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

The San Francisco 49ers have enjoyed more than their fair share of memorable moments throughout their 69-year history. Here are the 30 most noteworthy.

Perhaps no other moment than Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana’s pass to wide receiver Dwight Clark in the 1982 NFC Championship game commands more attention in what has been a storybook legacy of this iconic franchise.

But the 49ers have plenty of other moments as well.

From “The Catch,” “Owens, Owens, Owens” all the way to the “Pick at the Stick,” San Francisco’s noteworthy moments of greatness highlight unbelievable plays, Hall of Fame efforts and a rich history behind this legendary organization.

Let’s take a look back at the top 30 moments in franchise history.

No. 30: 1957 Week 5 Comeback vs. the Chicago Bears

1957 was a special year for the 49ers as it became the first season in which San Francisco made the playoffs after joining the NFL in 1950.

The 49ers faced the Chicago Bears in Week 5 and suffered an unfathomable tragedy when owner Tony Morabito died while watching the game on October 27 at Kezar Stadium.

San Francisco was trailing 17-7 at the time of his passing and, after receiving the news of Morabito’s death, the 49ers roared back with 14 unanswered points in the second half to come away with a 21-17 victory.

The 49ers made the playoffs that year for the first time as an NFL team, and Morabito’s family would retain ownership until 1977 when Eddie DeBartolo Jr. took the reigns.

No. 29: The 1957 “Alley Oop” Catch by R.C. Owens

A week after owner Tony Morabito’s death, the 49ers experienced yet another magical moment. This time, the play came from 49ers legendary quarterback Y.A. Tittle on a last-second touchdown pass to wide receiver R.C. Owens.

The 49ers were trailing 31-28 in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter when Tittle tossed a desperate 41-yard pass in Owens’ direction hoping for a miracle.

It happened. Although one can thank Owens’ phenomenal leaping abilities for the incredible reception.

The play later became known as the “alley oop” catch thanks to what Owens was able to do. And San Francisco came away with the shocking 35-31 victory en route to the playoffs.

No. 27: The 1970 Season

The years between 1957 and 1970 were mostly dreadful for a struggling 49ers team trying to find headway in the NFL. During that span, San Francisco finished with an above-.500 record just five times and never made the playoffs over that stretch.

Yet the 49ers got off to a hot 7-1-1 start in 1970 with their only loss coming in Week 3 to the Atlanta Falcons — the score was 21-20.

Quarterback John Brodie passed for 2,941 yards and 24 touchdowns that season, and wide receiver Gene Washington posted 1,100 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions.

Under head coach Dick Nolan, the 49ers would advance to the conference championship that year only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys.

1970 also marked the end of an era for San Francisco. The next year would mark the 49ers’ first season at a new venue, which has become synonymous with great 49ers memories.

No. 26: 49ers Move to Candlestick Park

1971 was a watershed year in 49ers history as the team packed up from Kezar Stadium and moved into its new home at Candlestick Park.

Candlestick had already been the home for the San Francisco Giants, but the stadium would eventually earn recognition as being just as much a part of 49ers lore as have many of the great players who have worn the red and gold.

This season would be the best San Francisco would have at its new facility during the decade. The 49ers would finish the year with a 9-5 record only to lose to the Cowboys once again in the playoffs, which fueled a budding rivalry between the two franchises.

The 49ers made the postseason again in 1972 but would suffer nearly a decade-long drought marked by bad records, poor front-office decisions and underwhelming performances on the field.

No. 25: Carlos Hyde’s Big Debut in 2015

A recent breakout performance in the 49ers history came in Week 1 of the 2015 season. Second-year running back Carlos Hyde had just been named San Francisco’s No. 1 back and would try to fill the void left by franchise-best back Frank Gore.

Needless to say, Hyde’s efforts against the Minnesota Vikings in a prime-time Monday Night Football showdown were nothing less than epic.

Hyde finished the night with 26 carries for 168 yards and two touchdowns — an average of 6.46 yards per attempt.

And how can you not make a top list when you execute a move like this:

No. 24: 1976 Rushing Attack with Delvin Williams

1976 was one of the lone seasons in the decade in which San Francisco finished with an above-.500 record. And one of the primary reasons was due to running back Delvin Williams.

