History of the San Francisco 49ers This article details the history of the San Francisco 49ers American Football Club . The San Francisco 49ers were the first major league professional sports franchise to be based in San Francisco , and one of the first professional sports teams based on the West Coast of the United States . The 49ers have won five NFL championships – all Super Bowls . They were the first team to win five Super Bowls ( Super Bowls XVI , XIX , XXIII , XXIV , and XXIX ) and are the only team to compete in more than one Super Bowl - and win every Super Bowl they ' ve played in . They 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 ( They did not even win a division title until 1970 ) . During the 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 . Franchise history . The early years ( 1946 — 1978 ) . 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 , as they were the AAFC ' s two most successful and profitable franchises . The team ' s name came from the California Gold Rush gold - seekers who came 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 ; however , a move to Santa Clara , California is currently being considered . The 49ers ' first game as a member of the NFL was a home match with the New York Yanks on September 17 , 1950 . San Francisco lost 21 - 17 . Unlike the Cleveland Browns , who won the championship that year , the 49ers struggled in the NFL , finishing the 1950 season 3 - 9 . In 1951 , they would do much better , with a 7 - 4 - 1 season and nearly reaching the championship game . The 1952 season saw seven wins and five losses . With a 9 - 3 record , San Francisco had its best season yet in 1953 , but a loss to the Lions kept them from the championship match . Injuries in 1954 caused a 7 - 4 - 1 finish . More injuries ( notably to RB Hugh McElhenny ) caused the 49ers to fall to a losing 4 - 8 the following year . With former QB Frankie Albert taking over as head coach in 1956 , the team went 5 - 6 - 1 . In 1957 , the 49ers would enjoy 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 . 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 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 . On Nov . 3 , 1957 , the 49ers hosted the Detroit Lions , a game which has gone down in local lore as featuring arguably the greatest pass play ( along with Dwight Clark ' s " The Catch " in 1981 ) . With 10 seconds remaining , 49ers ball on the Lions 41 , Detroit leading 31 — 28 , Y . A . Tittle threw a desperation pass into the end zone , right into the arms of high - leaping R . C . Owens . The play became famously known as the " Alley Oop " . Ironically , the two men covering Owens would later become 49ers coaches : Jack Christiansen ( Head Coach ) , and Jim David . The 49ers would end that season with three straight victories and an 8 — 4 record , tying the Detroit Lions for the NFL Western Division title , 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 27 — 7 . The Lions , led by quarterback Tobin Rote , who earlier in the season had replaced an injured Bobby Layne , would mount one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history and 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 wound up beating the Browns 59 — 14 . For most of the next thirteen years the 49ers would be an average team . Frankie Albert resigned as HC after a 6 - 6 1958 season , and was replaced by Red Hickey . He led them to a 7 - 5 campaign in 1959 , and again in 1960 . 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 . 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 go only 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 . The 49ers had a frustrating season as they won only 6 games that year . They won only 1 game at Kezar Stadium while on the road they won 5 of 7 games ( the NFL expanded to a 14 - game season that year ) . After posting losing records for the next three years ( 6 - 8 , 2 - 12 , and 4 - 10 in 1962 - 1964 ) , 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 . The 1966 team had six wins , six losses , and two ties . One of those wins was over the eventual champion Packers . Coach Jack Christiansen was fired after a 7 - 7 1967 season which saw the team go on a six - game losing streak . Louis " Lou " Spadia , was the General Manager of the 49er ' s ; for the Morobito widows during the worst times of the team . 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 . 1970 — 72 . 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 30 - 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 championship , 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 what would be 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 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 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 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 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 failed to make the playoffs for the next eight seasons . 1973 — 78 . 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 ( 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 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 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 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 . 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 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 , which would be his final year with the 49ers . The 1977 off - season was marked by a number of questionable moves by Joe Thomas that backfired badly . Thomas ' s big off - season 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 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 Gene Washington and Jim Plunkett , giving up on the quarterback 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 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 . Even worse for the franchise was that the first pick of the 1979 draft that they would have had was traded to the Bills as part of the O . J . Simpson deal . Thomas was fired following the season . 