San Francisco 49ers
Current season
Established 1946 Play in Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California Headquarters: Marie P. DeBartolo Sports Center in Santa Clara, California
Logo
League/conference affiliations
All-America Football Conference (1946–1949) Western Division (1946–1949) National Football League (1950–present) National Conference (1950–1952) Western Conference (1953–1969) Coastal Division (1967–1969) National Football Conference (1970–present) NFC West (1970–present)
Current uniform
275px
Team colors	Primary:[1]      Scarlet      49ers Gold (Metallic)
Mascot	Sourdough Sam
Personnel
Owner(s)	Jed York[2]
Chairman	Denise DeBartolo York John York
CEO	Jed York
President	Gideon Yu
General manager	Trent Baalke
Head coach	Jim Harbaugh
Team history
San Francisco 49ers (1946–present)
Team nicknames
The Niners
Championships
League championships (5) Super Bowl Championships (5) 1981 (XVI), 1984 (XIX), 1988 (XXIII), 1989 (XXIV), 1994 (XXIX)
Conference championships (5) NFC: 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994
Division championships (18) NFC West: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2011
Playoff appearances (24)
AAFC: 1949 NFL: 1957, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2011
Home fields
Kezar Stadium (1946–1970) Candlestick Park (1971–2013) a.k.a. 3Com Park (1995–2002) a.k.a. San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point (2002–2004) a.k.a. Monster Park (2004–2008) New 49ers Stadium (2014)

The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined the NFL in 1950 after the two leagues merged. The 49ers are well known for having one of the greatest dynasties in NFL and American sports history during the 1980s and early 1990s, winning five Super Bowl championships, including four in the 1980s. Those championship teams were led by notable hall of famers such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, and coach Bill Walsh. They are currently tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the second-most Super Bowl wins with 5 (the Pittsburgh Steelers have 6). The 49ers won 10 or more games for 16 straight seasons.^[3] The 49ers remain the only team in NFL history to appear in more than one Super Bowl without ever losing. Additionally, the 49ers finished their 1984 season with a 15–1 regular season record en route to their 2nd Superbowl Championship, become one of only three teams (and the first at the time) to finish a season 18–1 (along with the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2007 New England Patriots, however the Patriots lone loss came in the Superbowl).

The name "49ers" comes from the name given to the gold prospectors who arrived in Northern California around 1849 during the California Gold Rush. The name was suggested to reflect the voyagers who had rushed the West for gold. It is the only name the team has ever had and San Francisco is the only city in which it has resided.^[4] The team is legally and corporately registered as the San Francisco Forty Niners, Ltd.,^[5] and is the oldest major professional sports team in California. Major League Baseball did not arrive for a few more years when the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers moved to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively. The Philadelphia Warriors and Minneapolis Lakers moved to California in the 1960's, and the Oakland Seals and Los Angeles Kings became the first NHL teams in the state in 1967. The Cleveland Rams arrived in Los Angeles in 1946. The 49ers and Los Angeles Rams were cross-state rivals until 1994, when the present St. Louis Rams left Southern California.

Entering the 2012 season the 49ers hold an all-time record of 522-423-15; their playoff record is 5-0 in Super Bowls and 22-19 in non-Super Bowl playoff games.

Franchise history[link]

49ers team headquarters in Santa Clara

1946–78: Early years[link]

The San Francisco 49ers were the first major league professional sports franchise based in San Francisco, and one of the first professional sports teams based on the West Coast of the United States.^{[citation needed]} The team also became the first big four franchise to play in the Western United States. The Cleveland Rams moved to Los Angeles the same year, 1946.

The franchise's first touchdown was scored by Len Eshmont. The first score in 49ers history came on an exquisitely executed passing play. Albert, a scrambling left-hander, tossed a 6-yard pass to halfback John Strzykalski, who tossed a lateral to Len Eshmont, who raced down the sideline toward the end zone for a play that covered 66 yards under the foggy afternoon skies of Kezar Stadium on Sept. 8, 1946.

In 1957, the 49ers enjoyed their first sustained success as members of the NFL. After losing the opening game of the season, the 49ers won their next three against the Rams, Bears, and Packers before returning home to Kezar Stadium for a game against the Chicago Bears on October 27, 1957. The 49ers fell behind the Bears 17–7. Tragically, 49ers owner Tony Morabito (1910–1957) collapsed of a heart attack and died during the game. The 49ers players learned of his death at halftime when coach Frankie Albert was handed a note with two words: "Tony's gone." With tears running down their faces, and motivated to win for their departed owner, the 49ers scored 14 unanswered points to win the game, 21–17. Dicky Moegle's late-game interception in the endzone sealed the victory. Victor Morabito (1919–1964) and Tony's widow, Josephine V. Morabito (1910–1995) hired Louis G. Spadia as general manager.^{[citation needed]}

On Nov. 3, 1957, the 49ers hosted the Detroit Lions, in a game, which has gone down in local lore as featuring arguably the most memorable pass play (along with Dwight Clark's "The Catch" in 1981). With 10 seconds remaining in the game, 49ers ball on the Lions 41, Detroit leading 31–28, Y. A. Tittle threw a desperation pass high in the air and into the end zone, where it was caught between two defenders by a high-leaping R. C. Owens. The pass became famously known as the "Alley Oop", which also became Owens' nickname. Ironically, the two defenders covering Owens later became 49ers coaches: Jack Christiansen (Head Coach), and Jim David. The 49ers ended that season with three straight victories, and an 8–4 record, tying the Detroit Lions for the NFL Western Division title. The stage was set for a one-game divisional playoff in San Francisco. The 49ers got off to a fast start, and in the third quarter led 27–7. The Lions, led by quarterback Tobin Rote, who earlier in the season had replaced an injured Bobby Layne, mounted one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history to defeat the 49ers, 31–27. Had they won the game, the 49ers would have hosted the NFL Championship game the following weekend against the Cleveland Browns. As it happened, the Lions beat the Browns 59–14.