Williams amassed 1,203 rushing yards in a season that featured the 49ers ground game like no other during the decade. San Francisco posted 2,447 yards on the ground over the course of the season, which ranked No. 5 in the NFL that year.

The talented back rushed for more than 1,200 yards twice in his career — the other season being in 1978. Not surprisingly, Williams was named to the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. He was also the first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards for two different teams.

Williams was, perhaps, the lone significant offensive threat San Francisco had during the season. And his efforts helped secure the 49ers an 8-6 record in what was otherwise a dark time for the franchise.

No. 23: Aldon Smith’s 2011 and 2012 Campaigns

Linebacker Aldon Smith may no longer be a member of the 49ers, and his tenure with the team will likely be remembered primarily for off-the-field incidents and substance-abuse problems.

But one cannot overlook the sheer pass-rushing prowess Smith displayed in his first two seasons in San Francisco after being selected 7th overall by the 49ers in the 2011 NFL draft.

Smith broke the NFL record for most sacks by a rookie with 14 takedowns in 2011. And he nearly overtook the all-time season record for sacks the following season after a 19.5-sack effort. That year, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Year for what was, truly, a remarkable performance.

Unfortunately for Smith and the 49ers, the talented linebacker experienced more than his fair share of troubles off the field as was released by the organization prior to the 2015 season.

No. 22: Garrison Hearst and the 1998 Season Debut

San Francisco opened up its 1998 season with a home contest against the New York Jets and it was quite a game to remember.

The 49ers came away with a thrilling 36-30 overtime victory in the back-and-forth bout in a game that saw quarterback Steve Young throw for 363 yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver haul in seven passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

But the biggest offensive performance came from running back Garrison Hearst.

Hearst was a beast during this game and rushed for 187 yards over the course of the five, yes five, quarters.

And who can forget Hearst’s 96-yard burst to seal the deal in the overtime frame.

No. 21: Jerry Rice’s Last Home Game with the 49ers & Terrell Owens’ Breakout

Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice had built up, with little doubt, the most noteworthy of resumes during his tenure in San Francisco.

But his time with the 49ers came to an end at the tail end of the 2000 season against the Chicago Bears in Week 16.

Rice posted seven receptions for 76 yards, but the legendary wideout was overshadowed during the game by the up-and-coming wide receiver Terrell Owens.

Owens hauled in 283 yards on 20 receptions — setting an NFL record at the time.

Rice would sign with the Oakland Raiders the following year, while Owens had fully cemented himself as the team’s No. 1 receiver.

No. 20: Joe Montana’s 1986 Return vs. the Cardinals

Quarterback Joe Montana had been sidelined for eight weeks prior to San Francisco’s Week 10 matchup versus the St. Louis Cardinals on November 9, 1986.

Following Montana’s recovery from back surgery, the Hall of Fame quarterback led the 49ers to a 43-17 demolishing of the Cardinals, which helped San Francisco finish the season with a 10-5-1 record.

Montana passed for 270 yards and three touchdowns against one interception during the contest, and all three of those TD grabs came courtesy of wide receiver Jerry Rice who had 156 yards on four catches.

“Coming back from the back surgery that first game was a little worrisome at least until I took the first hit even though I didn’t think anything was going to happen,” said Montana (h/t Andrew Pentis of 49ers.com). “But I was only 187 pounds coming back there I was really wasn’t back to my full weight and strength.

“Fortunately for me, things fell into place.”

They did indeed.

No. 19: Colin Kaepernick Demolishes the Packers

The 2012 season was a magical year for newly minted starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick. After taking over the No. 1 QB slot following an injury to Alex Smith, Kaepernick quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic signal-callers in the NFL at the time.

This was before the NFL had any time to adjust to his style of play. And Kaepernick would ensure the 49ers would steamroll through the playoffs en route to a Super Bowl appearance.

Part of that journey would include a home contest versus the Green Bay Packers on January 12, 2013 during the divisional round.

Kaepernick got off to a bad start throwing a pick-six interception to Packers defensive back Sam Shields.

But the quarterback answered back in big-time fashion.

Kaepernick threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns. But his 181 rushing yards and two additional touchdowns on the ground were the signature in this standout victory over Green Bay.

At the time, Kaepernick looked to be one of the most dangerous players in the NFL as the 49ers would go on to reach their sixth Super Bowl appearance.