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 . The Montana and Jerry Rice era ( 1979 — 1992 ) . 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 ' , 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 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 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 . 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 , 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 . 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 . 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 : ' The Catch ' and first Super Bowl championship . With the offense in good shape , Walsh and the 49ers focused on overhauling the defense in 1981 . Walsh took the highly unusual step of overhauling his entire secondary with rookies and untested players , bringing on board Ronnie Lott , Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson and giving Dwight Hicks a prominent role . He also acquired veteran linebacker Jack " Hacksaw " Reynolds and veteran defensive lineman and sack specialist Fred Dean . These new additions , when added to existing defensive mainstays like Keena Turner , turned the 49ers into a dominant team . After a 1 - 2 start , the 49ers won all but one of their final games to finish with a 13 - 3 record which was the best in the team ' s history at that point . Dean made the Pro Bowl , as did Lott , in his rookie season , and Hicks . Led by Montana , the unusual offense was centered 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 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 was not 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 the Cowboys forced turnovers and held the lead late . Unlike the playoff games of the ' 70s , this would end differently . In a scenario not unlike the 1972 divisional playoff , the 49ers were down 27 - 21 and on their own 11 yard line with 4 : 54 remaining . As Montana had done for Notre Dame and the 49ers so many times before , he led the 49ers on a sustained drive to the Cowboys ' 6 - yard line . On a 3rd - and - 3 play , with his primary receiver covered , Montana rolled right and threw the ball off balance to Dwight Clark in the end zone , who leaped up and caught the ball to tie the game at 27 , with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead . " The Catch " , as the play has since been named by sportscasters , reminded older 49er fans of the " Alley - oop " passes that Y . A . Tittle threw to lanky receiver R . C . Owens back in the 1950s . A picture of Clark ' s leap in the air appeared on the cover of that week ' s " Sports Illustrated " and was also featured in an autumn 2005 commercial for Gatorade . Despite this , the Cowboys had one last chance to win . And indeed , on the first play of the next possession , Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson caught a pass from Danny White and got to midfield before he was pulled down by the jersey at the 49ers 44 yard line by Cornerback Eric Wright . Had Pearson not have been jersey - tackled , there was a good chance he would have scored a touchdown , as there were no 49ers downfield . On the next play , White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled the ball , which was recovered by Jim Stuckey , giving the 49ers the win and a trip to their first ever Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals , who were also in their first Super Bowl . The 49ers would take a 20 - 0 halftime lead and hold on to win Super Bowl XVI 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 . Montana ' s success in the playoffs , and his success in leading the 49ers on big comebacks , made him one of the biggest stars in the NFL , and arguably the best quarterback ever to play the game . 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 toughest of situations . 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 proficient in all aspects of the game , featuring a dominant defense ( always in the offense ' s shadow ) and a fast - scoring passing attack ( with wide - receivers Jerry Rice and John Taylor ) . 1982 — 83 . The 1982 season was a bad one for the 49ers , as they lost all five games at Candlestick Park en route to a 3 - 6 record in a strike - shortened season . Joe Montana was the one highlight , passing for 2 , 613 yards in just nine games , highlighted by five straight games in which he broke the 300 - yard barrier . In 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 would lead 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 24 — 21 on a Mark Moseley field goal , set up by two controversial pass interference and holding penalties against the 49ers secondary . Washington ' s win 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 , setting the record for most regular season wins that was later equaled by the 1985 Chicago Bears , the 1998 Minnesota Vikings , and the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers , and finally broken by the 2007 New England Patriots . In the playoffs , they beat the New York Giants 21 - 10 , shut out the Chicago Bears 23 - 0 in the NFC Championship , and in Super Bowl XIX the 49ers shut down a record - setting year by NFL MVP Dan Marino ( and his speedy receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper ) , beating the Miami Dolphins 38 - 16 . Their entire defensive backfield ( Ronnie Lott , Eric Wright , Dwight Hicks , and Carlton Williamson ) was elected to the Pro Bowl — an