The 49ers famous “Million Dollar Backfield” during the 1950s consisted of four future Hall of Fame members: quarterback Y. A. Tittle and running backs John Henry Johnson, Hugh McElhenny, and Joe Perry. They're the only full-house backfield inducted into the Hall of Fame.

For most of the next thirteen years the 49ers hovered around .500, except for 1963 and 1964 when they went 2–12 and 4–10 respectively. Key players for these 49ers included running back Ken Willard, quarterback John Brodie, and offensive lineman Bruce Bosley. During this time the 49ers became the first NFL team to use the shotgun formation. It was named by the man who actually devised the formation, San Francisco 49ers' coach Red Hickey, in 1960. 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 1960 and enabled the 49ers to beat the Baltimore Colts, who were not familiar with the formation.

In 1961, 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 1962, 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 1963. Victor Morabito died May 10, 1964, at age 45. The 1964 season was another lost campaign. According to the 1965, 49ers Year Book the co-owners of the team were: Mrs. Josephine V. Morabito Fox, Mrs. Jane Morabito, Mrs. O.H. Heintzelman, Lawrence J. Purcell, Mrs. William O'Grady, Albert J. Ruffo, Franklin Mieuli, Frankie Albert, Louis G. Spadia and James Ginella. The 1965, 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 3,112 yards and 30 touchdowns. In 1966, the Morabito widows named Lou Spadia, team president. For the 1968 season, the 49ers hired Dick Nolan as their head coach, who had been Tom Landry's defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys. 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 1970 season 7–1–1, 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 the Giants to defeat the Rams in their finale to give the 49ers their first ever divisional title.

In the early game the Giants were crushed by the Rams 31–3, thus forcing the 49ers to win their game to clinch the division. In wet, rainy conditions in Oakland, the 49ers dominated the Raiders, 38–7, giving the 49ers their first divisional title, becoming 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, thus giving the Cowboys their first conference championship. The 49ers sent five players to the Pro Bowl that season, including MVP veteran quarterback John Brodie, wide receiver Gene Washington, and linebacker Dave Wilcox. Nolan was also named NFL Coach of the Year for 1970. Following the 1970 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 1971 with a 9–5 record. The 49ers again won their divisional playoff game. This time against the Washington Redskins by a 24–20 final score. This set up a rematch against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game, this time to be played in Dallas. 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 1971, 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 Forest Blue.

The 49ers won their third consecutive NFC West title in 1972 with five wins in their last six games, making them the only franchise to win their first three divisional titles after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Their opponents this time 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 4th 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 20 yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 28–23. Cowboys kicker Toni Fritsch then executed a successful onside kick that was recovered by Mel Renfro, giving the Cowboys the ball at midfield with 1:20 left on the clock. With the 49ers on the ropes, Staubach scrambled for 21 yards, then completed a 19 yard sideline pass to Billy Parks who went out of bounds at the 10 yard line to stop the clock. He then completed the comeback with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Ron Sellers with only 52 seconds left, giving the Cowboys a dramatic 30–28 victory and sending the 49ers to yet another crushing playoff defeat.

The 49ers run at the top of the NFC West ended in 1973 with the 49ers falling to a 5–9 record, their worst since 1969. 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 534 yards rushing. In 1974, 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 705 yards rushing. He and fellow running back Larry Schreiber combined for over 1300 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. Following the season, longtime tight end Ted Kwalick left the 49ers to join the World Football League, then the Oakland Raiders upon the WFL's dissolution.

The 49ers dropped back down to 5–9 in what would be Dick Nolan's final season as coach in 1975, 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 631 yards rushing. Following the 1975 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. Monte Clark was also brought on as 49ers head coach.

The 49ers featured of the best running games in the NFL in 1976. Delvin Williams emerged as an elite back, gaining over 1200 yards rushing and made the Pro Bowl. Wilbur Jackson also enjoyed a resurgence, rushing for 792 yards. Once again Gene Washington was the teams leading receiver with 457 yards receiving and six scores. The 49ers started the season 6–1 for their best start since 1970. 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. The team was sold to Eddie DeBartolo Jr. in March of 1977, and despite finishing the season with a winning record of 8–6, Clark was fired after just one season by newly hired general manager Joe Thomas, who oversaw the worst stretch of football in the team's history.

Under coach Ken Meyer the 49ers lost their first five games of the 1977 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 1600 yards rushing. Gene Washington again led the team in receiving in 1977, his final year with the 49ers. The 1977 offseason was marked by a number of questionable moves by Joe Thomas that backfired badly. Thomas's big offseason acquisition was running back O. J. 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. To create playing time for Simpson, Thomas traded Delvin Williams to the Miami Dolphins for wide receiver Freddie Solomon. 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 1978 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 600 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 1979 draft was traded to the Bills as part of the O. J. Simpson deal. Joe Thomas was fired following the season. Some of the key players that became part of the 49ers stunning rise began their 49ers career in 1978. Rookie quarterback Steve DeBerg, Joe Montana's first mentor, was the 49ers starting quarterback. Running back Paul Hofer and center/guard Randy Cross also started with the 49ers in 1978.

1979–80: Arrival of Bill Walsh and Joe Montana[link]

The headquarters of The DeBartolo Corporation in Boardman, Ohio with the 49ers logo on the building, signifying the team's ownership by the Youngstown-based DeBartolo-York family.

The team was led in its turnaround from late 1970s 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.

Bill Walsh was hired to be the 49ers head coach in the 1978 off-season. Walsh was a disciple of Paul Brown, and served as Brown's offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975. However, Brown did not appoint him as his successor upon his retirement, ironically choosing another assistant, former 49ers center Bill "Tiger" Johnson. Desiring head coach experience, Walsh looked to Stanford University in 1977. He had had some success there before the 49ers tapped him to be their replacement.

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 utilizes 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 other West Coast offense—more focused on the vertical, or downfield, passing game—was actually created by 1960s 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 St. Louis (football) Cardinals and San Diego Chargers during a period where it garnered the nickname "Air Coryell".)

