San Francisco 49ers Epic Moments

SI Staff | Dec 21, 2012

San Francisco 49ers Epic Moments

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Facing third-and-3 at the Dallas 6-yard line with 58 seconds left and his team trailing, 27-21, quarterback Joe Montana rolls out to his right and throws a high pass into the back of the end zone, where Dwight Clark makes a leaping, game-winning reception in the NFC championship game. The play will forever be known as "The Catch," and it represents the beginning of the 49ers' rise as a Super Bowl power.

Peter Read Miller/SI

With the 49ers trailing Cincinnati 16-13, and 3:20 left in Super Bowl 23, Montana acknowledges in the huddle the presence of actor John Candy sitting in the stands, then leads a 92-yard, game-winning drive that ends in his 10-yard scoring pass to John Taylor. San Francisco wins its third Super Bowl of the decade.

Al Messerschmidt/WireImage.com

Joe Montana runs for one touchdown and throws for another as 49ers finally claim their first world championship with 26-21 win over Cincinnati. Third-quarter goal-line stands stymies a Bengals rally.

John Biever, Peter Read Miller/SI

Steve Young finally gets the monkey off his back. After being the backup quarterback to Montana in two previous Super Bowls, Steve Young passes for 325 yards and a Super Bowl-record six touchdowns in leading the 49ers to a 49-26 triumph over San Diego in Super Bowl 24. Young is named the game's MVP.

John Iacono/SI

San Francisco reaffirms its claim as "Team of the `80s" with 55-10 destruction of Denver in Super Bowl XXIV as Joe Montana completes 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and five TDs. It is the 49ers' fourth championship of the decade.

Tom Hauck/Icon SMI

In a wild-card playoff game against the Giants, San Francisco trails, 38-14, with four minutes left in the fourth quarter only to rally for a 39-38 victory. Quarterback Jeff Garcia throws two touchdown passes and runs for another as the 49ers register the second-largest comeback in postseason history.

Mickey Pfleger/SI

In a nationally televised game against the Raiders, wide receiver Jerry Rice scores his 127th touchdown, breaking the NFL record held by Browns fullback Jim Brown. Rice goes on to finish his Hall of Fame career with 208 touchdowns--an NFL mark that still stands.