10 Reasons You Know You’re a San Francisco 49ers Fan

As the San Francisco 49ers are in full offseason mode, Niner Noise takes a break from the rumor mill and brings you 10 reasons how you know you’re a part of The Faithful.

Let’s take a break from offseason action for a moment and focus on what makes a San Francisco 49ers fan part of The Faithful.

Each fan of the red and gold can tell you his or her rationale for following the Niners.

For me, I was lucky to grow up in the dynasty years of the 1980s. Somewhere, there’s a baby photo of me donning 49ers gear. I’d post it if I had it. You’re probably thankful I don’t.

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Nevertheless, what makes a 49ers fan?

Perhaps it’s a player, a special season or an unforgettable moment. San Francisco has had a few of those for sure.

Or maybe you had a special connection with a parent, friend or family member who used to take you to Niners games at Levi’s Stadium, Candlestick Park or, heck, even Kezar.

Still, all of us share a number of things in common. Those are what makes all of us part of The Faithful.

So let’s look at 10 things that define fans of the red and gold.

No. 10: You Actually Miss Candlestick Park

I don’t know about you, but I was saddened to see the photos of Candlestick Park’s demolition.

Why? Well, so many great Niners memories were made there. Just think of the history behind the 49ers’ home between 1971 and 2013. I remember being in attendance for the final game at Candlestick, the one against the Atlanta Falcons when linebacker NaVorro Bowman picked off quarterback Matt Ryan and returned it for a touchdown.

Yes, the “Pick at the Stick.”

Levi’s Stadium is pretty cool. But there’s no nostalgia. No sense of the 49ers and the stadium being “one.”

True, Candlestick was a bit of a dump. But as Niners great Dwight Clark said, “it was our dump.”

We all miss the dirt parking lot at the way back, at least I do, and having to wear jackets and blankets on a Sunday afternoon game in September.

No. 9: You Think Eddie DeBartolo Was the Greatest

If only Hall of Famer Eddie DeBartolo owned the 49ers.

Just think of the accolades San Francisco had during his tenure — five Super Bowls, Hall of Fame players, countless great moments. DeBartolo was at the helm when the Niners became a dynasty.

True, he had some ugly moments at the beginning. But forgiving DeBartolo for former general manager Joe Thomas became easy in the 1980s.

But then DeBartolo got into a little bit of trouble and had to sell his team to the York family.

No one needs a reminder of how that’s gone. Well, outside of the Jim Harbaugh era and, hopefully, that of now-head coach Kyle Shanahan.

DeBartolo is still adored by Niners fans everywhere, and deservedly so. He made the 49ers into a marquee franchise.

No. 8: You Actually Rooted for the Seahawks… Once

The 49ers and Seattle Seahawks’ rivalry was at its peak during the first few years of the 2010s. Maybe it has lost some of its luster in recent years, but it’s still pretty heated.

But this NFC West rivalry didn’t really exist in the 2000s. And that meant you probably rooted for the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

This was back on February 5, 2006 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. San Francisco was terrible then, so Niners fans had little to cheer for outside the glorious 49ers past.

And that past included five Super Bowl championships.

Pittsburgh also had five Lombardi trophies entering the game. As it stood, the Niners and Steelers were tied for the most in NFL history. 49ers fans wanted to keep it that way.

So, throughout the course of the game, you found yourself actually pulling for Seattle. Weird.

The Seahawks lost, of course, so at least Niners fans can laugh and say Seattle is 1-2 in Super Bowl appearances.

No. 7: You Know Who the Banjo Man Is

I remember my old boss from Bleacher Report seeing a photo of the famous 49ers “Banjo Man” and wondering why such a guy would be at a Niners game.

“He’s famous,” I told him. “Every 49ers fan knows who he is.”

Turns out, the Banjo Man is Stacy Samuels, who has never missed a home game, according to Lea Suzuki of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"“I am still the world record holder for number of performances of the ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown,’ ” says Samuels, who also claims to be “the one guy still left from the Joe Montana era,” and “the hardest-working guy there,” including the linemen in the trenches."

If you somehow missed his music, here you go:

No. 6: Super Bowl XXIII Was the Best Super Bowl in NFL History

It was the game that defined quarterback Joe Montana’s NFL career — the game that forever established the Hall of Famer as “Joe Cool.”

CBS Sports ranked Super Bowl XXIII, between the 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals, as the eighth-best Super Bowl in NFL history.

