1979–1992: The Montanaand Jerry Rice era
Part 2 of this article is a continuationof part 1 of the San Francisco 49ersthe was posted on Tuesday,July 22, 2025
The team was led in its turnaround from the late 1970’s doormat by new owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. and head coach Bill Walsh. 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.
Walsh is given credit for popularizing the ‘West Coast Offense’, which is not entirely true. The Bill Walsh offense was actually created and refined while he was an assistant coach with the Bengals. The offense uses a short, precise, timed passing game as a replacement/augmentation of the running game. 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 true West Coast offense – more focused on the vertical, or downfield, passing game – was actually created by 1960’s L.A./San Diego coach Sid Gillman, and San Diego State coach Don Coryell, who also employed a version of it as head coach of the San Diego Chargers.)
In Walsh’s first draft, the 49ers had targeted and traded for Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana as an early round pick. Montana had enjoyed a storied college career, leading the Fighting Irish to the 1977 national title and a number of dramatic comeback victories, the most stunning being his final game, at the 1979 Cotton Bowl. Playing the University of Houston in an ice storm, and with Montana suffering from a bad flu, Notre Dame was down 34 – 13 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. In addition to being relatively small for a quarterback (just over six feet) and slow, Montana’s arm strength was considered suspect. Though he did get credit for his moxie and intangibles, most thought of him as a system player surrounded by a great team.
As Walsh implemented his strategies and game plan, the 49ers had another year of losing, going 2 – 14. There were, however, a number of bright spots. Despite throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, Steve DeBerg blossomed under Walsh, throwing for over 3,600 yards and completing 60% of his passes. Freddie Solomon also had a good year, with over 800 yards receiving. The running game was patchwork, with Paul Hofer leading the team with 615 yards and O.J. Simpson, in what would be his final season, rushing for only 460 yards and being sidelined with injuries.
The 49ers got off to a strong start in 1980, winning their first three games of the season. However, the team, still not quite ready for the big time, would lose their next eight games in a row, although many of those games were close, and the 49ers acquitted themselves well.
During the 1980 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 Montana. He alternated between 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 1970’s who alternated Roger Staubach and Craig Morton, and the Los Angeles Rams of the 1950’s alternating Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield.
A number of key players emerged for the 49ers in 1980. Among them were Dwight Clark, who led the 49ers with 82 receptions and just under 1,000 yards receiving, and running back Earl Cooper, who ran for over 700 yards.
With the offense in good shape, Walsh and the 49ers focused on overhauling the defense in 1981. 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 lineman and sack specialist Fred Dean.
These new additions, when added to existing defensive mainstays like Keena Turner, turned the 49ers into a dominant team. After a 1 – 2 start, the 49ers won all but one of their final games to finish with a 13 – 3 record, which was the best in the team’s history at that point. Dean made the Pro Bowl, as did Lott in his rookie season, and Hicks.
Led by Montana, the unusual offense was centered on the short passing game, which Walsh used as ball control. Both 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 for any champion in NFL history. Ricky Patton led the 49ers with only 543 yards rushing. The 49ers’ most valuable running back, however, might have been Earl Cooper, whose strength was as a pass – catching back (he had 51 catches during the season.)
As they had earlier in the season (beating the Cowboys 45 – 14), the 49ers played the Cowboys touch, but the Cowboys forced turnovers and held the lead late. Unlike the playoff games of the ‘70’s, this would end differently. In a scenario not unlike the 1972 divisional playoff, the 49ers were down 27 – 21 and on their own 11 – yard line with 4:54 remaining. As Montana had done for Notre Dame and the 49ers so many times before, he led the 49ers on a sustained 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 in the end zone, who leaped up and caught the ball to tie the game at 27, with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead.
“The Catch”, as the play has since been named by sportscasters, reminded older 49er fans of the “Alley-oop” passes that Y.A. Tittle threw to lanky receiver R.C. Owens back in the 1950’s. a picture of Clark’s leap in the air appeared on the cover of that week’s Sports Illustrated and was also featured in an autumn 2005 commercial for Gatorade.