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 1977 national title and a number of dramatic comeback victories, the most stunning of all being his final game, at the 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic. Playing the University of Houston in an ice storm, and with Montana suffering from a bad flu, Notre Dame was down 34–13 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.

In the 1979 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 1979 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 the coach's keen eye for talent.

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 (21) than touchdowns (17), Steve DeBerg blossomed under Walsh, throwing for over 3600 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 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, lost their next eight games in a row, although many of those games 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 QBs, 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 1970s who alternated Roger Staubach and Craig Morton, and the Los Angeles Rams of the early 1950s alternating Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield.

In all DeBerg started nine games, going 4–5 with 1,998 yards, 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Montana started seven games, going 2–5 with 1,795 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine picks; Montana also had a better completion percentage at 64.6 to DeBerg's 57.9.

The highlight of the 1980 season, and a sign of good things to come, came in Week 14. 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) 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 1980. Among them were Dwight Clark, who led the 49ers with 82 receptions and just under 1000 yards receiving, and running back Earl Cooper, who ran for over 700 yards.

1981–84: First two Super Bowls[link]

With the offense playing well consistently, 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 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, up to this point in time it was the team's best regular season win-loss record in its history. Dean made the Pro Bowl, as did Lott, and Hicks. Led by Montana, the unusual offense was centered around 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 in the league. 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. The 49ers faced the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs and won, 38–24. 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 1970s. 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 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 final 89-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 in the end zone, who leaped up and caught the ball to tie the game at 27(Now known as "The Catch"), with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead. 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 saving a potential late-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. Throughout the '81 season, the defense had been a significant reason for the team's success, despite residing in the shadow of the then-innovative offense. Montana won MVP honors mostly on the strength of leading the 49ers on a 92 yard, 12 play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Earl Cooper. Thus did the 49ers complete one of the most dramatic and complete turnarounds in NFL history, going from back-to-back 2–14 seasons to a Super Bowl championship in just two years.

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. This was the 49ers last losing season for the next 17 years. 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 1983, the 49ers won their final three games of the season, finishing with a 10–6 record and winning their 2nd NFC Western Divisional Title in three years. Leading the rebound was Joe Montana with another stellar season, passing for 3,910 yards and connecting on 26 touchdowns. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, they hosted the Detroit Lions. The 49ers jumped out 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 14-yard touchdown pass with 2:00 left on the clock to put the 49ers ahead 24–23. The game ended when a potential game-winning FG attempt by Lions kicker Eddie Murray missed. The next week, the 49ers came back from a 21–0 deficit against the Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship Game to tie the game, only to lose, after a questionable defensive holding call, 24–21 on a Mark Moseley field goal that sent the Redskins to Super Bowl XVIII.

In 1984, the 49ers had one of the greatest seasons in team history by finishing the regular season 15–1–0, 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, and the 2011 Green Bay Packers, and finally broken by the 2007 New England Patriots (with 16 regular season victories). Their 18 wins overall is also still a record, tied by the 1985 Bears and the 2007 New England Patriots. The 49ers' only defeat in the 1984 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 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.

1985–87: Arrival of Jerry Rice[link]

In the 1985 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 1985 season The 49ers were not as dominant as in 1984, they finished 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 1985, especially after a 10-catch, 241-yard game against the Los Angeles Rams in December. Rice was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year after recording 49 catches for 927 yards,and averaging 18.9 yards per catch , Roger Craig became the first NFL player to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. in the 1985 playoffs the 49ers were quickly eliminated from the playoffs by the New York Giants 17–3.

In the 1986 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, 1986, 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. However, Montana returned to the team on November 6 of that year. In his first game back from injury Montana passed for 270 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 following season catching 86 passes for a league-leading 1,570 yards and 15 touchdowns. Montana was awarded co-recipient of the 1986 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, an award which he shared with Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer. However, the New York Giants would defeat the 49ers again in the playoffs, 49–3 in the teams worst post-season lost to date . Montana was again injured in the first half by a hit from the Giants' Jim Burt.

In the offseason, Bill Walsh was concerned of Montanas 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 1987 season, the 49ers had become one of the NFL's elite teams once again with a league best 13–2. Joe Montana had a bounce back year after suffering from the 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 3,054 yards, and had a passer rating of 102.1. Rice had established himself as an elite receiver, he caught 65 passes for 1,078 yards and a then NFL-record 22 touchdowns in just 12 games. 1987 was the second of six seasons in which Rice would lead the NFL in receiving and/or touchdown receptions, he was named Offensive Player of the Year. By the end of the regular season the 49ers were ranked #1 on both offense and defense and were heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl. However they were stunned in the NFC Divisional Round losing to what was believed to be an inferior Minnesota Vikings team 36–24, their third straight playoff loss in a row. Joe Montana had one of his 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 Eddie DeBartolo stripped Walsh of the team president title. Dwight Clark retired that offseason.

1988–89: Back-to-back Super Bowls[link]

During the offseason a quarterback controversy between Joe Montana and Steve Young had begun after Montanas poor performance in the playoffs the previous year. Many speculated that the 1988 season would be his last year with the team. In the 1988 NFL season, the 49ers struggled to start the season, Walsh would constantly switch QBs between Montana (who suffered a 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 on 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. The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's Soldier Field for the NFC Championship against the Chicago Bears, where the wind chill factor at game time was 26 degrees below zero, 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 teams third trip to the Super Bowl, to go against the Cincinnati Bengals. In Super Bowl XXIII, Despite numerous trips deep into Cincinnati territory by the 49ers, the game was tied 3–3 at halftime. Early in the 4th 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 3:08 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, theres John Candy" as he pointed to the stands on the other side of the field. His calm demeanor reassured the 49ers, and he then engineered what some consider the greatest drive in Super Bowl history, as he drove the team 92 yards for the winning touchdown on a pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left, as they captured their third Super bowl championship with a score of 20-16, Jerry Rice was named Super Bowl MVP.