Niners fans know better.

Trailing 16-13 and with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter, Montana and Co. engineered a now-famous drive ending in an unforgettable pass to wide receiver John Taylor with only 34 seconds remaining in the game.

And fans might recall how Montana, in an attempt to calm down his offense, looked over to the sidelines and said, “Hey, isn’t that John Candy?”.

Montana’s game-winning drive should be viewed as one would do in a quarterbacking clinic.

No. 5: You Still Hate the Dallas Cowboys

The 49ers and Cowboys don’t play in the same division, and there even years in which the two teams never see each other on the field.

And yet Niners fans’ disdain for Dallas hasn’t gone away.

Perhaps the great 49ers-Cowboys battles of the 1970s still leave a scar. Or, maybe, it was former Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson yelling out, “How ’bout them Cowboys” after the 1993 NFC Championship game victory.

Yeah, the Cowboys taking over as the team of the 90s hurt. But that didn’t change how San Francisco felt about “America’s team.”

Even though this rivalry doesn’t quite feel the same, Niners fans still love watching the Cowboys lose.

A good chunk of the country does too.

No. 4: You Think Steve Young Is the Voice of 49ers Reason

Turn on an ESPN broadcast — perhaps Monday Night Football — of an NFL game, and you’ll see Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young offering up his take as an analyst.

Young is a constant reminder of the 49ers dynasty. No one questions that. And Niners fans everywhere appreciate what he has to say years after his career came to a close.

Young regularly makes appearances on San Francisco’s KNBR 680, and few fans can forget the words he chose to use when describing the recent situation atop the organization in early 2017, specifically the York family.

If anything, Young’s persona convinced actor and comedian Rob Schneider the former NFL star would make a great executive too:

No, that’s not going to happen. But at least it points to how many fans feel about Young’s aura.

No. 3: Jerry Rice is the GOAT, No Question

No doubts here. And it’s unlikely any NFL fan will tell you otherwise.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice is surely the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. His records are inconceivable, untouchable.

Rice might even be the greatest player of all time as well. Former Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown should be in the discussion, but Niners fans have their answer.

I could continue to tout Rice, but that would be redundant. Instead, I’ll mention how I got to interview the legendary receiver twice in my sports-writing career.

Rice was about as personable a guy one could meet. He didn’t make me feel as if I was talking to a superstar. No, the interviews almost felt like I was just talking football with a good buddy. It was great.

And I’m sure almost every other 49ers fan would feel the same way.

No. 2: Tom Brady Will Never Surpass Joe Montana as the Best Quarterback

Despite what New England Patriots fans and many other NFL analysts might say, Tom Brady will never be the best quarterback to ever play the game.

That distinction falls on Hall of Famer Joe Montana.

Sure, Brady has hoisted more Super Bowl trophies, has had a longer career, has thrown for more yards and so on. But Brady has also lost Super Bowls. And he’s made critical mistakes in them too.

Montana’s win-loss record in the game of games? 4-0.

And there’s another zero number in the Montana versus Brady argument — interceptions thrown in the Super Bowl. Let us help you figure it out if you weren’t sure who never tossed a Super Bowl pick. Brady has done so five times.

Related Story: Revisiting the Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana GOAT Argument

We’ve made this argument already. And it sure made some Pats fans mad, but who cares?

All a Niners fan needs to do is point out Montana’s 127.8 Super Bowl passer rating. Brady’s is good — 95.3 — but Montana’s is straight up untouchable.

No. 1: You Can Watch “The Catch” on Repeat

It’s the greatest play in all of football. Heck, maybe it’s the greatest play in all of professional sports.

Almost every 49ers fan would think so.

Even casual students of Niners history don’t need any education on “The Catch.” You know, the play where an up-and-coming Joe Montana found wide receiver Dwight Clark in the end zone to send the 49ers to the Super Bowl over the hated Dallas Cowboys.

That was in 1982. Here we are in 2017 still talking about it.

And it isn’t as if we’re just hearkening back to the Niners’ glory years. No, almost every NFL top-10 play list has to include this play.

So there you go, 49ers fans. Here are the reasons you know you’re a Niners fan and part of the Faithful.

And these reasons will surely be passed down to upcoming generations of San Francisco fans as the red and gold continue the Quest for Six.

Next: Ranking the Top 30 49ers Players of All Time

As always, go Niners!