NFL first . Their overall record of 18 - 1 including playoffs is also an NFL record ( tied by Chicago in 1985 and New England in 2007 ) . During the 1984 season , fourteen 49ers players came together to record a 45 pop single entitled " We ' re the 49ers . " The song , released as a 45 - RPM single on Megatone Records , was produced and co - written by Narada Michael Walden . It mixed elements of R & B , funk , and pop . Prominent 49ers who provided vocals include Roger Craig , Dwight Clark and Ronnie Lott ( Joe Montana is noticeably absent , although he would join Lott , Clark and Riki Ellison to provide background vocals for the San Francisco band Huey Lewis and the News on two tracks from their 1986 album " Fore ! " ) . While achieving some local airplay in San Francisco on radio stations like KMEL , it did not catch on nationally the way the Bears ' Super Bowl Shuffle would a year later . In the 1985 season , Roger Craig became the first NFL player to gain 1 , 000 yards rushing and 1 , 000 yards receiving in the same season . The 49ers were not as dominant as in 1984 , however , and they settled for a 10 - 6 record , a wild card berth and a quick elimination from the playoffs when the New York Giants beat them 17 - 3 . In addition , 1985 marked the appearance of newly acquired rookie Jerry Rice who would continue with the 49ers throughout the 1990s . When the 1986 season began , the 49ers were off and running with a 31 - 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening day . But the win was costly ; Joe Montana injured his back and was out for two months . Jeff Kemp became the starting quarterback , and the 49ers went 4 - 3 - 1 in September and October . Upon Montana ' s return , the 49ers caught fire , winning 5 of the last 7 games , including a 24 - 14 win over the Los Angeles Rams , to clinch the NFC West title . However , the New York Giants defeated them again in the playoffs , 49 - 3 . Montana was injured in the first half by a hit from the Giants ' Jim Burt . During the strike - shortened 1987 season , the 49ers led the league with a 13 - 2 record but fell in their first playoff game to the Minnesota Vikings , 36 - 24 — the third year in a row they lost in the first round . The loss to the Vikings was a stunning upset considering the 49ers that year were ranked # 1 on both offense and defense , making them the odds - on favorite to go to the Super Bowl . Note that 1987 marked the first of six seasons when the 49ers had two Hall of Fame quarterbacks on the roster : from 1987 through 1992 , Montana ' s backup ( and frequent replacement ) was Steve Young . 1988 — 89 . 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 , eventually finishing the season at 10 - 6 . They gained a measure of revenge by thrashing the Minnesota Vikings 34 - 9 in the first round . The 49ers then traveled to Chicago ' s Soldier Field , where the chill factor at game - time was 26 degrees below zero . They defeated the Chicago Bears 28 - 3 in an NFC Championship game upset . The win over the Bears gave the 49ers their third trip to the Super Bowl : Super Bowl XXIII , in Miami . However , the game was tied 3 - 3 at halftime , the 49ers having missed a few scoring opportunities . A late Cincinnati field goal seemed to seal the victory , but they left too much time for Joe Montana to work his magic . He drove the team 92 yards for the winning touchdown on a pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left . Final score : 20 - 16 49ers . The following year , coach Bill Walsh retired , and his defensive coordinator and handpicked successor , George Seifert , took over head coaching duties . The 49ers then steamrolled through the league to finish 14 - 2 and gain home - field advantage throughout the playoffs . Their two losses were by a combined 5 points . In the first round , they crushed the Vikings , 41 — 13 . In the NFC Championship game , they blew out the Los Angeles Rams 30 - 3 before crushing the Denver Broncos 55 - 10 in Super Bowl XXIV - setting a record for points scored and widest margin of victory in a Super Bowl , amongst others . Montana himself set many Super Bowl records ( some since tied or surpassed ) en route to his third Super Bowl MVP . In winning the Super Bowl , the 49ers became the only team to win back - to - back Super Bowls under different head coaches . This 1989 championship squad is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams ever , winning all three playoff games by a combined 100 points . 1990 — 92 . 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 4th 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 then missed the following two seasons with a recurring elbow injury . Following the 1990 season , the 49ers left team stalwarts Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott unprotected and let them go to the Los Angeles Raiders via Plan B free agency . In 1991 , Steve Young injured the thumb on his throwing hand and later was sidelined with an injured knee . After 10 games , the 49ers had a record of 4 - 6 . Backup quarterback Steve Bono helped the team win five of its next six games with Young sidelined . In the final game of the season , Monday Night versus the NFC ' s # 2 seed , Young returned and the 49ers embarrassed the Chicago Bears 52 - 14 , finishing 10 - 6 . However , the team missed qualifying for the playoffs by virtue of losing tiebreakers to the Atlanta Falcons . The 1992 and 1993 seasons saw a resurgent 49er team under the leadership of Steve Young , but a sub - par defense could only take them to the NFC Championship game before falling to the Dallas Cowboys each time . Young in , Montana out ( 1992 — 99 ) . 