The San Francisco 49ers (frequently referred to as the Niners) are a professional American football team. The team plays their home games in San Francisco, California, while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara, California. They currently belong to the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL).
| San Francisco 49ers | |||
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| Basic info | |||
| Established | 1946 | ||
| Colors | Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold and Black | ||
| Mascot | Sourdough Sam | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Owner(s) | Denise DeBartolo York and John York | ||
| General manager | Scot McCloughan | ||
| Head coach | Mike Nolan | ||
| Team history | |||
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| Home fields | |||
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| League / conference affiliations | |||
All-America Football Conference (1946-1949)
National Football League (1950–present)
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| Championships | |||
| League championships: 5 | |||
Conference championships: 5
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Division championships: 17
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The 49ers began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. The team currently shares the record for most Super Bowl victories (5) with the Dallas Cowboys.
- General Manager: none
- VP of Player Personnel: Scott McCloughan (2005-)
- Uniform colors: Cardinal Red and Metallic Gold, Black trim. Home uniforms: Gold pants and red jerseys. Road uniforms: Gold pants and white jerseys.
- Helmet design: Metallic Gold helmet with intertwined "SF" in white on red oval with gold and black trim. Black-red-black helmet striping. Red facemask.
Franchise history
The San Francisco 49ers have the distinction of being one of the first major-league professional sports franchise on the West Coast, and the first one based in San Francisco -in fact, they are the only "home-grown" San Francisco sports franchise.
The 49ers have won five NFL championships -- all Super Bowls. The 49ers have the best record in the Super Bowl with no losses. The 49ers were also the first team to win a record five Super Bowls. -- Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, and XXIX -- and are considered The Team of the Eighties, winning four Super Bowls in the decade. Prior to the 80s, the 49ers had never won an NFL championship (and had never even won a division title until 1970). During that 1980s, they failed to make the playoffs only twice — in 1980, and again in the strike-shortened 1982 season which saw them go 0-5 at home and 3-1 on the road — the only time in NFL history that a team went winless at home while winning more than half its away games in the same season.
Early Years: 1946-1969
The 49ers entered professional football in 1946 as a member of the All-America Football Conference. Though the 49ers could never unseat the dominant Cleveland Browns they nonetheless were a strong second-best team in the league. Upon the dissolution of the league after the 1949 season, the 49ers, along with the Cleveland Browns and the first Baltimore Colts were granted admission to the National Football League in 1950.
The team's nickname came from the surge of goldminers to the San Francisco area during 1849. It is the only name the team has been affiliated with and San Francisco is the only city in which it has resided.
The 49ers struggled in their first several seasons in the NFL, unlike their AAFC counterparts the Browns, who won the NFL championship in their first season in the NFL in 1950.
In 1957 the 49ers would enjoy their first sustained success. After losing the opening game of the season the 49ers won their next three games against the Rams, Bears and Packers before returning home to Kezar Stadium for a game against the Chicago Bears. The 49ers fell behind the Bears 17-7. Tragically, 49ers owner Tony Morabito collapsed of a heart attack and died during the game. The 49ers players found out about it 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 17 unanswered points to win the game, 21-17.
The 49ers would finish the season with three straight victories and an 8-4 record, tying the Detroit Lions for the NFL Western Division and setting up a one-game divisional playoff in San Francisco. The 49ers got off to a fast start and in the third quarter led 24-7. Yet the Lions, led by quarterback Bobby Layne would mount one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history to that time and ultimately defeat the 49ers, 31-27. The appearance would be the last time the 49ers would make in the playoffs for thirteen seasons.
For most of the next thirteen years the 49ers would hover 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 49er's 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 would only go 3-5-1 the rest of the way, the shotgun would eventually become a component of most team's offenses and is a formation used by football teams at all levels.
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 year 1970, however, would bring the 49ers their best run of success to date.
First Success: 1970-1972
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 Los Angeles 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, to give the 49ers their first ever divisional championship as 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 what would be the final home game for the 49ers at Kezar Stadium the 49ers played the Cowboys close 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 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 lineman Cedric Hardman, running back Vic Washington and offensive lineman Forrest Blue.
