49ers Clubhouse - 49ers History

1940's

The team begins play in the inaugural All-American Football Conference, a rival league of the NFL. Tony Morabito, a trucking executive from San Francisco who had unsuccesfully petitioned the NFL for an S.F. franchise, is the team's owner, along with two partners from his trucking business. The nickname 49ers is chosen to symbolize the tough pioneers (called forty-niners) who took part in the 1849 California gold rush. The team's original logo depicted a prospector firing two pistols.

To coach the team, Morabito picks Buck Shaw, who has led Santa Clara University to national prominence. Morabito then recruits players with Bay Area ties. Had it not been for the Brown's who won four championships and lost only four games in the league's four years of operation, the 49ers would have been the AAFC's dominant team. Their cumulative record was an excellent 39-15-2. They handed the Browns two of their four defeats but finished second each year. Even in attendance, the 49ers were second best in the AAFC next to Cleveland.

1950's

When the 49ers moved to the NFL in 1950 following the colapse of the AAFC, their original management team co-owners Anthony J. Morabito and Victor P. Morabito and general manager Louis Spadia remained intact.The 49ers in the 1950's boasted of some of the game's great individual stars quarterbacks Frankie Albert and Y.A. Tittle, running backs Hugh McElhenny, Joe Perry and John Henry Johnson, tackle Bob St. Clair and defensive tackle Leo Nomellini. But the closest they came to a championship in their first two decades of NFL play was in 1957.

Every game was a "cliffhanger" and the "Alley-Oop" pass from QB Y.A.Tittle to rookie HB R.C. Owens became a household byword. Emotions reached a peak when the beloved Tony Morabito collapsed and died of a heart attack at the Chicago Bears game on Oct. 27. Trailing 17-7, the 49ers fought back for a great victory, 21-17. The magnificent E Billy Wilson caught a pass from Tittle for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. Tied with Detroit at 8-4 when the season ended, the 49ers lost the playoff game, 31-27, after holding a 27-7 lead in the third quarter.

1960's

The 1960s were the least successful decade in 49ers history. Not once did the team break into the postseason. Yet the decade was not without its memorable faces and moments. In 1960 Howard W. (Red) Hickey saved a seemingly hopeless season when he installed his "shotgun attack". The Success of Howard W. Hickey's shotgun amazed the football world, especially a 49-0 victory over Detroit. John Brodie took over as 49ers quarterback in 1961, after Tittle was traded to the New York Giants in the offseason.

The 49ers finished the 1962 season, for the first time since 1956, with more defeats than victories. In so doing, the honored adage of "it's easier to win at home than on the road," proved false - the 49ers won only one of seven at Kezar Stadium, but captured five of seven road contests. During the 1964 season, owner Victor Morabito died of a heart attack, just like his older brother, Tony, seven years earlier. The wives of Victor and Tony Morabito, who retained control of the team, hired Lou Spadia as team president.

In 1965 Outstanding offensive performances enabled the 49ers to jump from the bottom to fourth place in the Western Division as the team led the NFL in both scoring and total offense. QB John Brodie was the most productive passer in the NFL. In the 1967 season An auspicious start (5-1) disintegrated into disappointment for the 49ers as injuries took a heavy toll and a six game losing streak took them out of the running. In 1969 beset by injuries that nearly decimated the defensive unit, the 49ers struggled through the early part of the season. They went winless in their first five games before beating Baltimore, the first time they had beaten the Colts in 13 previous games.

1970's

The 1970 was the greatest year since the club became a member of the NFL in 1950. The team recorded a 10-3 record and captured the Western Division (NFC) Championship. In a season of superlatives, QB John Brodie was the NFL's "Player of the Year," CB Bruce Taylor was NFC "Rookie of the Year," Coach Dick Nolan was a near-unanimous choice as NFC "Coach of the Year." San Francisco flirted with success in 1970, 1971 and 1972, when the 49ers won three straight NFC Western Division titles. Every year they were eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys, in the NFC Championship games 1970, 1971 and in the first playoff round in 1972. In 1971, the 49ers moved their home games from antiquated Kezar Stadium to 68,491-seat Candlestick Park, where they play today. 1973 marked the end of the brilliant careers of QB John Brodie and DT Charlie Krueger, both of which retired at year's end.