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 . By the end of the season , partly fueled by media hype , perhaps the biggest quarterback controversy in football history was in full swing . After discussions with the owner and the coach , and after owner Eddie DeBartolo announced that quarterback Steve Young would the 49ers starter for the 1993 season , Montana asked for and was granted a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 1993 season . 1994 : Fifth Super Bowl . In 1994 , the team spent large amounts of money on the addition of several star free agents from other teams , including Ken Norton , Jr . , Gary Plummer , Rickey Jackson , and Deion Sanders . Additionally , several rookie players made key contributions to the team , some becoming season - long starters such as defensive tackle Bryant Young , fullback William Floyd , and linebacker Lee Woodall . The 49ers had some tough times early in the season , including a 40 - 8 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles , and a 24 - 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs , led by former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana . Following the Eagles game , a poll conducted on local sports radio station KNBR showed that an overwhelming majority of 49er fans wanted head coach George Seifert fired . The game against the Eagles was a turning point for the 49ers despite the lopsided score . Young was benched in the 3rd quarter and was later seen livid on the sidelines , shouting profanities at head coach George Seifert . The following week in Detroit , the 49ers trailed the Lions 14 - 0 . After throwing a pass , Young was hit , picked up , and driven into the ground by three Lions defenders . After the hit , Young was screaming with his face dark red in color . He crawled most of the way off 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 . Even after those initial rough spots early in the season , the 49ers finished the season 13 — 3 and with home - field advantage throughout the playoffs . In their first game , they easily defeated the Chicago Bears , 44 - 15 , setting up the third straight 49ers - Cowboys NFC Championship Game . The 49ers took advantage of three early Cowboys turnovers , taking a 21 - 0 lead in the first quarter . From that point on , the game was more competitive , but the 49ers held on for a 38 - 28 victory after Dallas scored a late touchdown , qualifying them for their fifth Super Bowl , and the first to be played by two teams from California . The 49ers steamrolled the San Diego Chargers , becoming the first team to win a record five Super Bowls . With a record 6 touchdown passes , Steve Young was named the game ' s MVP . Their run of 5 Super Bowl wins in 14 seasons ( 1981 – 1994 ) solidified them as one of the all time greatest NFL teams . 1995 — 99 . The 49ers made the playoffs in 1995 , 1996 , and 1997 , being eliminated each season by the Green Bay Packers , including a 23 - 10 loss at Candlestick in the 1997 NFC Championship game . In 1998 , Steve Young led the 49ers to a 12 - 4 record and their 16th straight winning season , all with 10 wins or more . Once again , the 49ers faced the Green Bay Packers in a thrilling NFC Wild Card game that went back and forth for its duration . Things looked bleak when the 49ers trailed 27 - 23 in the waning seconds . However , in one last moment of glory , Young hit Terrell Owens on a dramatic , game - winning 25 - yard touchdown pass that put the Niners ahead at 30 - 27 with 0 : 03 left on the game clock . But the 49ers would go on to lose 20 - 18 in the divisional round to the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons . Going downhill ( 1999 – present ) . 2002 – 04 seasons : Last gasps of glory . In the late 1990s , Eddie DeBartolo , Jr . was involved in a corruption investigation regarding Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and one of his Mississippi riverboat casino s . 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 . 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 is now chairwoman of the board , while John York is CEO . On the field , the 1999 version of the 49ers got off to a 3 - 1 start , then in a nationally televised " Monday Night Football " game against the Arizona Cardinals , Steve Young suffered a blindside hit from cornerback Aeneas Williams that would eventually force him to retire . Without their future Hall of Famer , 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 . In 2002 , they produced the second - greatest comeback in 49er playoff history when Jeff Garcia lead the team back from a 24 - point deficit to win 39 - 38 against the New York Giants . They lost their subsequent game to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers . This would be , to date , the last postseason 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 by John York , despite a winning record . York has since said he made the correct decision to fire Mariucci , but could have handled it better ; for instance , he admitted he should have made the announcement himself rather than hand that responsibility to general manager Terry Donahue . The replacement , former Seattle Seahawks and Oregon State head coach Dennis Erickson was signed to a five - year contract . The hiring of Erickson was highly criticized by the fans and the media . During the coaching search , three defensive coordinator s emerged as candidates for the job , but the offensive - minded Erickson was chosen despite the fact that Erickson ' s offensive philosophy was very different from the West Coast Offense . 