Despite this, the Cowboys had one last chance to win. And indeed, on the first play of the next possession, Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson caught a pass from Danny White and got to midfield before he was pulled down by the jersey at the 49ers 44 - yard line by cornerback Eric Wright. Had Pearson not been jersey – tackled, there was a good chance he would have scored a touchdown, as there were no 49ers downfield. 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.
Montana’s success in the playoffs, and his success in leading the 49ers on big comebacks, made him one of the biggest stars in the NFL, and arguably the best quarterback to ever play the game. Not only was the face of the 49ers, but his easygoing and modest manner enabled his celebrity to transcend football. Additionally, it caused other teams to consider players who, although not physically gifted, nonetheless had certain intangibles and tendencies that made them great players who could come up big in the toughest of situations.
During their Super Bowl run, the team was known for its short – range passing game and the play – making ability of quarterback Joe Montana. Later, they became proficient in all aspects of the game, featuring a dominant defense (always in the offense’s shadow) and a fast – scoring passing attack (with wide receivers Jerry Rice and John Taylor).
The 1982 season was a bad one for the 49ers, as they lost all five games at Candlestick Park en route to a 3 – 6 record in a strike – shortened season. Joe Montana was the one highlight, passing for 2,613 yards in just nine games, highlighted by five straight games in which he broke the 300 – yard barrier.
In 1984, the 49ers had one of the greatest seasons in team history by finishing the season 15 – 1, setting the record for most regular season wins that was later equaled by the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2011 Green Bay Packers, and finally broken by the 2007 New England Patriots. In the playoffs, they beat the New York Giants 21 – 10, shut out the Chicago Bears 23 – 0 in the NFC Championship, and in Super Bowl XIX the 49ers shut down a record – setting year by NFL MVP Dan Marino (and his speedy receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper), beating the Miami Dolphins 38 – 16. Their entire defensive backfield (Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Dwight Hicks, and Carlton Williamson) was elected to the Pro Bowl – an NFL first. Their overall record 18 – 1 including playoffs is also an NFL record (tied by Chicago in 1985 and New England in 2007).
and co – written by Narada Michael Walden(3). It mixed elements of R&B, funk, and pop. Prominent 49ers who provided vocals include Roger Craig, Dwight Clark, and Ronnie Lott (Joe Montana is noticeably absent, although he would join Lott, Clark and Riki Ellison to provide background vocals for the San Francisco band Huey Lewis and the News on two tracks from their 1986 album Fore!). While achieving some local airplay in San Francisco on radio stations like KMEL, it did not catch on nationally the way the Bears’ Super Bowl Shuffle would a year later.
In the 1985 season, Roger Craig became the first NFL player to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. The 49ers were not as dominant as in 1984, however, and they settled for a 10 – 6 record, a wild card berth and a quick elimination from the playoffs when the New York Giants beat them 17 – 3. In addition, 1985 marked the appearance of newly acquired rookie Jerry Rice who would continue with the 49ers throughout the 1990’s.
When the 1986 season began, the 49ers were off and running with 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. Jeff Kemp became the starting quarterback, and the 49ers went 4 – 3 – 1 in September and October. Upon Montana’s return, the 49ers caught fire, winning five of the last seven games, including a 24 – 14 win over the Los Angeles Rams, to clinch the NFC West title. However, the New York Giants defeated them again in the playoffs, 49 – 3. Montana was injured in the first half by a hit from the Giants’ Jum Burt.
During the strike – shortened 1987 season, the 49ers led the league with a 13 – 2 record, including a 41 – 0 rout of the Bears in week 14, because it turned out that the latter’s feared defense was vulnerable to Bill Walsh’s short passing game. But San Francisco failed win a playoff game for the third year in a row when they fell to the Minnesota Vikings 36 – 14. The loss to the Vikings was a stunning upset considering the 49ers that year were ranked No. 1 on both offense and defense, making them the odds – on favorite to go to the Super Bowl. 1987 marked the first of six seasons when the 49ers had two Hall of Fame quarterbacks on their roster: from 1987 through 1992, Montana’s backup (and frequent replacement) was Steve Young.