After Super Bowl XXIII, Bill Walsh retired as head coach, his defensive coordinator and handpicked successor, George Seifert, took over as head coach. In the 1989 NFL season Joe Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 8 interceptions, giving him a 112.4 quarterback rating, which was then the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history and was named NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Jerry Rice in his fifth year in the league continued to dominate, he lead the league with almost 1500 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 homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, Their two losses were by a combined five points. In the divisional playoffs ,they easily defeated the Vikings, 41–13. In the NFC Championship they played against the Rams for a third time ,the previous two games were 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. 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 team is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams in NFL history, winning all three playoff games by a combined 100 points.

1990–93: Failed three-peat/Steve Young steps in[link]

49ers wall of trophies at the Marie P. DeBartolo Sports Center.

In 1990, the 49ers won their first ten 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, 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 1988 and 1990, 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. 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 two 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 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 1992 and 1993 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 1992, 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, 1992. 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 126 yards and 2 TDs, as the 49ers defeated the Lions 24–6. The 49ers finished the 1992 season with a 14–2 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. San Francisco defeated the Washington Redskins 20–13 in the divisional playoff game, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 30–20 in the NFC Championship at Candlestick Park.

At the end of the 1992 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 1993 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 1993 season, the team's first without Joe Montana on the roster, with a 10–6 record and no. 2 seed in the playoffs. San Francisco defeated the New York Giants 44–3 in the divisional playoff game, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 38–21 in the NFC Championship at Texas Stadium.

1994–98: Fifth Super Bowl, final glory years[link]

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, Bart Oates, Richard Dent, Charles Mann 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. 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. Young was benched in the 3rd quarter and was later seen livid on the sidelines, shouting profanities at 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 of 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 that span the 49ers' average margin of victory was nearly 20 points per game, a sustained dominance not seen since the 1985 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 the New England Patriots in 2007 (the 1998 Minnesota Vikings scored 556 regular season points, but only 68 post season points, for a total of 624 points, while the 1994 49ers scored 505 regular season points and 131 post season points for a total of 636, 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 homefield 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 29 yard pass from Young to Rice in the closing seconds, the game appeared to be far out of reach for the Cowboys. A 49er fumble on the opening kick of the 3rd quarter led to a Cowboy score, cutting the lead to 31–21. Later, the 49ers responded with a Steve Young touchdown run, making it 38–21, before the Cowboys scored another touchdown in the final minutes for a final score of 38–28. 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 steamrolled the San Diego Chargers 49–26,and at the time becoming the first team to win a record five Super Bowls. They are the only multiple Super Bowl winner that has never lost and are 5–0. With a record 6 touchdown passes, Steve Young was named the game's MVP. Their run of five 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 and again in 1996, being eliminated by the Green Bay Packers both times in the Divisional Round. On January 17, 1997, George Seifert retired as 49ers head coach. On the same day of 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 1997 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 Steve Young left the game with one of the many concussions he suffered throughout his career. However the team overcame adversity, Steve Young returned two weeks later, along with the league's number one defense,the 49ers finished the season with a 13–3 record which included an 11-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 1994, where they again met the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick Park, but lost 23–10. During that season Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. was involved in a corruption investigation regarding Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and one of his Mississippi riverboat casinos. DeBartolo later pled guilty to a failure to report a felony charge in 1998. He was suspended from active control of the 49ers for one year. His sister, Denise DeBartolo York, and her husband, Dr. John York, took over operations of the team.

In 1998, Jerry Rice finally returned from his knee injury week 1 against the New York Jets, a game best remembered for Running back Garrison Hearst 96-yard touchdown run in overtime to win the game. The 49ers had the 2nd most productive offense in league history, Steve Young who was questioned if his concussion history would put an end to his career had his best season throwing for 4,170 yards 36 touchdowns and only 12 Interceptions, a healthy Jerry Rice, 3rd year player Terrell Owens, and 4th-year player J.J. Stokes became the first WR-trio in team history to catch at least 60 passes in the same season, Hearst ran for 1,570 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. 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 games final moment, Young hit Terrell Owens( who was having a terrible game up to that point) on a dramatic, game-winning 25-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, They went on to lose 20–18 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.

1999-2002: Ownership change[link]

Eddie DeBartolo returned from his suspension in 1999, 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 2000 settlement. Denise York became chairwoman of the board, while John York became CEO. On the field, the 1999, 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 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 GM 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, 29-year old rookie Jeff Garcia took over as starting quarterback, But would be benched for poor performances in favor of Steve Stenstrom, Garcia would be reinstated as the starting QB 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 since 1982. Bobb McKittrick, 49ers offensive line coach since 1979, also died of cancer following the 1999 season.

Before the 2000 NFL 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 4,278 Passing Yards with 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions, Garcia and Terrell Owens who established himself as the teams number one reciver both earned their first pro bowl selection. However the 49ers finished 6-10, missing the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since 1979 and 1980 due to a defense that gave up 26.4 points per game and a total of 422 points. The 2000 season was the final year for Jerry Rice with the 49ers, he played 16 seasons with the team. In the 2001 NFL 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 bounced back year, going from the 28th ranked defense in 2000, to the 9th ranked. Terrell Owens had become Jeff Garcia's favorite target, forming their own 49er duo. Garrison Hearst who was forced to retire from football after breaking his ankle in the 1998 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 1,206 yards on a 4.8 average. His comeback earned him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. In the final 6 weeks of the season the 49ers defense shut out 3 teams (the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New Orleans Saints), and had one of the most stupendous goal-line stands against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the teams first playoff game in 2 years, they played against Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the NFC Wild Card, but lost 25-15.