No. 18: 1990 NFC Championship Blowout over the Rams

The 49ers squared off against the Los Angeles Rams on January 14, 1990 in the NFC Championship game and a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

San Francisco entered the contest with a 14-2 record and faced a 11-5 Rams squad at Candlestick Park looking to upset the 49ers’ attempts to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

But San Francisco wasn’t going to have any of that.

Los Angeles scored first with a 23-yard field goal from kicker Mike Lansford in the first quarter. But the 49ers roared back with 21 second-quarter points and added nine more in the second half.

In total, the Rams amassed just the three points and only 156 yards of total offense and had three turnovers in the process.

“It was always really hostile, really loud,” running back Roger Craig said via the team’s website. “The atmosphere in the playoffs is amazing. Our fans gave us a lot of love. We love when they’re screaming loud and you can barely hear the cadence from (Joe) Montana – that’s when we’re in the game.”

The 49ers would then go on to face the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl and would win that one easily by a score of 55-10.

No. 17: Frank Gore Becomes 49ers’ All-Time Franchise Leading Rusher

No. 21 will forever hold a special place in San Francisco 49ers lore.

Running back Frank Gore’s efforts in a 49ers uniform sparked plenty of memorable moments. And few are quite as remarkable as the day when Gore surpassed legendary 49ers running back Joe Perry to become the franchise’s leading rusher.

The moment came on December 4, 2011 versus the St. Louis Rams. Gore had already passed running back Roger Craig earlier that season. But in the second quarter of the game versus the Rams, Gore ripped off a simple two-yard run to pass Perry and become No. 1 all-time on this milestone of 49ers lists.

“I actually went up to him after he had passed it and tried to congratulate him,” fullback Bruce Miller said via Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. “But he was like, ‘Forget that. Let’s get the win.’ That’s the kind of guy Frank is. He’s a team guy, and all he wanted was to win the game and clinch the division. The rushing record came second.”

Gore would continue adding to his franchise lead through the 2014 season before signing an offseason free-agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts in 2015.

No. 16: 49ers Comeback vs. the Saints in 1980

The 1980 49ers weren’t exactly a good team as San Francisco finished with a 6-10 record. But the 49ers did have a young quarterback in Joe Montana and a number of new faces that would forever change the franchise the following year.

Late in the season, in Week 14 to be exact, the 49ers were hosting the New Orleans Saints and quickly found themselves trailing 35-7 at halftime.

“Bill got to the point where things were just not going our way offensively or defensively and called us up and said, ‘Look guys, it’s not our day today. We’re going to start over from right now and let’s try to build something going forward to the end of the game and let’s get going something positive to get us into next week,’” Montana recalled of then-coach and Hall of Famer Bill Walsh via Andrew Pentis of 49ers.com. “He didn’t do anything crazy, he didn’t just (say), ‘Throw it down the field and try to hope for plays.’

“We went back into our base-offense. And we found out that our offense, the base-side of our offense, was pretty good and allowed us actually to come back and win that game.”

San Francisco would rally for 28 unanswered points in the second half to tie the game and send it into overtime.

49ers kicker Ray Wersching would seal San Francisco’s amazing comeback victory with a 36-yard field goal in the extra frame.

The win was the greatest comeback in NFL history up to that point and still stands as one of the most memorable moments in San Francisco history.

No. 15: The Pick at the Stick

For the record, I was at this game and never heard Candlestick louder than this one moment.

A Monday Night Football game versus the Atlanta Falcons on December 23, 2013 marked the final contest the 49ers would play at Candlestick Park. The 49ers would move into Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara the subsequent year.

Late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons were dangerously close to retaking the lead and endangering San Francisco’s playoff chances. After a touchdown pass to tight end Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta subsequently recovered an onside kick that went right through the hands of linebacker NaVorro Bowman. The Falcons then drove all the way to the 49ers’ 11-yard line.

With the score 27-24 in favor of the 49ers, Ryan attempted a pass to his left despite an all-out blitz from San Francisco’s defense.

Cornerback Tramaine Brock tipped the pass and, seemingly out of nowhere, Bowman intercepted the ball and returned it 89 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.

The play is forever known as the “Pick at the Stick” and shut down Candlestick in style as the 49ers clinched a playoff berth with the victory.