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 . The 2003 season also marked the end for volatile wide receiver Terrell Owens with the San Francisco 49ers . Owens scored 85 touchdowns in 8 seasons for the 49ers , including 4 in the playoffs . But his on and off - field antics lead to the 49ers trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles during the off - 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 prior 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 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 1970s . 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 . 2005 season : Embarrassment and tragedy . 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 - American s , lesbian s , 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 preseason loss to the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field . 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 , ending the season with a 4 - 12 record . They ended the season on a high note with two consecutive wins ; their first two game winning streak since 2003 . Also , they swept their division arch - rival , the St . Louis Rams for the first time since 1998 . 2006 . The 49ers finished the 2006 regular season with a 7 – 9 record and 3rd in the NFC West , their fourth consecutive losing season . The team displayed vast improvement , however . The most impressive victory of the season came in the last week vs . the Denver Broncos . The 49ers managed to come back from a 13 – 0 deficit and knock Denver out of the playoffs in an OT win ( 26 - 23 ) . They also defeated division rival , and defending NFC Champion , Seattle Seahawks in both meetings on the season . At the beginning of the 2006 season , the team made perhaps their most important decision , awarding the top running back spot to second year veteran Frank Gore from 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 as a starter . 2007 . Before the beginning of the 2007 season , former coach Bill Walsh died of complications from leukemia . In the off - season , Cornerback Nate Clements was signed as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills . Clement ' s contract was worth $ 80 million for 8 years , the largest contract given to a defensive player in NFL history at the time . The 49ers started 2 - 0 , winning their first two games against the Arizona Cardinals and the St . Louis Rams . This marked the first time the 49ers started 2 - 0 since 1998 . In the fourth game of the season , against the Seattle Seahawks , QB Alex Smith suffered a separated shoulder on the third play of the game , an injury that would severely hamper his play and ultimately lead to an early end to his 2008 campaign after having shoulder surgery . Chiefly due to QB Trent Dilfer ' s struggles and Alex Smith ' s injury , the 49ers lost 8 straight games from week 3 through week 12 , ending the year with a disappointing 5 - 11 record . 2007 - 08 off - season and end of the Nolan era . In the off - season , the 49ers signed QB Shaun Hill to a three - year deal and QB J . T . O ' Sullivan to a one - year contract , they also signed Isaac Bruce to a two - year contract . That raised questions 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 , Hill , and O ' Sullivan would run through the first two preseason games of 2008 , with the hope of naming a starter soon after . O ' Sullivan was named the 49ers starter after performing better than Smith or Hill in the first three preseason games . After the first 9 games of the 2008 NFL season , the San Francisco 49ers are 2 - 7 ( as of November 10 , 2008 ) , tied for 2nd in the NFC West . The Mike Singletary era . On the night of October 20 , 2008 , Head Coach Mike Nolan was fired and assistant head coach Mike Singletary , a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears , was named Nolan ' s successor . Despite positive signs in the improvement of the offense from the 2007 season , there have been too many turnovers , and the defense has not lived up to its potential causing the need for change . On December 28 , the 49ers , through GM Scot McCloughan , announced that Singletary would be retained as head coach for the 2009 season ; the team won five of its final seven games and went 5 – 4 overall under Singletary after Nolan ' s dismissal . Singletary proved to be a fan favorite after a memorable post game interview . On October 27 Mike Singletary said of their loss with him as head coach : " But 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 . " . The 49ers won their final game of the season , a 27 - 24 win at home over the Washington Redskins , to end their campaign with a final record of 7 wins and 9 losses . During the locker room announcement , Singletary stated that a four - year contract would be negotiated . It was unclear as to whether or not Martz would be retained as offensive coordinator and Martz was fired only days after the conclusion of the 2008 season . Also on December 28 , the 49ers announced that Jed York , oldest son of John and Denise DeBartolo York ( and nephew of former team owner Edward DeBartolo Jr . ) , was promoted to team president from his previous post of Vice President of Strategic Planning , and would assume responsibility for all day - to - day team operations , with GM Scot McCloughan and other top staff reporting directly to him . The elder Yorks will assume the roles of co - chairmen , and will continue to represent the organization in various official ways with the NFL . The Michael Crabtree saga . On April 25 , 2009 , the 49ers selected Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft . This was the first and last pick of the first day of the draft for the 49ers . After selecting Crabtree , they traded their next and only other first day pick along with a 4th round pick to the Carolina Panthers . From this trade they received a first