The 2002 NFL season began with the divisional realignment, the 49ers gained two divisional rivals, the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals, while former divisional foes Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers moved to the newly formed NFC South. The teams production dropped from the previous year, Jeff Garcia went from having 31 and 32 TDs in the previous 2 seasons, to only 21 in 2002, the 49ers defense struggled at times, dropping from the 9th ranked defense from the previous season, to the 18th ranked. Even though the team did not have the same success as they did in the 2001 regular season, the 49ers won the NFC West for the first time since 1997, with the division clinching game coming on a last second TD pass to Terrell Owens against the Dallas Cowboys. They finished 10-6. In the 2002 NFL Playoffs they and hosted the New York Giants in the 2002 NFC Wild Card, The Giants had a 38-14 lead late into 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 24-point deficit. Giants QB Kerry Collins then led a drive in the game's final minute to put the Giants at the 49er's 23-yard line with six seconds left for a shot at a game-winning field goal. After a bad snap, holder Matt Allen attempted a desperate pass down the field, which fell incomplete. It was the second biggest comeback victory in NFL playoff history, winning 39-38. The 49ers lost the next week to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional round 31-6. This was the last postseason appearance for the 49ers until the 2011 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.

2003–10: Difficult years[link]

49ers running back Frank Gore in action against the St. Louis Rams in 2007

Former Seattle Seahawks and Oregon State University head coach Dennis Erickson was signed to a five-year contract to replace Steve Mariucci. The hiring of Erickson was highly criticized by the fans and the media. Erickson's offensive philosophy was very different from the West Coast Offense. The 2003 season was one of turmoil for the 49ers Garcia and Owens's relationship turned sour upon Garcia taking issue with Owens's public praise for the play of backup quarterback Tim Rattay. Garcia responded with a cryptic "we can not let the sickness spread" remark, prompting Owens to wear a surgeon's mask at the following practice, this and injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, and the often reckless play of Jeff Garcia took a toll on him, as he was forced to miss 3 games during the season. The 49ers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the 1st time in 2 seasons, Erickson was retained as coach for the 2004 season. The 2003 season also marked the final season for Terrell Owens with the 49ers, due to his on and off-field antics that led to the 49ers trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason. several other key 49er players were released due to salary cap issues including Garcia and Hearst The team finished the 2004 season with a 2–14 record tying a franchise worst,finishing last in the NFC West division for the first time since 1979, ending what had been the NFL's longest active streak for not finishing last in a division. With the worst record in the NFL the team securing the rights to the first pick in the NFL Draft. Dennis Erickson and GM Terry Donahue, were fired.

After an extensive coaching search, the 49ers hired defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens Mike Nolan as their head coach. Nolan was the son of Dick Nolan, who had led the team to three consecutive playoff appearances from 1970 to 1972. The 49ers did not hire a general manager. In Mike Nolan's inaugural draft as head coach, He selected quarterback Alex Smith from the University of Utah with the first overall pick of the draft. It was a pick predicted by most, though many predicted the 49ers might select local product Aaron Rodgers of the University of California. Alex Smith's rookie season was a disaster, he finished with only one touchdown and eleven interceptions as the team finished 4th in the NFC West for the second consecutive year, with a 4–12 record. The 49ers earned the 6th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft drafting tight end Vernon Davis. Alex Smith and the team displayed vast improvement as they were led by second year player Frank Gore from the University of Miami. Gore ran for a franchise record of 1,695 rushing yards, which led the NFC, along with 8 TDs. He was awarded his first Pro Bowl appearance. They also swept division rival, and defending NFC Champion, Seattle Seahawks and eliminated the Denver Broncos from a playoff berth the last week of the season. However, the team established a 7–9 record, their fourth consecutive losing season.

In the off-season, the 49ers signed cornerback Nate Clements and safety Michael Lewis to improve their secondary. Clement's contract was worth $80 million for eight years, the largest contract given to a defensive player in NFL history at the time. In the NFL Draft, the 49ers made another key addition to their defense, selecting middle linebacker Patrick Willis with the 11th overall pick. Willis would eventually be named the 2007 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Before the beginning of the 2007 season, Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh died of complications from leukemia. The 49ers started the season 2–0, for the first time since 1998. In the fourth game of the season, against the Seattle Seahawks, Alex Smith suffered a separated shoulder on the third play of the game, an injury that severely hampered his play and ultimately led to an early end to his 2008 campaign after having shoulder surgery. Chiefly due to back up QB Trent Dilfer's struggles and Alex Smith's injury, the 49ers lost eight straight consecutive games from week three through week twelve, ending the year with a disappointing 5–11 record. Questions were raised about the future of Alex Smith, whose first three seasons had been plagued by inconsistent play, injuries, and not having had an offensive coordinator remain on the team for consecutive years. Head coach Mike Nolan and new offensive coordinator Mike Martz stated that a competition between Smith, Shaun Hill, and NFL journeyman J. T. O'Sullivan would run through the first two preseason games of 2008. O'Sullivan was named the 49ers starter because of his familiarity with the Martz offense and after performing better than Smith or Hill in the first three preseason games. On the night of October 20, 2008, after a 2–5 start, Mike Nolan was fired. Assistant head coach Mike Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears, was named as the interim head coach. Singletary proved to be a fan favorite when after his first game as head coach he delivered a memorable post game interview. Singletary said of their loss: "... right now, we've got to figure out the formula. Our formula. Our formula is this: We go out, we hit people in the mouth.".^[6] The team had won five of its final seven games and went 5–4 overall under Singletary, ending the season with a 7–9 record. After the last game of the season, Singletary was named the head coach by Jed York, who had been appointed as team president just days before. Jed York is the oldest son of John York and Denise DeBartolo York.

