49ers: Top 30 moments in San Francisco franchise history

San Francisco 49ers: Top 30 all-time moments in franchise history

SAN FRANCISCO - AUGUST 10: (L-R) Former San Francisco 49er players Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana stand with a Super Bowl trophy during a public memorial service for former 49ers coach Bill Walsh August 10, 2007 at Monster Park in San Francisco, California. NFL Hall of Famer Bill Walsh, who was known by many as 'The Genius' for leading the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl championships, died last week at the age of 75 after a long battle with leukemia. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /

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No. 13: Jeff Garcia and the Impossible Comeback

One of the greatest playoff comebacks in NFL history took place on January 5, 2003 when the 49ers faced off against the New York Giants in a NFC Wild Card matchup at Candlestick Park.

The 49ers got on the board first thanks to a 76-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Garcia to wide receiver Terrell Owens.

But the Giants roared back and held a 28-14 lead at the half. New York would add another 10 points to San Francisco’s eight in the third quarter.

Trailing by 16 points entering the fourth, Garcia and the 49ers needed some sort of miracle to happen.

And it did.

Garcia ripped off a 14-yard run into the end zone, which was followed by a successful two-point attempt. The lead was cut to eight points. The 49ers tacked on a field goal and then added another touchdown with one minute remaining on a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Tai Streets.

San Francisco would come away with a 39-38 victory.

“At the end of the game, though the feeling of elation, the emotional bond of a team that really came together to fight, to scratch, to claw, to do whatever it took to get yourself back in position to win such a game of such magnitude was unbelievable,” Garcia said via Andrew Pentis of 49ers.com.

Even though the 49ers would lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following week and be eliminated from the playoffs, this victory over the Giants still stands as one of the most unbelievable games played in San Francisco.