The 49ers won their third consecutive NFC West championship 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 in the divisional playoffs would once again be the Dallas Cowboys, making it the third year in a row 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 would be all the Cowboys would get. However the Cowboys would complete the comeback all in the last two minutes. Just after the two minute warning Staubach found Billy Parks for a touchdown to bring the score to 28-23. Needing an onside kick to have a realistic chance at a game-winning touchdown, Cowboys kicker Toni Fritsch executed a successful onside kick, with the ball going back to the Cowboys. With the 49ers on the ropes, Staubach completed the comeback with a touchdown pass to Ron Sellers giving the Cowboys a dramatic 30-28 victory and sending the 49ers to yet another crushing playoff defeat.
The defeat would have a chilling effect on the 49ers as they would descend to their worst prolonged stretch as they would not make the playoffs for the next eight seasons.
Bottoming Out: 1973-1978
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 Schrieber 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 respectible 6-8 record. Following the season, longtime tight end Ted Kwalick left the 49ers to join the World Football League (he would join 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, the 49ers 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 Stanford University. 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 were led by one of the best running games in the NFL in 1976. Delvin Williams emerged as an elite back, gaining over 1200 yards rushing and would make the Pro Bowl. Wilbur Jackson also enjoyed a resurgence, rushing for 792 yards. Once again Gene Washington was the teams leading receivers 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 the Rams out 16-0. 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. Despite finishing the season with a winning record of 8-6 Clark was fired after just one season by general manager Joe Thomas who would oversee the worst stretch of football in the team's history.
Under coach Ken Meyer the 49ers would lose their first five games of the 1977 season, including being shut out twice. Though they would win five of their next six they would lose their last three games to finish the season 5-9. Playing in San Francisco proved not to revive Plunkett's career as he had another dissapointing 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, which would be 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 had been thought with Plunkett two years previously, it was thought that rescuing Simpson from a bad situation and bringing him to the area of the country 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 the year 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 had become apparent that Simpson's knees and body were shot and he was clearly near the end of his career. Wilbur Jackson also missed the entire season due to injury.
However some of the key players that would be part of the 49ers stunning rise to emergence would begin their 49ers career in 1978. Rookie quarterback Steve DeBerg, who would be 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.
Though more lean times lay ahead for the 49ers, the 1978 off-season would prove to be the launch point for the 49ers to achieve not only their best success in their history, but to put together one of the greatest championship runs in NFL history. It started with a coach, an overlooked quarterback, and a little luck.
Montana, Rice, & Young-The Glory Days: 1979-1998
The team was led in its turnaround from late 1970s doormat by new owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. and head coach Bill Walsh. The former head coach of Stanford University was known for stock piling 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 as Brown's offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals created an offensive strategy that made star quarterbacks out of average talent such as Virgil Carter and Ken Anderson. However, Walsh was passed over by Brown to be Brown's successor. Desiring head-coaching experience, Walsh took a head coaching job at Stanford University in 1977 and had some success there before the 49ers tapped him to be their replacement.
Walsh is given credit for "inventing" 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 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 true 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 developed by Sid Luckman 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 Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana as an early round pick. Montana had enjoyed a storied college career, leading Notre Dame to the 1977 national title and leading Notre Dame on a number of dramatic comeback victories, the most dramatic of all being his final game at Notre Dame in the 1979 Cotton Bowl. Playing the University of Houston in an ice storm, and with a bad flu, Montana and Notre Dame were down 34-13 in the third quarter. However, Montana led a dramatic rally that culminated with him throwing a touchdown pass on the game's final play to give Notre Dame the dramatic 35-34 win.
Yet, 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 quarterback surrounded by great players and a great team.
In the 1979 draft the Dallas Cowboys had the pick just before 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, and Walsh, took Montana.
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 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 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 with Montana and thus he arrived at this arrangement where the two would alternate, 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 early 1950's alternating Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield.
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 the greatest regular-season comeback ever, 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 a 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.
With the offense in good shape, Walsh and the 49ers focused on overhauling the defense in 1981. Walsh took the highly unusal 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, easily the best record in the team's history. Additionally, the 49ers only allowed over 20 points in three games. Dean made the Pro Bowl, as did Lott, in his rookie season, and Hicks.
Led by Montana the offense was unusual in that it was centered around the short passing game, which Walsh used as ball control. Both Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon has 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.)