round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft . Other selections for the 49ers included Glen Coffee , Scott McKillop , Nate Davis , Bear Pascoe , Curtis Taylor , and Ricky Jean - Francois . On May 19 , 2009 Walt Harris tore his ACL during Organized Team Activities , forcing the 49ers to quickly sign former Ram , Lion and Bronco CB Dre Bly who can be viewed as a Pro Bowl replacement for the lost Pro Bowler . Although 49er rookies , quarterbacks and selected veterans were expected to report to training camp on July 28 , 2009 , Crabtree was a no show . He failed to report because he had yet to sign a contract and even several days later his agent , Eugene Parker , still had not reached a contract agreement with the team . Crabtree became the first 49er rookie to be a no show at training camp since 2005 . Sources close to Crabtree indicated that he was prepared to sit out the 2009 - 2010 NFL season and re - enter the 2010 NFL Draft . However , Crabtree ' s agent , Eugene Parker , went on record to state that he never threatened the 49ers with the possibility of Crabtree sitting out the season and reentering the draft . On August 30 , 2009 , Crabtree became the very last holdout and unsigned draft pick from the 2009 NFL draft when Andre Smith , the 6th overall pick , signed with the Bengals . That day was also the 32nd day of Crabtree ' s holdout , and only 10 days short of the all time long holdout for any 49er rookie in the franchise ' s history . Beat reporter Matt Maiocco had reported rumors that the signing could have happened around Labor Day , but that did not occur as the sides remained at a complete impasse . Over Labor Day weekend Deion Sanders , an NFL reporter and Crabtree counselor , stated on the NFL Total Access show that Crabtree was indeed willing to sit out the entire season . Sanders also claimed that the rookie receiver was not in " dire need " of money at that time . By September 9 , 2009 , Crabtree set a San Francisco 49ers record by becoming the longest rookie holdout in franchise history . The last first round draft pick to holdout for an entire season was quarterback Kelly Stouffer in 1987 when he refused to sign with the Cardinals . Stouffer was eventually traded in April 1988 to the Seahawks for three draft picks , including a first pick in the 1989 draft . The 49ers would have had the option to trade the rights to Crabtree only after March 1 , 2010 , and up until the next draft . If a team were to trade for the rights , that team would not be able to sign such a player before the 2010 NFL Draft . If he was not signed by the 49ers and then traded to another team , his contract would have then counted against " that " team ' s 2010 rookie pool . On September 21 , 2009 , the 49ers filed charges against the New York Jets for attempting to tamper with their negotiations with Crabtree . The 49ers may believe the Jets contacted Crabtree ' s agent to let him know they ' d be interested in trading for his rights , or in drafting him in 2010 with a better salary than the 49ers were offering . The 49ers had until November 17 to sign Crabtree or he wouldn ' t be allowed to play in the 2009 season along with it being considered a non - accrued season for contract purposes . On October 7 , 2009 , ESPN reported that Crabtree and the 49ers had agreed to a six - year contract . ESPN ' s Adam Schefter reported the deal would be worth $ 32 million , with $ 17 million guaranteed , $ 8 million more than offered by the team in August 2009 , but also a year longer . On October 25 , 2009 , Crabtree made his first career NFL start against the Houston Texans . The 49ers had a comparatively unremarkable season in 2009 , finishing 8 - 8 and second in the NFC West , although they defeated the defending NFC champion Cardinals twice ; on the season opener and in Week 14 on Monday Night Football . In Week 15 , they lost 27 - 13 to the Eagles , which completely eliminated them from playoff contention . The final two games were easy wins over Detroit and St . Louis . On the bright side , the 49ers finished at . 500 for the first time since 2002 . Optimistic predictions for 2010 were not born out when the team started 2010 0 - 4 after losses to Seattle , New Orleans , Kansas City , and Atlanta . In Week 5 , they hosted the Eagles where bad performance by the team led to an unprecedented booing of Alex Smith by 49ers fans . Despite nearly being benched , he came back and began playing better , but it still wasn ' t enough and Philadelphia walked away with a 27 - 24 win . The 49ers finally won in Week 6 by hosting Oakland in the " Battle of the Bay " . Alex Smith threw two TD passes to lead San Francisco to a 17 - 9 victory . After giving the winless Panthers a victory in Week 7 , the team headed to London for an international game with Denver , which they won 24 - 16 . After this , they beat St . Louis in overtime 23 - 20 and then suffered a home shutout ( 21 - 0 ) for the first time since 1977 while playing Tampa Bay . Next , they beat the Cardinals 27 - 6 on MNF before losing to Green Bay 34 - 16 . Despite having only won four games , San Francisco ' s chances of winning their weak division remained alive and remained so after beating Seattle 41 - 30 in Week 15 . However , the next week saw them blown out in San Diego 34 - 7 . Another defeat in St . Louis finally removed San Francisco from playoff contention and Mike Singletary was fired after that game . With Jim Tomsula as interim coach , the team won a meaningless season ender against Arizona to end 2010 with a final record of 6 - 10 . In February 2011 , Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh ( the brother of Ravens coach John Harbaugh ) was hired as head coach .