was named the starting quarterback despite the 49ers drafting two quarterbacks Giovanni Carmazzi in the third round and Tim Rattay in the seventh.

Garcia kept the starting job throughout the season and showed drastic improvement from the previous year. He broke a franchise record for most passing yards in one season, with 4, passing yards and 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. Garcia and Terrell Owens, who established himself as the team's number-one receiver, both earned their first Pro Bowl selections. However, the 49ers finished 6—10, missing the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since and , due to a defense that gave up The season was Jerry Rice's final year with the 49ers; he played 16 seasons with the team.

In the season the 49ers established themselves as a playoff team once again after two down years. They finished with a 12—4 record and a wildcard berth. A quarter of their wins came in 4th-quarter comebacks. Their defense also had a bounce-back year, going from the 28th-ranked defense in , to the 9th-ranked. Terrell Owens had become Jeff Garcia's favorite target.

Garrison Hearst , who had been forced to retire from football after breaking his ankle in the divisional playoffs, finally returned to the line-up after over two years of rehabilitation. He became the first player in NFL history to come back to football after suffering avascular necrosis.

He had an excellent season, rushing for 1, yards on a 4. In the final six weeks of the season the 49ers defense shut out three teams the Buffalo Bills , Miami Dolphins , and New Orleans Saints , and had one of the most stupendous goal-line stands against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The NFL season began with the divisional realignment. The team's production dropped from the previous year. Jeff Garcia went from having 31 and 32 touchdowns in the previous 2 seasons, to only 21 in The 49ers defense struggled at times, dropping from the 9th-ranked defense in the previous season to the 19th-ranked. Even though the team did not have the same success as they did in the regular season, the 49ers won the NFC West for the first time since , with the division-clinching game coming on a last-second touchdown pass to Terrell Owens against the Dallas Cowboys.

The 49ers finished 10—6. The Giants had a 38—14 lead late in the third quarter; however, the Giants defense, which had been highly ranked all year, began to collapse, and by the final minute in the 4th quarter Jeff Garcia had led the team back from the point deficit to take a 1-point lead. Giants quarterback Kerry Collins then led a drive in the game's final minute to put the Giants at the 49ers' yard line with six seconds left for a shot at a game-winning field goal.

Long snapper Trey Junkin , who had been signed by the Giants that week, made a bad snap, so holder Matt Allen attempted a desperate pass down the field, which fell incomplete, but there was a flag on the play. The initial thought by spectators and the Giants was that pass interference had clearly been committed by the 49ers defense, but the flag was against the Giants for an ineligible receiver, so the game was over.

The next day, the NFL admitted that the referee had blown the call, that the 49ers had indeed committed pass interference, and that the down should have been replayed. A press conference was held, and a reporter asked 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci about his thoughts on the NFL saying they blew the call, and he replied: "Bummer".

It was the second-biggest comeback victory in NFL playoff history, with the 49ers winning 39— This was the last postseason appearance for the 49ers until the —12 playoffs. Steve Mariucci, whose published statements about his degree of power in the organization had frayed already-strained relations with management, was fired by John York, despite a winning record in a clash of egos.

Then- Oregon State head coach Dennis Erickson was signed to a five-year contract to replace Mariucci. The season was one of turmoil for the 49ers. While the Niners started the season with a 49—7 demolishing of Chicago, the team quickly began to unravel afterwards, as the relationship between Garcia and Owens turned sour upon Garcia taking issue with Owens's public praise for the play of backup quarterback Tim Rattay.

Garcia responded with a cryptic remark of "we cannot let the sickness spread"; in response, Owens wore a surgeon's mask at the following practice.