The win over the Bears gave the 49ers their third trip to the Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXIII, in Miami. However, the game was tied 3 – 3 at halftime, the 49ers having missed a few scoring opportunities. A late Cincinnati field goal seemed to seal the victory, but they left too much time for Joe Montana to work his magic. He drove the team 92 yards for the winning touchdown on a pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left. Final score: 20 – 16, 49ers.
The following year, coach Bill Walsh retired, and his defensive coordinator and handpicked successor, George Seifert, took over head coaching duties. The 49ers then steamrolled through the league to finish 14 – 2 and gain home – field advantage throughout the playoffs. Their two losses were by a combined 5 points. In the first round, they crushed the Vikings 41 – 13. In the NFC Championship game, they blew out the Los Angeles Rams 30 – 3 before crushing the Denver Broncos 55 – 10 in Super Bowl XXIV – setting a record for points scored and widest margin of victory in a Super Bowl, among others. Montana himself set many Super Bowl records (some since tied or surpassed) en route to his third Super Bowl MVP. In winning the Super Bowl, the 49ers became the only team to win back – to – back Super Bowls under different head coaches. This 1989 championship squad is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams ever, winning all three playoff games by a combined 100 points.
During their quest for a “three – peat” between 1988 and 1990, the 49ers and set a league record with 18 road victories.
Joe Montana then missed the following two seasons with a recurring elbow injury. Following the 1990 season, the 49ers left team stalwarts Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott unprotected and let them go to the Los Angeles Raiders via Plan B free agency.
In 1991, 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 five of its next six games with Young sidelined. In the final game of the season, Monday night versus the NFC’s number 2 seed, Young returned and the 49ers embarrassed the Chicago Bears 52 – 14, finishing 10 – 6. However, the team missed qualifying for the playoffs by virtue of losing tiebreakers to the Atlanta Falcons. The 1992 and 1993 seasons saw a resurgent 49er team under the leadership of Steve Young, but a sub – par defense could only take them to the NFC Championship game before falling to the Dallas Cowboys each time.
swing. After discussions with the owner and the coach, and after owner Eddie DeBartolo announced the quarterback Steve Young would be the 49ers starter for the 1993 season, Montana asked for and was granted a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 1993 season.
In 1994, the team spent large amounts of money on the addition of several star free agents from other teams, including Ken Norton Jr., Gary Plummer, Rickey Jackson, and Deion Sanders. 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. 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. Young was benched in the 3rd quarter and was later seen livid on the sidelines, shouting profanities at head coach George Seifert. The following week in Detroit, the 49ers trailed the Lions 14 – 0. After throwing a pass, Young was hit, picked up, and driven into the ground by three Lions defenders. After the hit, Young was screaming with his face dark red in color. He crawled most of the way off the field before refusing help from the trainers as he limped the remaining way off the field. He miraculously returned to the field one play 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 the span, the 49ers’ average margin of victory was nearly 20 points per game.
Even after those initial rough spots in the early 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. From that point on, the game was more competitive, but the 49ers held on for a 38 – 28 victory after Dallas scored a late touchdown, qualifying them for their fifth Super Bowl, and the first to be played by two teams from California. The 49ers steamrolled the San Diego Chargers, becoming the first team to win a record five Super Bowls. With a record 6 touchdown passes, Steve Young was named the game’s MVP. Their run of 5 Super Bowl wins in 14 seasons (1981 – 1994) solidified them as one of the all – time greatest NFL teams.
The 49ers made the playoffs in 1995, 1996, and 1997, being eliminated each season by the Green Bay Packers, including a 23 – 10 loss at Candlestick in the 1997 NFC Championship game.
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