A bright new era dawned for the 49ers on March 31, 1977, when Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. became the new team owner. DeBartolo hired Joe Thomas as general manager, and Clark and Thomas had a falling out, so Clark resigned after just one season. With Ken Meyer coaching, the 49ers stumbled through five straight losses to open the season and finished the year 5-9. The next season, Thomas fired Meyer and the entire coaching staff. Pete McCulley was brought in, and other changes were made: After the 49ers started the 1978 season 1-8, McCulley was fired and Fred O'Connor was named coach. Nothing changed. The team finished the season 2-14.

The next year saw even more upheaval: DeBartolo fired Thomas and O'Connor and brought in Bill Walsh from Stanford to be coach and GM. In his first college draft, Walsh choose Joe Montana and Dwight Clark. Neither played much his rookie year, and Walsh finished the 1979 season with a 2-14 record - the same mark that got O'Connor fired - but Walsh effectively turned the offense around, with DeBerg setting new NFL marks in pass attempts (578) and completions (347).

1980's

Clark would emerge as the team's leading wide receiver. In the college draft, Walsh selected defensive backs Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson. All three became starters. Trades for Jack ``Hacksaw'' Reynolds and (in midseason) Fred Dean solidified a defense that quickly became one of the best in the NFL. On offense, Joe Montana was the newly entrenched quarterback, and Randy Cross helped anchor the offensive line.
Week 14 in the 1980 season was a day when the 49ers made NFL history. That December 7, in Candlestick Park, the 49ers overcame a 35-7 halftime deficit against the New Orleans Saints to win in overtime, 38-35. The 28 point comeback was the biggest comeback in NFL history.

In the 1981 season the 49ers won seven straight games, then finished the season with five more wins. The 49ers won their first playoff game, then came the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick against the Cowboys. "The Catch'' was the signature play from the 49ers' 1981 season, more satisfying perhaps than any other moment, though the win against the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI produced a treasure of memorable plays. Perhaps the most important: the 49ers' defense, led by Dan Bunz, stopped the Bengals on four straight plays near the goal line toward the end of the third period. The goal-line stand helped send the 49ers to their 26-21 victory. The 49ers won 15 of their last 16 games, beat five opponents twice - including all three postseason foes - and became the first team since Chicago since in 1945-46-47 to go from the worst NFL record (2-14 in 1979) to the league's best (13-3 in '81) in just three seasons. All this happened with three rookies (S Carlton Williamson, CB Eric Wright and Lott) starting in the defensive secondary. Those three rookies, along with Montana, Clark, Cross, WR Freddie Solomon, and Hicks, combined with "old veterans" Dean and LB Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds formed a nucleus of world championship vintage.

In 1983 draft to balance Montana's passing adroitness, Walsh drafted fullback Roger Craig and traded for halfback Wendell Tyler of the Rams. Walsh had another great draft in 1984, getting linebacker Todd Shell, tight end John Frank, guard Guy McIntyre and safety Jeff Fuller. Randy Cross, Keith Fahnhorst and Fred Quillan would have All-Pro years, as would the entire secondary. The 49ers experienced the most successful regular season in NFL history by winning a league record 15 games, including all eight road contests - setting yet another NFL standard. The Niners broke 14 team records in '84, while becoming the first NFC team to sweep all of its conference games, and the first NFC West unit to win all contests within the division. They raced through the playoffs, climaxed by their 38-16 drubbing of Miami in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford. Montana set Super Bowl records for passing and rushing by a quarterback and was named MVP.

