Walt Downing Walt Downing ( born June 11 , 1956 ) is a former American football player . He played professional football as an offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1983 . He played for Bill Walsh and was a member of the 1981 San Francisco 49ers team that won the franchise ' s first Super Bowl . He also played for the Denver Gold in the USFL . Downing played college football for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1975 to 1977 . He was a co - captain of the 1977 Michigan Wolverines football team and was selected that year as a first - team All - American . Early years . Downing grew up in Coatesville , Pennsylvania . He attended Coatesville High School , where he was a member of the football , wrestling and track teams . He played on the offensive line and at linebacker for the football team and was selected as a Prep All - American . In track , he threw the shot put and discus . He also won the 1972 Pennsylvania sectional championship as a heavyweight in wrestling . He graduated with academic honors in 1974 . Michigan . Downing accepted a scholarship to play football for Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan . He was a starting offensive lineman in 36 consecutive games for Michigan from 1975 to 1977 , playing for teams that finished in the top ten of the AP and UPI poll s each year and played in an Orange Bowl and two Rose Bowls . As a sophomore in 1975 , he was a starter at the guard position in all 12 games played by the 1975 Michigan team . The 1975 team played in the 1976 Orange Bowl and finished the season ranked No . 8 in the AP and UPI polls . As a junior , Downing was the starting center in all 12 games played by the 1976 Michigan team that won the Big Ten Conference championship , advanced to the 1977 Rose Bowl , and finished the season ranked No . 3 in both the AP and UPI Polls . He was selected as a first - team All - Big Ten Conference center after the 1976 season . As a senior , Downing was a co - captain of the 1977 Michigan team . For the second consecutive season , he was the starting center in all 12 games played by the Michigan team . The team won Michigan ' s second consecutive conference championship , played in the 1978 Rose Bowl , and finished the season ranked No . 9 and No . 8 in the AP and UPI Polls . He was a starter on Michigan ' s 1975 and 1976 offensive line s that produced two games in which Michigan had three rushers accumulate 100 yards . At the end of the 1977 season , Downing was selected as a first - team All - American by UPI , " The Sporting News " , the American Football Coaches Association , Kodak , and Playboy . Downing was the seventh Michigan center to be selected as a first - team All - American . Walt Downing He was also named the best collegiate offensive lineman by the Touchdown Club of Columbus , Ohio . Professional football . Downing was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round ( 47th overall pick ) of the 1978 NFL Draft . He signed a contract with the 49ers in June 1978 . As a rookie in 1978 , Downing was a starter in 15 of 16 regular season games for the 49ers . He was named to the UPI ' s NFL All - Rookie team at the end of the 1978 season . Although he lost his role as a starter in 1979 , he appeared in all 16 games for the 49ers during the 1980 season . In 1981 , he was a member of the 49ers team that defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI . Downing played six seasons and appeared in 83 games for the 49ers from 1978 to 1983 . In May 1984 , the 49ers traded Downing to the San Diego Chargers in exchanged for a 1985 draft pick . He opted instead to play in the USFL for the Denver Gold . Later years . After retiring from football , Downing moved to Massillon , Ohio . As of 2009 and 2011 , he was employed as vice president of sales for Green Lines Transportation , a trucking company in Malvern , Ohio . Downing ' s son T . J . Downing played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2004 to 2006 . In 2011 , Downing was inducted into the Chester County Sports Hall of Fame . He had previously been inducted into the Coatesville Hall of Fame and the Coatesville High School Athletic Hall of Fame .