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San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the 10 Best Teams in Franchise History

By Peter Panacy

Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) chat before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) chat before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) rushes for a gain during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. The against the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) rushes for a gain during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. The against the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 10: The 2013 49ers

Regular-Season Record: 12-4, second place in the NFC West

San Francisco was fresh off a loss in Super Bowl XLVII but had made it to two-consecutive NFC Championship games and was poised to reach a third.

Thanks to the tutelage and coaching prowess of head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Niners had emerged from the dark years that dominated the 2000s and were, once again, among the NFL’s most elite teams.

Up-and-coming quarterback Colin Kaepernick was taking the league by storm, and the 49ers defense — ranked No. 3 in the NFL that season — was an absolute force capable of shutting down even the best of opposing offenses.

In spite of Kaepernick and the seemingly ageless efforts of running back Frank Gore, the 49ers offense didn’t mirror those of previous decades and Super Bowl contenders.

Still, the Niners rode on the back of their defense and managed to knock off the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers in the playoffs before a road contest in Seattle for the rights to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl that year.

Of course, fans remember the result. There was the gruesome injury suffered by linebacker NaVorro Bowman. And that deflected fade pass intended for wide receiver Michael Crabtree never found its target.

Regardless, the 2013 49ers were tremendously good. And they even earned some praise from Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman after his team went on to Super Bowl victory.

Next: No. 9