SF 49ers: 10 most painful playoff losses in franchise history

No. 9: SF 49ers 1998 NFC Championship loss to Packers

Final Score: Packers 23, SF 49ers 10

While the Dallas Cowboys had been the SF 49ers’ chief obstacle both in the early 1970s and early 1990s, the Packers were the team that regularly gave Steve Young and Co. fits later on that decade.

For two consecutive years, quarterback Brett Favre and the Packers ended the Niners’ playoff run, beating San Francisco in the divisional round in back-to-back years.

In 1997, though, the expectation was supposed to be different. San Francisco went 13-3 and finished tops within the division. Those two previous playoff losses were going to serve as proverbial “fuel for the fire” to finally beat Green Bay.

This time for the rights to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XXXII.

Unfortunately, Favre and the Packers had entirely different plans. Green Bay’s defense swarmed around Young, sacking him four times and forcing an interception, and the SF 49ers were limited to just three points over the first three quarters while eventually getting out to a commanding 23-3 lead.

Not even the Niners’ final touchdown made this game seem closer than it actually was.

Losing three straight playoff games to the Packers was a rough stretch for San Francisco fans, but at least Young and the SF 49ers finally got their vengeance a year later.