San Francisco 49ers: 5 most heartbreaking playoff losses in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers have more than their fair share of great playoff moments. But there are a few painful ones as well. Niner Noise looks at the five most heartbreaking postseason losses in franchise history.
It’s been a while now since the San Francisco 49ers have tasted the sweet success of the NFL playoffs and postseason glory. Amid a rough stretch, there’s at least some comfort for San Francisco fans knowing they won’t have to deal with the stress and heartbreak that can come with a postseason defeat.
It’s not ideal to be in that situation, of course, as you’d want your team running through the playoffs. But there’s always the risk — heck, likelihood — of coming up agonizingly short.
Yes, the Niners have more than a few stomach-turning losses in the postseason to think about. There were those painful playoff exits at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1970s, and again in the 1990s. Games versus the Green Bay Packers come to mind.
And we can certainly name a few more, even from the most recent run of 49ers success.
We will.
Just like R.E.M.’s Everybody Hurts (I’m no fan of R.E.M., by the way), Niners fans can contact their fan friends of other teams, such as the Chicago Bears of 2018, and let them know every team goes through losses like these.
It’s OK. There’s always next season.
So, without any further delay, let’s take a peek back in San Francisco history and try to endure the pain of reliving the five most painful postseason losses for this famous franchise.