On April 25, 2009, the 49ers selected Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree (A player many people thought would go in the top five) with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The 2009 training camp was the first time since 2005 that the 49ers failed to have all drafted rookies signed and in training camp on time. Crabtree reached a contract agreement with the team on October 7, 2009, after having missed the first four games of the regular season. After an up and down season, featuring many close games, the 49ers posted an 8–8 record, the team's first non-losing season since 2002. Despite missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season, several key players showed signs of improvement. Alex Smith regained his role as the 49ers' starting quarterback (after Shaun Hill had won the starting job in training camp), passing for more than 2,000 yards with 18 touchdowns, while Frank Gore collected his fourth consecutive season with 1,000 or more rushing yards, a 49ers record. Safety Dashon Goldson showed signs of potential in his first year as full-time starter, as he tallied 94 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two sacks. Vernon Davis in particular, had a breakthrough year at tight end, earning Pro Bowl honors with 965 yards and 13 touchdowns (tying the NFL record for his position). 2010 saw five Pro-Bowl players for the 49ers. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, and Andy Lee. Before the 2010 season, the 49ers became heavy favorites to win the NFC West after Cardinals QB Kurt Warner retired early in the offseason, however, the 49ers' 2010 season was a surprising disaster. They started the season with an 0–5 record, their worst start since 1979. By week 3, the 49ers fired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, who was hand picked by Singletary in the 2009 offseason, and starting safety Michael Lewis had demanded to be released after he was demoted in favor of rookie safety Taylor Mays. By mid-season, Singletary constantly switched QBs between Alex Smith and Troy Smith, who was picked up in free agency after the preseason. On December 27, 2010, the San Francisco 49ers fired Mike Singletary as head coach, and defensive lines coach Jim Tomsula stepped in to be interim Head Coach for the last game of the season, where they blew out the Cardinals 38–7 and finished a disappointing 6–10.

2011–present: The Harbaugh era[link]

In 2011 Jim Harbaugh was named the new head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

On January 4, 2011, Jed York promoted interim General Manager Trent Baalke to be the General Manager, Baalke took over the General Manager role after former GM Scot McCloughan was relieved of his duties the year before. Two days later on January 7, 2011, former head coach of Stanford University Jim Harbaugh was named the 49ers new head coach.^[7] In the 2011 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected defensive end/linebacker Aldon Smith from the University of Missouri with the seventh pick of the first round.

After the end of an NFL labor dispute that nearly threatened to postpone or cancel the 2011 season the 49ers made a questionable decision to re-sign Alex Smith to a one-year $4.8 million contract.^[8] Jim Harbaugh had spoken highly of him weeks after he was hired. Because of the decision to retain Smith and a shortened offseason with an entirely new coaching staff being hired, the team was expected to be among the league's worst by NFL prognosticators. Despite this, Harbaugh's first season was a major success and improvement. After 10 weeks, the team was able to overcome adversity as they got off to a 9–1 start that was highlighted by road wins against the Philadelphia Eagles, where the team came back from a 20-point deficit in the second half, and the Detroit Lions who were undefeated at the time. The 49ers defense became one of the most intimidating in the league and did not allow a 100-yard rusher or a single rushing touchdown until week 16 of the regular season, while other 49er players, such as Alex Smith, revived their careers. By week 13 the 49ers won the NFC West for the first time since 2002 after a victory against the St. Louis Rams, officially ending their nine-year playoff drought. The 49ers ended the regular season with a 13–3 record, earning the second overall seed in the NFC Playoffs. In the Divisional Playoffs the 49ers defeated the New Orleans Saints 36–32 after a touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis in the closing seconds of the game. The team reached the NFC Championship for the first time since 1997, and faced the New York Giants. They lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions with a 20–17 score in overtime after two critical fumbles by back up return man Kyle Williams, ending their 2011–2012 season.

During the off-season, the 49ers retained all eleven starters on their top ranked defense, resigned Alex Smith to a 3 year contract worth $24 million and retooled their struggling receiving core by signing Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, and drafting A. J. Jenkins with the 30th overall pick.

Logos and uniforms[link]

Logo[link]

The original 49ers logo was a mustached forty-niner gold miner from the 1849 California Gold Rush, dressed in plaid pants and a red shirt, jumping in midair with his hat falling off, and firing pistols in each hand: one nearly shooting his foot, and the other pistol forming the word "Forty-Niners" from its smoke. The alternate logo was a shield-shaped crest formed from the number "49", with a football in the upper right quadrant and "SF" in the lower left quadrant. From 1962, the 49ers' logo has been the iconic "SF" within the center of a red oval; throughout the years the logo has had minor modifications, such as a black outlining on the intertwined "SF" that was added in 1989 and a gold trimming inside the oval that was added in 1996.

The evolution of the 49ers' uniform, 1946–present

Uniforms[link]

The San Francisco 49ers currently have two different uniforms: red and gold home uniforms,and white and gold road uniforms. However the 49ers have changed uniform designs and color combinations quite often throughout their history. From the team's inception in 1946, they wore dark or cardinal red, switching to scarlet red jerseys and gold pants for the 1948 season, with a gold helmet with one red stripe, with solid red socks and pants with no stripes. Entering the 1950 season, the first in the NFL, the 49ers adopted three stripes to their red jerseys, wearing gold helmets and pants, with no stripes and red socks with three white stripes. In the 1953, '54, and '55 seasons, the 49ers wore red helmets with a gold stripe in the middle, with silver pants with one single stripe of red. The socks also added the three stripes similar to the jersey's. 1955 was also unique in that the 49ers wore white pants with a black stripe bounded by two red stripes, and shadow drop numbers on their red jerseys, with black shadow drop borders on the white numerals. The following season, 1956, the team wore white helmets with no stripes, and white pants with a red stripe. In 1957 the Forty-Niners wore red jerseys, a gold helmet with no stripes, and gold pants with no stripes; for the first time the 49ers wore white on the road, as dictated by the NFL for all teams, to have at least one team wearing a light colored jersey during games. The first white jersey had two red stripes with a gold in the middle, as was their road socks: white, with two red stripes and gold in the middle. San Francisco wore red and gold in 1958 as well, with their white jersey having a single shoulder loop stripe, as well as adding TV numbers to the sleeves of their home and away jerseys. And in contrast to the socks at home, red with three red stripes, the away socks were solid red. In 1959 the team switched to red and platinum gold (looking more like silver), and for the next several years afterwards, with their white jerseys having double shoulder loop stripes (mimicking UCLA's), but continuing with the three white stripes on the sleeves above the elbow and below the TV numbers, with the red home jerseys. In 1960, the team added "Northwestern" red stripes to their helmets (a thicker middle stripe bordered by two thinner stripes), and that changed in 1962, with the addition of the helmet design the team has mostly worn since: white stripe bounded by two red, with the red oval and SF logo on the sides of the helmet. In 1964 the team's colors then changed again. All silver elements were changed to what was called "Forty-Niner Gold;" helmets were gold. New beige-gold pants with a red-white-red tri-stripe in the same style as the helmet were introduced. Uniform's basic design would be worn for practically the next thirty seasons with only some minor changes and adjustments, such as a gradual change over from sans-serif to serifed block numerals from 1970–74 and a switch from thin stripes to a very thick pant striping in 1976 (during which white jerseys were also worn at home for most of that season). The uniform ensemble of red and white jerseys, and beige-gold pants with thick striping were worn until 1995 with a few minor changes. During the 1994 season, many NFL teams wore "throwback uniforms" on occasional games to celebrate the NFL's 75th anniversary (a corresponding diamond-shaped 75th Anniversary patch was also worn by all teams) . The 49ers chose to wear a version of their 1955 uniforms as their throwbacks, with simpler sans-serif block numerals that were outlined and shadowed in black with White pants with thinner red-black-red striping were also worn, along with the old striped red socks. The regular 1989–95 design gold helmet was worn with this uniform, as there was no logo on the 1955 helmet.