Walsh picked Jerry Rice in the draft before the 1985 season, but it was Roger Craig who was the team's focus that year. Craig rushed for 1,050 yards and had 1,106 receiving yards -- the first player in NFL history to gain 1,000 yards both ways.
In 1986, Walsh landed Tom Rathman, Tim McKyer, John Taylor, Charles Haley, Kevin Fagan, Steve Wallace and Don Griffin -- secured the 49ers' future. Plus Jerry Rice was emerging as the NFL's biggest receiving star, he paced the NFL with 1570 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Those marks established club standards in addition to Rice's team-record 16 total scores.

Before the 1988 season, Walsh said there would be open competition for the quarterback job between Montana and backup Steve Young. Montana won the job, though Young played when Montana was injured and sparked the team with his running and passing. At the end of the 1988 season, though, it was Montana who was leading the team to the division title and three straight playoff wins that culminated in a dramatic 20-16 victory against Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII. The Bengals had taken a 16-13 lead with just 3:20 left. Starting from his own 8-yard line, Montana drove the 49ers 92 yards in 11 plays. Winning their third Super Bowl of the decade the 49ers gained the right to be called "Team of the 1980's."

After the 1988 season, Bill Walsh left the 49ers for the broadcast booth, but George Seifert -- with most of the team intact from the previous season -- kept the 49ers on top. Montana had the best season of his career. A consensus Player of the Year, Montana's 112.4 quarterback rating set an NFL single season record. Rice broke the team record for TD catches in just his fifth season, and Craig and John Taylor continued to perform at Super Bowl levels. The team's biggest loss was Jeff Fuller, who suffered a career-ending spinal injury. The team's biggest moment was its 55-10 thrashing of the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV -- the most lopsided Super Bowl win in history. Montana passed for a Super Bowl-record five touchdowns and was named MVP a record third time. The 49ers tied or set nearly 40 Super Bowl records and became the first team to repeat as champions since the 1978-79 Pittsburgh Steelers.

1990's

In the 1990 the Niners finished the season with an NFL-best 14-2 mark and came within four seconds (in a 15-13 loss to the NY Giants) of earning their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. San Francisco opened the 1990 season with a team-record 10 consecutive victories. The 49ers also posted an 8-0 mark on the road, giving them the longest road winning streak in league history (19 games, including postseason) heading into '91.
Montana spent the entire 1991 season on injured reserve because of surgery to repair a tendon in his throwing elbow, so Young became the starter after four seasons as a backup. A season that started with such hope turned ugly: the 49ers failed to make the playoffs.

In 1992 the San Francisco 49ers continued their winning tradition as they once again posted the NFL's best regular season record (14-2), while winning their sixth NFC Western Division title in seven years, advancing to the NFC Championship game for the second time in three seasons. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, the 49ers defeated Super Bowl Champion Washington (20-12). However, San Francisco fell to Dallas, 30-20, in the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park the following week. WR Jerry Rice continued to etch his name in football history, becoming the NFL's all-time touchdown reception leader with 103. Young, who passed for 3,465 yards and 25 TDs, finished with a 107.0 rating. Following his 101.8 rating in 1991, it marked the first time in league history that anyone has posted back-to-back seasons with ratings higher than 100 each year.

In 1993 Steve Young became the undisputed starter when Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. For the third straight season, Young led the NFL in passing. The 1993 season was another in a long line of successes for the San Francisco 49ers. Among the team's accomplishments were a 10-6 record, marking an NFL-record 11th consecutive season with 10 or more victories; the team's 10th NFC West title in 13 seasons; and a third appearance in four years in the NFC title game. But, for the second year in a row, the Cowboys prevailed, this time 38-21 in the NFC Championship Game. Individually, QB Steve Young became the first player in NFL history to lead the NFL in passing three consecutive season, when he posted a 101.5 rating in 1993.

