San Francisco 49ers fans will never forget the heartbreaking conclusion to Super Bowl XLVII that saw the team lose 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens.
Former Niners wide receiver Michael Crabtree took a slight jab at quarterback Colin Kaepernick's final throw.
Crabtree was recently asked if he could re-do one play from his entire NFL career, what would it be.
He had the following to say:
Michael Crabtree was asked if he could redo one play in his career, what would it be:
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 24, 2025
“Super Bowl. Colin Kaepernick throwing the ball out of bounds. I don’t mean to throw you under the bus, love you bro. I had nightmares for about 7 years, so I’m just now getting over it.” pic.twitter.com/YDYsvvdkO2
Crabtree's response was simple.
"Super Bowl. Colin Kaepernick throwing the ball out of bounds," Crabtree admitted. "I don’t mean to throw you under the bus, love you bro. I had nightmares for about seven years, so I’m just now getting over it."
49ers fans are in the same boat, having had nightmares over those final plays for years. The Niners made a roaring comeback after being down big at halftime and would have taken the lead with a touchdown in those final minutes of the game. Alas, they could not punch the ball in, which made for an absolutely heartbreaking loss.
While Crabtree puts the blame on Kaepernick, many 49ers fans place the blame for that final sequence on offensive coordinator Greg Roman. The fact the offense called three straight pass plays near the goal line was baffling, and players questioned it even at the time.
Running back Frank Gore has said he wished he got the ball at least once on that final sequence. Then-head coach Jim Harbaugh has also expressed regret they did not get the ball in Gore's hands on one of those final plays.
If not a straight run to Gore, one would have thought some sort of read-option play involving Kaepernick would have been a great call near the goal line. It's a play they used a lot with him, and with how gifted he was athletically, Baltimore's defense would have been in a tough spot deciding whether to go after him or Gore with the game on the line.
Instead, three incompletions ensued and the 49ers lost.
The pain of that loss has lessened over the years since the Niners have lost two more Super Bowls since the pain of New Orleans. Yet, Crabtree has reminded us all of that pain, and it is hard not to wonder over 12 years later how things could have played out differently.