In 1996, the 49ers celebrated their 50th anniversary by designing a commemorative jersey patch based on the earlier shield-crest logo. The team also debuted a substantially new uniform design, most notably changing the shade of red used in their jerseys from bright scarlet to a deeper, cardinal red a black dropshadow effect (along with gold trim) was added to the jersey numerals (which remained in the blocked serif style). As in 1994, the Niners donned white pants full-time for the 1996 season (also wearing them for the 1997 season and 1998 preseason,) though this time the pant stripes were marginally thicker and the colors were reversed to black-cardinal red-black (matching the striping on the helmets). For the 1998 regular season opener, the team switched back to gold pants,with a more metallic gold rather than the previous beige-matte gold of the past. The striping along the side of the pants remained black-cardinal red-black, though a thin gold trimming was added, along with further oval "SF" logos placed on both sides of the hip. The 1996 helmet and jersey design with the 1998 gold pants was worn as the team's regular uniforms until the end of the 2008 season. The 49ers once again changed uniforms in 2009, which are very similar to the classic design, albeit with several significant changes. The sleeve stripes are now set at an angle to accommodate the even shorter sleeves of modern jerseys, (though the stripes appear straight and parallel to the ground when worn by the players themselves). A modestly updated 49ers uniform with improved fit, and more breathable and moisture-resistant fabrics was debuted (alongside the rest of the NFL teams) by new league uniform manufacturer Nike on April 3, 2012. These are the team's current uniforms.

Rivalries[link]

The San Francisco 49ers have three rivals within their division:(St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks).They also have rivalries with other teams that arose from post-season games in the past, most notably the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers. They also have an intense Crosstown rivalry with the Oakland Raiders, and share an intrastate rivalry with the San Diego Chargers (the two teams have played each other nearly every preseason, and every 4 years in the regular season).

Divisional rivals[link]

• The rivalry between the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers is considered by many to be one of the greatest NFL rivalries ever, placing #8 on Sports Illustrated's "Top 10 NFL Rivalries Of All Time" list, compiled in 2008.^[9] Some feel that the rivalry was more intense before the Rams moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis, as it seemed like the rivalry was coming to an end when the Rams relocated. Yet, some players did not believe so. Roger Craig stated in Tales from the San Francisco 49ers Sideline that "the Rams will always be the 49ers' biggest rival. It doesn't matter if they no longer play in Los Angeles. If the Rams played their home games on Mars, it would still be a rivalry."^[10] In fact, the Rams are the only team to have played the 49ers twice every season for the last 58 seasons^[11] to combine for more than 100 regular season games. Though they have only met once in a playoff game when the 49ers beat the Rams 30–3 in 1989, the 49ers lead the overall series through 125 games (including the postseason) with a record of 62–61–2.

• The Arizona Cardinals are a recent growing rival of the 49ers. Unlike most rivalries of this team, the Arizona Cardinals are in the same division as the 49ers (since 2002, when the Cardinals transferred from the NFC East). Recently, there has been much bad blood between these two team's players, an example of this is a Twitter battle between Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals and Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers.^[12] Another clash is when Early Doucet of the Cardinals and Dashon Goldson of the Niners threw punches at each other. The clash of words between players of both teams added with the decline of the other major rivalries of the 49ers, either from the rarity of meeting the rival teams (49ers rarely meet the Cowboys) or the move to different cities (Los Angeles Rams moving to St. Louis) has led to the rivalry between the 49ers and the Cardinals becoming heated and intense. The 49ers currently hold the edge over the Cardinals all-time 24–17.^[13]

• The Seattle Seahawks have also become a new rival of the 49ers, following the NFL's realignment in 2002 that put both teams in the same division (Seattle had been a brief former rival during their inaugural 1976 season, when the team was in the old pre-realignment NFC West). Prior to 2002, the teams played each other almost every season during the pre-season, but only every 3 years during the regular season when the AFC West and NFC West teams faced each other. So far, their rivalry has not been as intense as other division foes because for the most part both teams have not been good at the same time. In the early to mid part of the decade, the Seahawks ruled the division and their favorable record against the 49ers reflected this. In recent years, as the Seahawks have faded the 49ers have enjoyed more success than in earlier years. However the games at CenturyLink Field, one of the toughest stadiums to play at as the visiting team, have still been difficult to win regardless of how much better a team the 49ers are. The 49ers have a 4–6 record all-time at that stadium, with their largest margin of victory there being ten points and failing to score a touchdown in four of those losses. The rivalry is expected to intensify after the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh out of Stanford in 2011, as he and Seahawks and former USC head coach Pete Carroll had an intense rivalry in college. The all-time series is tied 13–13.