The 49ers faced the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs and won, 38-24, in a game that wasn't as close as the score suggests. This set up an NFC Championship Game matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, whom the 49ers could never get past during their earlier successful run in the early 1970s.
As they had earlier in the season (beating the cowboys 45-14), the 49ers played the Cowboys tough but turnovers allowed the Cowboys to stay close and even hold the lead late. Unlike the playoff games of the '70s, the ending this time would be different. 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. Expecting an all-out passing assault, the 49ers instead crossed up the Cowboys by turning to their ground game. 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 by his fingertips, coming down just in bounds, to tie the game at 27, with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead.
The catch reminded older 49er fans of the "Alley-oop" passes that Y.A. Tittle threw to lanky receiver R.C. Owens back in the 1950s. A picture of Clark's leap in the air appeared on the cover of that week's Sports Illustrated and was also recently featured in a Fall 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 at the 49ers 44 yard line by Cornerback Eric Wright. Had Pearson not have been tackled, there was a good chance he would have scored a touchdown as there were no other 49ers in range. 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.
The 49ers would take a 20-0 halftime lead and go on to win the Super Bowl 26-21 behind kicker Ray Wersching's 4 field goals and a key defensive stand as the Bengals were on their own one-yard line. Throughout the '81 season the defense had been a signicant 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 champion in just two years.
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. Not only was he 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 biggest spots.
During their first 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 dominant 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 Talyor).
In 1984, the 49ers had one of the greatest seasons in team history as they went 15-1, 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 Dan Marino's passing game as they beat 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.
In the 1985 season, Roger Craig beacme the first NFL player to gainv 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, but the 49ers we're not as dominating as 1984 was, and they settled for a 10-6 record, a wild card berth and a quick elimnation from the playoffs as the New York Giants beat the 49ers 17-3.
Before the start of the 1986 season, inspired by the Chicago Bears' success with its song Super Bowl Shuffle, members of the San Francisco 49ers recorded the song We're The 49ers. The song was released as a 45RPM single on Megatone Records. It mixed elements of R&B, funk, and pop. Vocals were provided by 49ers including Roger Craig, Dwight Clark and Ronnie Lott (Joe Montana and Jerry Rice were noticeably absent). While achieving some local airplay in San Francisco on radio stations like KMEL, it did not catch on nationally like the Super Bowl Shuffle had earlier in the year.
During the strike-shortened '87 season the 49ers led the league but fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Vikings -- the third year in a row they lost in the first round.
In 1988, the 49ers struggled. At one point they were 6-5 and in danger of missing the playoffs but rose to defeat the Washington Redskins on a Monday Night and finished the season at 10-6. They gained a measure of revenge by thrashing the Minnesota Vikings in the first round. The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's Soldier Field and upset the favored Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship game 28-3.
Super Bowl XXIII was tied 3-3 at halftime as the 49ers 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 (a pass to John Taylor) with only 34 seconds left.
The following year, the 49ers steamrolled the league, beat the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs (again), and blew out the Los Angeles Rams before crushing the Denver Broncos 55-10 in the Super Bowl. Montana won his third Super Bowl MVP.
The 49ers attempt at a "three-peat" was thwarted in the NFC Championship game by the eventual Super Bowl Champion NY Giants who won 15-13, and didn't score a single touchdown in the game.
Joe Montana 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.
Led by Steve Young, the team missed the playoffs following a 10-6 1991 season 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 subpar defense could only take them to the NFC Championship game before falling to the Dallas Cowboys each time. Additionally, the 49ers traded Joe Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the '93 season.
In 1994, the team shored up its defense with the addition of Deion Sanders at cornerback. This time they defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the '94 NFC Championship game and rolled over the San Diego Chargers in the Super Bowl. With a record 6 TD passes, Steve Young was the game's MVP.
After retiring from coaching following their Super Bowl XXIII victory, Bill Walsh has often returned as a special consultant for player and coaching decisions, and as its occasional public frontman. Walsh even served as general manager in the late 1990s, guiding the transition from Steve Young to Jeff Garcia at quarterback. Walsh currently has little involvement with the team.
Today's 49ers 1999-Now
In the late 1990s 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. As a part of the fallout, he involuntarily transferred controlling interest in the team to his sister Denise York. Denise then, against DeBartlo's wishes, transferred controlling interest to her husband, Dr. John York.
