San Francisco 49ers: Top 20 games in franchise history
By Jerod Brown
Super Bowl XVI Against the Cincinnati Bengals
The 49ers won their first Super Bowl on January 24, 1982, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21. The game was played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
Quarterback Joe Montana would win his first of three Most Valuable Player awards in his career. He finished the game with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in a game that saw 49ers kicker Ray Wersching convert on four field goals throughout the game to keep the Bengals trailing.
After seasons of failure, Bill Walsh’s team had finally reached the top. Walsh detailed his Standard of Performance in his book The Score Takes Care of Itself, and the expectations he laid out for his team had helped them to succeed. Walsh had begun to change the culture in San Francisco, and the Super Bowl win was validation for all of the efforts of his players.
The 49ers would go on to win more Super Bowls and establish themselves as a dominant NFC team for the better part of two decades. The dynasty was beginning with Walsh and Montana at the helm.
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