No. 14: Goal-Line Stand Leads to Win in Super Bowl XVI

Super Bowl XVI marked the first time San Francisco had made it to the NFL’s greatest level. And the victory would give the 49ers the first of five Super Bowl crowns in franchise history.

But it could have gone the other way.

The 49ers got out to a 20-0 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals by halftime. Quarterback Joe Montana had already scored two touchdowns — one through the air and another on the ground — and the 49ers looked well on their way to securing their first championship.

But the Bengals found some momentum in the second half.

The Bengals scored a touchdown on their opening drive in the third quarter. And came knocking on the 49ers end zone shortly thereafter. San Francisco needed a spirited goal-line stand to keep the score 20-7.

And the 49ers got one.

Linebacker Dan Bunz and defensive lineman Archie Reese both made key tackles to keep the Bengals out of the end zone per Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com.

Cincinnati would eventually cut the 49ers’ 26-21 lead, but this goal-line stand ensured San Francisco would go on to win its first Super Bowl after what had been an amazing season for the 49ers.

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.

No. 12: The Vernon Post

Call this play the “Vernon Post” or “The Catch III.” It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is tight end Vernon Davis’ amazing touchdown reception to seal the 49ers’ 36-32 playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints on January 14, 2012.

The game itself was a classic with both sides exchanging blows and leads.

San Francisco had a 17-14 lead entering the half. But the Saints took a 24-23 lead with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers regained the lead thanks to quarterback Alex Smith’s 28-yard rush at the 2:11 mark, which would have been the play of the game had San Francisco’s 29-24 lead held.

But it didn’t thanks to Saints tight end Jimmy Graham’s 66-yard touchdown reception with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

Fortunately, Smith and the 49ers offense were able to drive down the field and put themselves in a position to come away with a dramatic victory.

Smith found tight end Vernon Davis on a post route, and the two connected for a 14-yard touchdown.

The 49ers’ amazing victory lived up to any expectations and goes down as one of the best moments in franchise history.

No. 11: Steve Young’s Victory Lap

En route to their fifth Super Bowl title, the 49ers faced off with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1995 NFC Championship game on January 15 at Candlestick Park.

The 49ers and Cowboys had a renewed rivalry in the 90s, and quarterback Steve Young was eager to finally step out of the shadows of former quarterback Joe Montana and help San Francisco get back to the Super Bowl.

“I’ve come to grips with the chip on my shoulder,” Young stated via Sports Illustrated (h/t Andrew Pentis of 49ers.com). “There have been a lot of hurdles, a lot of hoops to jump through. It’s like I’ve been chasing after a rabbit at a dog track. But a year ago someone said, ‘Do you realize what you’ve done? You’ve done something nobody else has.’”

Young helped the 49ers get out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Despite Dallas’ efforts to come back, San Francisco eventually walked away with a 38-28 victory and a trip to the Super Bowl.

After the game, Young took off on a victory lap around Candlestick.

“He was very excited, just ran around the whole stadium – you couldn’t stop him,” defensive lineman Bryant Young said via Pentis. “He had people trying to pull him to the side and stop him for interviews, but he was so excited… Just to share that moment with the fans was important to him.”

No. 10: “Owens! Owens! Owens!”

The Green Bay Packers had the 49ers’ number during the late 1990s, and quarterback Brett Favre and Co. looked to continue that trend against San Francisco when the two teams met on January 3, 1999 in the Wild Card weekend.

The game went back and forth with both sides exchanging blows in what was becoming a true classic.

But a fourth-quarter touchdown from Favre to wide receiver Antonio Freeman at the two-minute mark put Green Bay ahead 27-23.

Quarterback Steve Young and the 49ers offense was able to march down the field and found themselves on the 25-yard line but with only eight seconds remaining in regulation.

Young took the snap and nearly fell down. But the quarterback delivered a perfect pass to wide receiver Terrell Owens, who already had dropped a number of crucial passes earlier during the game.

He didn’t this time.

49ers radio broadcaster Joe Starkey’s call of the game further cemented this amazing finish in what was one of the most memorable moments in San Francisco history. It would later become known as “The Catch II.”