In 2002 they produced the second-greatest comeback in NFL playoff history by coming back from a 24 point deficit (14-38) and winning 39-38 against the New York Giants behind amazing games by then-49ers Jeff Garcia (quarterback) and Terrell Owens (wide receiver). They lost their subsequent game to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This would be, to date, the last post-season appearance for the 49ers. Following the season, head coach Steve Mariucci -- whose published statements about his degree of power in the organization had frayed already-strained relations with management -- was fired, despite a winning record. The replacement, former Seattle Seahawks (1995-1998: a 31-33 record over 4 seasons) and Oregon State (1999-2001: 31-17 with 3 bowl games; the program had 28 straight losing seasons prior) head coach Dennis Erickson was signed to a five-year contract.
The period since the 2002 season has been disastrous for the 49ers: injuries, a weak offensive line, and an inconsistent defense. Although they finished the 2003 season with a losing record of 7-9, Erickson was retained as coach for the 2004 season.
On September 26, 2004, the Niners were shut out 34-0 by the Seattle Seahawks, their first such loss in 420 regular season and 36 playoff games, a league record. The last shutout had been 27 years ago in 1977 — they were defeated 7-0 by Atlanta at what was then known as Candlestick Park. The 49ers had several chances to score in the fourth quarter, but an interception and a fumble recovery sealed their fate in this game.
During the 2004 season, rumors that the Yorks might sell the team began spreading. Larry Ellison and NFL Hall of Fame ex-quarterback Steve Young have been the names most commonly rumored as potential buyers. The 49ers would finish that season with a record of 2-14, and thus finished 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. It was also the worst record that season among the 32 NFL teams, securing them the right to the first pick in the NFL Draft. Erickson and the man who hired him, General Manager Terry Donahue, were fired.
After an extensive coaching search, the 49ers announced the hiring of Mike Nolan -- defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens -- as their head coach for the 2005 season. He is the son of Dick Nolan, who led the team to three consecutive playoff appearances in the early 1970's. Among many NFL franchises, the general manager makes strategic, player and coaching personnel decisions; the 49ers hired a head coach without hiring a GM, indicating that Nolan will likely exert substantial control in all of these areas. In his inaugural draft as head coach, Mike Nolan selected with the first pick of the draft quarterback Alex Smith of the University of Utah. It was a pick predicted by most, though many predicted the 49ers might select local product Aaron Rodgers of the University of California, Berkeley.
On May 31, 2005, it became public knowledge that a controversial video production, intended to be viewed by the players only, had been made the previous August under the supervision of the team's public relations director, Kirk Reynolds, who also appeared prominently in it. The video contained offensive characterizations of certain ethnic and other groups, including Chinese-Americans, lesbians, strippers and homeless persons. The revelation led to Reynolds being fired, and sparked harsh condemnation from local and national media. An anonymous source leaked the story by sending a copy of the video to the media. Though he has denied the allegation and it may be impossible to know for sure, many believe disgruntled former GM Terry Donahue was the anonymous source.
Tragedy struck the Niners on August 20, 2005, when OL Thomas Herrion died immediately following a pre-season loss to the Denver Broncos. Coach Mike Nolan had just finished addressing the players in the locker room when Herrion collapsed. He was taken to a local Denver hospital, where he died several hours later. An autopsy revealed that Herrion died of a heart disease, which had not been previously diagnosed.
In 2005, the 49ers finished 4th in the NFC West for the second year in a row, but were able to double their win total from 2004. They ended the 2005 season on a high note with two consecutive wins; their first two game winning streak since 2003. Also, they swept their arch-rival, the St. Louis Rams for the first time since 1998. With a 4-12 record to end the season, the 49ers gained the 6th or 7th pick in the 2006 NFL Entry Draft. The coin toss to determine whether the Oakland Raiders or 49ers will pick sixth in the upcoming draft will be held at next month's scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Soon after the end of the 2005 season, the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff lost their offensive coordinator of one year, Mike McCarthy, to the Green Bay Packers. On January 17, 2006, the 49ers hired Norv Turner as McCarthy's replacement. Whereas McCarthy based the majority of his offense on Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense, Turner has been known to use a power running scheme and vertical passing game more often than the West Coast scheme. Turner came to the 49ers after two unsuccessful seasons as the head coach of the 49ers crosstown rivals, the Oakland Raiders.