Historic rivals[link]

• The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers has been going on since the 1970s. San Francisco has played Dallas in seven postseason games. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Championship games, and again in the 1972 Divisional Playoff Game. The 1981 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, which saw the 49ers' Joe Montana complete a game-winning pass to Dwight Clark in the final minute (now known as The Catch) is one of the most famous games in NFL history. The rivalry became even more intense during the 1992–1994 seasons. San Francisco and Dallas faced each other in the NFC Championship Game three separate times. Dallas won the first two match-ups, and San Francisco won the third. In each of these pivotal match-ups, the game's victor went on to win the Super Bowl. Both the Cowboys and the 49ers are second all time in Super Bowl victories to the Pittsburgh Steelers with five each. The 49ers-Cowboys rivalry is also part of the larger cultural rivalry between California and Texas. In recent years, this once great rivalry has greatly softened, with the recent struggles of both the Cowboys and 49ers. However, in its prime especially in the 1990s this rivalry was a very bitter one as both teams were the class of the NFL during this time. The all-time series is tied at 16–16–1, which includes a postseason record of 2–5.

• The New York Giants have the most playoff meetings versus the 49ers (eight). This rivalry is rooted in the 1980s when both teams were on the rise. In the first two playoff meetings against these two teams teams the Joe Montana-led 49ers would win both meetings 38–24 in 1981 and 24–10 in 1984 both in the divisional round at Candlestick Park, 49ers would go on to win their first two Super Bowl Championships both seasons. The Giants would win the next three playoff meetings which included a 49–3 rout at Giants Stadium in 1986, and the 1990 NFC Championship, where they upset the 49ers 15–13, ruining the 49ers hopes of a Super Bowl three-peat after Roger Craig lost a fumble late in the 4th quarter and let the Giants score on a last-second field goal, Giants also went on to win their first two Super Bowl Championships both seasons. The 49ers would defeat the Giants 44–3 in 1993 in the divisional round. The 2002 NFC Wildcard was another memorable game. The Giants were ahead 38–14 late in the 3rd quarter, however the 49ers cameback from the 24-point deficit to stun the Giants with a 39–38 victory. Both teams met again in the 2011 NFC Championship at Candlestick Park, just like the 1990 NFC Championship it was a low-scoring game, the Giants won the game on a Lawrence Tynes 31-yard field goal in overtime 20–17 after back up return man Kyle Williams fumbled a punt, and just like the last two times the Giants beat the 49ers in the playoffs, they went on to win the Super Bowl. The all-time series is tied with a record of 18–18, which includes a postseason record of 4–4.

• The Green Bay Packers rivalry emerged in the mid 1990's when the Packers upset the 49ers in the 1995 NFC Divisional game at Candlestick Park,ending any chance of a Super Bowl repeat. From that point the Packers beat the 49ers 4 more times including 2 post-season games. San Francisco was finally able to exact revenge in the 1998 NFC Wild Card Round, a game that is remembered by a dramatic 25-yard game winning touchdown reception by Terrell Owens off a Steve Young pass (referred to by many as The Catch II) lifting the 49ers over the Packers 30–27. Since that game the Packers have beaten the 49ers eight straight times including once in the 2001 post-season. The 49ers trail the all-time series with a record of 26–34–1, which includes a postseason record of 1–4.

• The New Orleans Saints were division rivals with the 49ers up until realignment in 2002 when the Saints were placed in the newly formed NFC South. The 49ers dominated the rivalry when the Saints played in the NFC West, but the Saints have held the upper hand since realignment winning the first six game since moving to the NFC South. The rivalry started to became bitter during the 2011 preseason when the Saints were blitzing frequently, much more than a team typically blitzes during the preseason. The rivalry has since intensified when the two teams met in the 2011 NFC Divisional game at Candlestick Park. There were four lead changes in the final four minutes of the game culminating with Alex Smith throwing the game-winning touchdown to Vernon Davis with nine seconds left (referred by many as The Grab or The Catch III). Three months after that game it was revealed that then-Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ordered his players to target certain players in certain areas in a profanity-laced speech as part of the bounty scandal prior to that game. The 49ers lead the all-time series with a record of 46–24–2, which includes a postseason record of 1–0.

Season-by-Season Records[link]

New stadium in 2014[link]

On November 8, 2006, reports surfaced that the 49ers ended negotiations with the city of San Francisco about building a new stadium and plan to move to Santa Clara, 45 miles south of San Francisco; Santa Clara already hosts the team's administrative headquarters and training facility. The Yorks and then-San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom had been talking over the last few months about building a privately financed stadium at Candlestick Point that was going to be part of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The 49ers' final decision to move ended the San Francisco bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago were the three cities competing to be the U.S. Olympic Committee's choice to bid on the 2016 games, with Chicago emerging as the eventual victor. The team's current lease at Candlestick Park could extend through 2013.^{[citation needed]}

The 49ers sponsored Measure J, which appeared on the June 8, 2010 Santa Clara, California ballot, to build a new stadium as home for 49ers in that city. The measure passed with 58.2% of the total vote. This is seen as the first step for the 49ers relocation to a new venue to be built in Santa Clara.^[14]

On the 49ers website, the team's owner, businessman John York had a letter stating that after a move to Santa Clara, the team would retain its name "San Francisco".^[15] York will use the S.F Brand in order to help keep the team marketable. In the history of the NFL, teams who have relocated have embraced the city/community support for its stadium and name change.^[16] United States Senator (D-CA) Dianne Feinstein and other leaders will attempt to prevent the team from using "San Francisco" or the "49ers" in the team name.^[17]

York later confirmed in a press conference on November 9, 2011 that the team would move to Santa Clara with plans to build a state of the art stadium without a shopping mall in time for the 2014 season. Groundbreaking for the new stadium took place on April 19, 2012.

Players & personnel[link]