“I was like everyone else completely stunned that it worked,” Starkey later said via 49ers.com. “It was the last chance of the game, and I do tend to be an emotional announcer and make a lot of noise when good things happen, so I just started screaming ‘Owens, Owens, Owens.’”

San Francisco would go on to win 30-27.

No. 9: 49ers Draft Joe Montana in 1979

The 49ers didn’t have a first-round draft pick in the 1979 NFL draft. That pick, per Mike Wilkening of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk, was part of the disastrous package that brought an aging, ineffective running back O.J. Simpson to San Francisco the previous season.

The 49ers of the late 70s were a scuffling bunch. But Round 3 of the 1979 draft would forever change the franchise’s history.

San Francisco selected quarterback Joe Montana out of Notre Dame. Montana wasn’t the highest-touted quarterback to go — QBs Jack Thompson, Phil Simms and Steve Fuller all went earlier.

But the subsequent history speaks for itself.

“There have been, and will be, much better arms and legs and much better bodies on quarterbacks in the NFL,” said former 49er teammate Randy Cross via Larry Schwartz of ESPN. “But if you have to win a game or score a touchdown or win a championship, the only guy to get is Joe Montana.”

And the 49ers did.

No. 8: 49ers Demolish the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV

The 49ers’ attempts to win back-to-back Super Bowls at the tail end of the 1980s came to fruition when quarterback Joe Montana and Co. faced off against quarterback John Elway and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV on January 28, 1990.

San Francisco was dominant in the 1989 season, and went 14-2 under first-year head coach George Seifert.

With Montana and Elway set to square off against each other, this game looked to be a classic.

At least it turned out as such for 49ers fans.

The 49ers got out to a 27-3 lead by halftime and tacked on an additional 28 points in the second half. Montana threw for 297 yards and five touchdowns, while wide receiver Jerry Rice had 148 receiving yards and three touchdown grabs.

All Denver could manage was a meager 10 points and 167 all-purpose yards.

Super Bowl XXIV was absolute domination from San Francisco and forever sealed the 49ers as the team of the decade.

No. 7: Bill Walsh Takes Over as Head Coach

San Francisco’s rise to greatness in the 1980s can be pinned to two specific moments: drafting quarterback Joe Montana in the 1979 NFL draft and the selection of Bill Walsh as head coach earlier that year.

Walsh had previous success at Stanford University before being named head coach of the 49ers in 1979. One of his first moves was to take Montana and develop him into one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks.

In addition to his genius play-calling and West Coast schemes, Walsh’s abilities extended into the draft as Mike Wilkening of NBC Sports points out:

"Certainly, it wasn’t Montana alone that propelled the 49ers out of the NFL’s basement. The late Bill Walsh was a coach and a evaluator of the highest order. The 49ers’ eye for talent extended beyond quarterbacks. One example: In Round 10 in the ’79 draft, the 49ers took Clemson wideout Dwight Clark, a key part of the club’s first two Super Bowl winners. Owner Eddie DeBartolo’s commitment to building winning teams is unquestioned, too."

Walsh inherited a messy situation in San Francisco and, within three years, turned the 49ers into a Super Bowl champion.

A champion would eventually become a dynasty.

No. 6: Steve Young & Jerry Rice Dominate Super Bowl XXIX

Super Bowl XXIX marked the fifth, and most recent, Super Bowl the 49ers earned during their storied history. And it came on a 49-26 blowout of the AFC champion San Diego Chargers.

But the game is largely remembered for the contributions from quarterback Steve Young and wide receiver Jerry Rice. Rice was already en route to cementing his legacy as a Hall of Famer, but the game provided the opportunity for Young to finally step out of the shadows of quarterback Joe Montana.

San Francisco scored on its opening drive — a 44-yard pass from Young to Rice which was, at the time, the quickest touchdown scored in Super Bowl history.

Young would go on to pass for six touchdowns during the contest, which remains a Super Bowl record to this day.

Rice hauled in three of those touchdowns passes and amassed 149 yards in the process.

The 49ers quarterback would be named Super Bowl MVP and would forever cement his own legacy in NFL lore.

No. 5: The 1984 49ers

San Francisco’s 1984 squad should easily be considered the most dominant team in franchise history.

Led by quarterback Joe Montana, wide receiver Dwight Clark and defensive back Ronnie Lott, this 49ers unit was one of the most complete teams from top to bottom.