Season-by-season records
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers (AAFC) | |||||
| 1946 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2nd AAFC | -- |
| 1947 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2nd AAFC | -- |
| 1948 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2nd AAFC | -- |
| 1949 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2nd AAFC | Lost AAFC Championship (Browns) |
| Merged into NFL | |||||
| 1950 | 3 | 9 | 0 | T-5th NFL NFC | -- |
| 1951 | 7 | 4 | 1 | T-2nd NFL NFC | -- |
| 1952 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3rd NFL NFC | -- |
| 1953 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1954 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1955 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1956 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1957 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFL West | Lost Western Conference Playoff (Lions) |
| 1958 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1959 | 7 | 5 | 0 | T-3rd NFL West | -- |
| 1960 | 7 | 5 | 0 | T-2nd NFL West | -- |
| 1961 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5th NFL West | -- |
| 1962 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1963 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 7th NFL West | -- |
| 1964 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 7th NFL West | -- |
| 1965 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1966 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4th NFL West | -- |
| 1967 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3rd NFL Coastal | -- |
| 1968 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3rd NFL Coastal | -- |
| 1969 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4th NFL Coastal | -- |
| 1970 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Cowboys) |
| 1971 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Cowboys) |
| 1972 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1st NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) |
| 1973 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 1974 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | -- |
| 1975 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | -- |
| 1976 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | -- |
| 1977 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 1978 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
| 1979 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
| 1980 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 1981 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Super Bowl XVI |
| 1982 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 11th NFC Conf. | -- |
| 1983 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Redskins) |
| 1984 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Super Bowl XIX |
| 1985 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Giants) |
| 1986 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1st NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Giants) |
| 1987 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Vikings) |
| 1988 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Super Bowl XXIII |
| 1989 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Super Bowl XXIV |
| 1990 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Giants) |
| 1991 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 1992 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Cowboys) |
| 1993 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Cowboys) |
| 1994 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Won Super Bowl XXIX |
| 1995 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Packers) |
| 1996 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Packers) |
| 1997 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Conference Championship (Packers) |
| 1998 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Falcons) |
| 1999 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
| 2000 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
| 2001 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 2nd NFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Packers) |
| 2002 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st NFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Buccaneers) |
| 2003 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC West | -- |
| 2004 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
| 2005 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 4th NFC West | -- |
^At the end of the 2005 NFL season, the 49ers All-Time Record is 464-377-13 (including AAFC & NFL playoffs).
Players of note
Current players
- 35 John Henry Johnson
- 37 Jimmy Johnson (1994)
- 42 Ronnie Lott (2000)
- 39 Hugh McElhenny (1970)
- 16 Joe Montana (2000)
- 73 Leo Nomellini (1969)
- 34 Joe Perry (1969)
- 79 Bob St. Clair (1990)
- 14 Y. A. Tittle (1971)
- Bill Walsh (1993)
- 65 Dave Wilcox (2000)
- 8 Steve Young (2005)
Retired numbers
- 12 - John Brodie
- 16 - Joe Montana
- 34 - Joe Perry
- 37 - Jimmy Johnson
- 39 - Hugh McElhenny
- 42 - Ronnie Lott
- 70 - Charlie Krueger
- 73 - Leo Nomellini
- 79 - Bob St. Clair
- 87 - Dwight Clark
- Steve Young's #8 has not been worn since he retired. The 49ers honored Young's Hall of Fame induction during the 2005 season, and plan to formally retire his number #8 in a separate ceremony during the 2006 season.
- Jerry Rice's #80 has not been worn since he left and likely will be retired upon his election to the Hall of Fame.