In 1994 Eddie DeBartolo, determined not to lose to the Cowboys again, acquired a lineup of free-agents, as LB Ken Norton Jr., LB Gary Plummer, DE Tim Harris, DE Charles Mann, DE Richard Dent, LB Rickey Jackson, C Bart Oates, WR Ed McCaffrey and CB Toi Cook. Then, after some draft day maneuvering, San Francisco came away with two first-round picks in DT Bryant Young and FB William Floyd. Injuries, however, played a key factor early in the campaign. By the end of the second game in Kansas City, the 49ers had lost most of their starting offensive line, as well as the services of Dent, their top pass-rusher to various injuries. Despite signing CB Deion Sanders prior to Week 3, the problems continued. Still playing with a decimated line, San Francisco suffered its worst loss in almost 14 years when it dropped a 40-8 decision to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5 at Candlestick Park. The season turned around the following Sunday at Detroit when the 49ers, trailing 14-0 at one point, rallied to defeat the Lions 27-21.

That win started a winning streak that extended 10 games and saw the 49ers finish 13-1 and win the Super Bowl. They crushed the Bears to open the playoffs, then faced the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game for the third consecutive season. In front of 69,125 screaming fans at Candlestick Park, the 49ers turned back the Cowboys 38-28. Two weeks later, Young and Rice led the 49ers to a 49-26 drubbing of the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX -- the team's fifth Super Bowl win. QB Steve Young recorded one of the finest seasons in NFL history. He set a league record with a QB rating of 112.8 and became the first player in NFL history to lead the league in passing 4 consecutive seasons. In Super Bowl XXIX, he passed for a record six touchdowns, while being named the game's MVP. WR Jerry Rice set a team record 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, his shining moment came in Week 1 vs. the Los Angeles Raiders when he eclipsed Jim Brown's all-time touchdown mark with 127.

In the 1995 season San Francisco once again captured the NFC West Championship, despite battling through a season in which injuries wreaked havoc time and time again. The injuries, would have crippled most teams, however the 1995 49ers established a reputation as one of the grittiest teams in history. The defensive unit created a new aggressive identity, finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the NFL. Offensively, WR Jerry Rice posted the finest of his legendary 11 seasons with the 49ers. He became the NFL's career leader with 942 receptions and 15,123 yards, while also establishing the league's single-season standard with 1,848 yards. He was named as a starter in the Pro Bowl for the 10th consecutive season. One streak continued and another one ended for San Francisco in 1996. With a 12-4 record, the 49ers reached double digits in the win column for the 14th consecutive season, the longest streak in the NFL. However, the upstart Carolina Panthers unseated the Niners as NFC West champions, ending their four-year reign. San Francisco remained one of the league's most dangerous teams with an aggressive defense and a productive offense.

Although they appeared vulnerable after first week injuries to QB Steve Young and WR Jerry Rice in the 1st week of the 1997 season, the San Francisco 49ers rallied under the direction of rookie head coach Steve Mariucci, reclaimed the NFC West title and advanced to the NFC Championship game. The 49ers finished with a 13-3 mark, including an 11-game winning streak, despite losing Rice for all but two games. They did it behind a new-found running attack and the league's top ranked defense. Mariucci established a NFL record for consecutive wins by a rookie head coach with an 11-game streak (games 2-12). The 49ers claimed their 13th NFC West title in 17 years and posted 10-or-more wins for the 15th consecutive season. Young suffered a concussion against Tampa Bay on opening day, but remaining healthy throughout the season and claimed his NFL record-tying (Sammy Baugh) sixth league passing title with a rating of 104.7. RB Garrison Hearst (1,019 yards) became the first 49er running back to rush for 1,000 yards since 1992. With Rice out, Terrell Owens and J.J. Stokes became the primary receiving targets. The 49er defense led the league in total yards allowed (250.8), finished second in takeaways (41) and was tied for third in sacks (54). They helped carry the burden as the offense adjusted to new personnel.