The 49ers finished the season with a 15-1 record — still a franchise best — and steamrolled into Super Bowl XIX that year and easily knocked off the AFC champion Miami Dolphins 38-16.

San Francisco had the No. 2 ranked offense in the league that season and also boasted the best defense in the NFL. Their entire defensive backfield (Lott, Eric Wright, Dwight Hicks, and Carlton Williamson) was elected to the Pro Bowl — the first time such an occurrence had happened in the NFL.

No. 4: “Young Gets Away Again”

The late Lon Simmons’ call of quarterback Steve Young’s 49-yard rush for a game-winning (yes, game-winning) touchdown on October 30, 1998 sums up one of the top-five moments in 49ers history.

With No. 1 quarterback Joe Montana sidelined with an injury, Young had his chance to showcase his skills against a Minnesota Vikings team that would eventually finish with an 11-5 record that season.

With the pocket collapsing in the fourth quarter, Young was able to scramble, evade and break tackles from Minnesota’s defense.

And the legendary broadcaster’s words said it all.

“Gets away gain, goes to the 40, gets away again, to the 35, cuts back at the 30, to the 20, the 15, the 10 – he dives, touchdown 49ers!”

Like so many other moments, Young’s mad scramble has become an iconic piece in NFL history.

No. 3: “Isn’t That John Candy?”

Super Bowl XXIII provided, perhaps, one of the greatest postseason drives in NFL history. The 49ers squared off with the Cincinnati Bengals on January 22, 1989 for the NFL crown, and San Francisco was led by quarterback Joe Montana and wide receiver Jerry Rice.

But the 49ers found themselves trailing 16-13 with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter. With the ball on their own 8-yard line, the 49ers would have to figure out a way to engineer a long enough drive to either tie the game with a last-minute field goal or, somehow, get the ball into the end zone.

At the start of the drive, Montana made an attempt to calm his teammates down.

“There, in the stands, standing near the exit ramp,” Montana said to tackle Harris Barton per Larry Schwartz of ESPN.com. “Isn’t that John Candy?”

Montana’s statement had its affect, and the 49ers, led by “Joe Cool,” were able to march 92 yards down the field. Montana then found wide receiver John Taylor on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds remaining in the game.

San Francisco would go onto win its third Super Bowl thanks to Montana’s efforts and relaxed demeanor.

No. 2: Jerry Rice Passes Jim Brown

Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice knew a thing or two about performing on the big stage, and he wasn’t afraid to use a Monday Night Football prime-time matchup versus the Los Angeles Raiders to forever cement his legacy as the greatest of all time.

Rice hauled in three touchdown passes from quarterback Steve Young during the contest. And it was his last — a 38-yard reception — that surpassed Hall of Famer Jim Brown for No. 1 on the all-time list.

Amazingly, the play almost never happened on Monday night. Head coach George Seifert pulled the majority of his starters during what had become a rout (San Francisco won 44-14). But the head coach was convinced to give Rice one more crack.

“George Seifert had taken us out of the football game,” Rice later said via 49ers.com. “All of a sudden he came down the bench, he looked at Steve and I and said, ‘Hey, look, I’m going to to give you guys one opportunity to break this here at home.’ And we ran back onto the football field. Everybody in the stadium knew exactly what was getting ready to happen.

“I remember seeing (Raiders wideout) Tim Brown almost halfway on the football field because Tim Brown was saying to me, ‘I know you’re not going to do this to us on ‘Monday Night Football.’”

But he did. And it is a play that will live forever in 49ers lore.

No. 1: The Catch

Few words are needed to describe the play which set the 49ers franchise en route to becoming a team of destiny.

And dynasty.

More from Niner Noise

• 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
• Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
• DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet 
• 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
• 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar

It’s called “The Catch” and still, to this day, stands as one of the most iconic moments in NFL history.

49ers fans know the history: Quarterback Joe Montana rolls out to his right in the waning seconds of the 1982 NFC Championship versus the Dallas Cowboys and hits wide receiver Dwight Clark, who leaped about as high as he possible could to send Candlestick Park into pandemonium.

Next: 49ers Best Running Backs of All Time

San Francisco would defeat its rivals with a 28-27 victory and then go on to win its first ever Super Bowl in franchise history.