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- Buck Shaw, Head Coach, 1946-54
- 16 Frankie Albert, QB, 1946-52; Head Coach, 1956-58
- 82 Gordie Soltau, WR, 1946-58
- 73 Leo Nomellini, DE, 1950-63
- 34 Joe Perry, RB, 1950-60, 1963
- 14 Y.A. Tittle, QB, 1952-60
- 39 Hugh McElhenny, RB, 1952-60
- 79 Bob St. Clair, T, 1953-63 (grew up in San Francisco, attended University of San Francisco)
- 35 John Henry Johnson, RB, 1954-56 (Tittle, McElhenny, Perry and Johnson were called "The Million Dollar Backfield")
- 12 John Brodie, QB, 1957-73
- 37 Jimmy Johnson, CB, 1961-76 (not to be confused with the former Dallas Cowboys coach)
- 65 Dave Wilcox, LB, 1964-74
- 16 Jim Plunkett, QB, 1976-77 (elected mainly on performance with Oakland Raiders, grew up in San Jose)
- 32 O.J. Simpson, RB, 1978-79 (elected mainly on performance with Buffalo Bills, grew up in San Francisco)
- Bill Walsh, Head Coach, 1979-88
- 16 Joe Montana, QB, 1979-92
- 42 Ronnie Lott, CB-S, 1981-90
- 8 Steve Young, QB, 1987-99
Not to be forgotten
- Harris Barton
- Michael Carter
- Roger Craig
- Randy Cross
- Eric Davis
- Fred Dean
- Derrick Deese
- William Floyd
- Jeff Fuller
- Jeff Garcia
- Kevin Greene
- Charles Haley
- Merton Hanks
- Garrison Hearst
- Thomas Herrion
- Pierce Holt
- Rickey Jackson
- Brent Jones
- Tim McDonald
- Guy McIntyre
- Matt Millen
- Ken Norton Jr
- R. C. Owens
- Terrell Owens
- Dave Parks
- Tom Rathman
- Jack Reynolds
- Bill Romanowski
- Deion Sanders
- Jesse Sapolu
- Freddie Solomon
- Dana Stubblefield
- John Taylor
- Keena Turner
- Steve Wallace
- Gene Washington
- Ricky Watters
- Ray Wersching
- Ken Willard
- Abe Woodson
- Rod Woodson
- Eric Wright
Head coaches
- Lawrence (Buck) Shaw (1950-1954)
- Norman (Red) Strader (1955)
- Frankie Albert (1956-1958)
- Howard (Red) Hickey (1959-1963)
- Jack Christiansen (1963-1967)
- Dick Nolan (1968-1975)
- Monte Clark (1976)
- Ken Meyer (1977)
- Pete McCulley (1978)
- Bill Walsh (1979-1988)
- George Seifert (1989-1996)
- Steve Mariucci (1997-2002)
- Dennis Erickson (2003-2004)
- Mike Nolan (2005-present)
Current Coaching Staff
Head Coach
- Mike Nolan
- Robert Talley - Special Assistant to the Head Coach
Offensive Coaches
- Norv Turner - Offensive Coordinator
- Jim Hostler - Quarterbacks
- George Warhop - Offensive Line
- Bishop Harris - Running Backs
- Jerry Sullivan - Wide Receivers / Senior Assistant
- Pete Hoener - Tight Ends
Defensive Coaches
- Billy Davis - Defensive Coordinator
- A.J. Christoff - Secondary Coordinator
- Mike Singletary - Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers
- Gary Emanuel - Defensive Line
- Duane Carlisle - Assistant Strength & Conditioning
- Vance Joseph - Secondary Assistant
- Jason Tarver - Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers
Special Teams Coaches
- Larry Mac Duff - Special Teams Coordinator
- Jeff Rodgers - Assistant Special Teams
Conditioning Coaches
- Johnny Parker - Strength & Conditioning
- Todd Lazenby - Head Athletic Trainer
- Jeff Tanaka - Assistant Athletic Trainer
- Manny Rivera - Asst. Athletic Trainer
Equipment Managers
- Steve Urbaniak - Equipment Manager
- Doc Dressler - Assistant Equipment Manager
- Taylor Hanohano - Equipment Assistant
- Jason Fery - Equipment Assistant
Personnel
- Scot McCloughan - Vice President of Player Personnel
- Tom Gamble - Director of Pro Personnel
- David McCloughan - Director of College Scouting
- Trent Baalke - Area Scout
- Roylin Bradley - Area Scout
- Todd Brunner - Area Scout
- Justin Chabot - Area Scout
- Oscar Lofton - Area Scout
- Matt Malaspina - Area Scout
- Mike Williams - Assistant Director of Pro Personnel
- Ethan Waugh - Player Personnel Assistant