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Friday, June 10, 2011
The 49ers were one of the most disappointing teams of 2010. San Fran was expected to win the NFC West but instead fell flat on their faces by going 6-10. Their struggles were attributed to their instability at QB, the most important position on the field. Three different guys took snaps for the 49ers during 2010 and head coach Mike Singeltary was fired after the 49ers got knocked out of the playoffs in Week 16. 2011 will be a new year for the 49ers who will welcome in new head coach Jim Harbaugh and QB of the future Colin Kaepernick. Before Kaepernick starts, Harbaugh is rumored to be bringing former #1 pick Alex Smith back to the Bay Area. Smith summarizes the bad fortunes the 49ers have had recently, but this was once a storied franchise.
One of the greatest innovators of the game, Bill Walsh most notably coached for the 49ers and led them to three Super Bowl franchises. Walsh inherited one of the most dismal teams in the NFL and the 49ers went 2-14 in Walsh's first season as coach. Many doubted, including Walsh, if he could turn around the dubious franchise. Things started to turn around in 1979 when Walsh drafted QB Joe Montana from Norte Dame. Montana was named the starter in 1980 as the team improved to 6-10. In 1981, Walsh lifted the 49ers from the bottom of the NFL to the very top of the mountain. After a 13-3 season, Walsh led the 49ers to a win over their longtime rivals the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. In Super Bowl XVI, the 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21. Walsh also coached the 49ers to wins in Super Bowl XIX and XXIII. Walsh paved they way for George Seifert to win two more Super Bowl as the 49ers became the first franchise to win five Super Bowls. On top of the Super Bowl victories, Walsh also had great success in the draft. On top of drafting Montana, he selected players like Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley, and Jerry Rice. Walsh also traded a second and fourth round pick for Steve Young, who would go on to be a Super Bowl MVP. Walsh did so much for the 49ers that it is hard to put it in words and he was awarded for his success when getting inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. Walsh was 92-59-1 in his career with the 49ers, which is the highest winning percentage in franchise history.
The best player to ever play the game made his name with the 49ers. San Fran drafted Jerry Rice 16th overall in the 1985 draft out of Mississippi Valley State. The 49ers moved up to draft Rice and many passed on him because they considered him "slow." Rice proved everybody wrong by getting voted to 13 Pro Bowls, being a first team All-Pro 11 times, and was a two time offensive player of the year award in his storied 19 year NFL career. Despite dropping passes numerous times, Rice was voted as the NFC's Offensive Rookie of the Year thanks to great performances like a 10 catch 241 yard game against the Los Angeles Rams. Rice's greatest performance came during the 1988 season. Rice had a career high in yards per catch (20.4) while also catching 1,306 yards and nine touchdowns. While having a great postseason, Rice also was an important part of the 49ers run to Super Bowl XXIII. In the NFC title game against the Chicago Bears, Rice caught five passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. His performance in Super Bowl XXIII, however, was the greatest in his career and one of the greatest in NFL history. Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown on his way to a Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Rice also won Super Bowl MVP and became only the third WR to win the award. Rice went on to win two more Super Bowl's with the 49ers and had 22 receptions, 318 yards, and six touchdown receptions in the two games. After the 2000 season, the 49ers released Rice, but the WR great eventually retired as a Niner. Nobody will come close to what Rice did over his career, sure somebody might break all the records he has (trust me, there is a lot of them) but nobody will show the grit and determination that he did. Rice is my personal hero and the greatest player in the history of this game. Enough said. Click here to look at Rice's stats.
The 49ers were one lucky franchise to have the greatest WR and the greatest QB. San Fran was even luckier to draft Joe Montana in the third round of the 1979 draft, which was low considering his performance in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Montana started half of the 1980 season and earned his nickname, "The Comeback Kid" while leading the 49ers to a victory over the New Orleans Saints after trailing 35-7 at halftime. Montana became the starting QB in 1981 and led the 49ers to a 13-3 record, which was the best in the NFL. In the NFC title game against the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers longtime rivals, Montana made the greatest throw in franchise history when he tossed a touchdown pass to Dwight Clark to win the game. Montana and the 49ers would go on to win Super Bowl XVI, with "Joe Cool" winning MVP. If I was to point to one season as his greatest, I would say Montana's 1984 season was it. That year, Montana led the 49ers to a 15-1 record, which was the best record a team had in a 16 game format up to that point. Montana also threw for 3,630 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions that season. In Super Bowl XIX, Montana out preformed Dan Marino on his way to another Super Bowl MVP. Montana also led the 49ers to victories in Super Bowl XXIII and XXIV. Montana is tied with Terry Bradshaw with the most Super Bowl wins for a QB. Montana also has the most Super Bowl MVP's then any other player (Tom Brady is a close second with two). On top of being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, Montana was rated the fourth best player on NFL.com. At the games most important position in the NFL, Montana was the most consistent player on the field. Click here to look at Montana's stats.
If you want to look to one player to sum up the past five seasons for the 49ers, look no farther then QB Alex Smith out of Utah. Smith was drafted 1st overall by the 49ers in the 2005 draft. Head coach Mike Nolan passed on Aaron Rodgers out of Cal because he thought he would be to confrontational. Rodgers would go on to replace Brett Favre and win Super Bowl XLV while also becoming the MVP. As a 49er fan, I would like to say the same about Smith, but unfortunately I can't. In Smith's five year career with the 49ers, he has not been to one Pro Bowl or has led the team to one playoff game. Smith has had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout his career and this was very true in his rookie season. Smith threw just one touchdown pass to 11 interceptions in the nine games he played his rookie season. Smith had his best season in 2006, when he threw for 2,890 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Smith has never really played a full season since 2006 due to injuries and ill advised coaching. Smith's bust status cannot be all blamed on him because in his five year career he has had a different offensive coordinator entering every season. Also, the two head coaches Smith has had (Nolan and Mike Singeltary) were defensive-minded head coaches. With a new era starting for the 49ers, new coach Jim Harbaugh will apparently bring back Smith for 2011 and then hand over the reigns to Colin Kaepernick. Smith is the only bust on our series to still be with his team, we will see if he can turn his career around in 2011. Click here to look at Smith's stats.
As a 49er fan, I replay this play in my head everyday. I remember a Gatorade commercial where it showed Dwight Clark drop the ball and it was just scary to think about because this did so much for the 49ers as a franchise. Now lets turn back the clock and review the play. The 49ers were trailing late in the NFC Championship Game to their longtime rivals the Dallas Cowboys. Joe Montana led the 49ers all the way down to the Cowboys six yard line trailing 27-21. With 58 seconds left in the game, San Fran faced a third down when Walsh called the play Sprint Right Option. When Montana rolled out to the right he faced a wall of defensive linemen that included Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Montana then threw up a prayer in the back of the endzone that looked like it was going to sail incomplete, but instead it was caught by WR Dwight Clark to give the 49ers the 28-27 win. One of my favorite Montana moments is that after the play, he was down on the ground and heard the roar of Candelstick. Jones then looked down at Montana and said, "Congrats, you just beat America's Team." Montana then responded by saying, "Well you can sit at home with the rest of America and watch the 49ers in the Super Bowl." Two weeks later, the 49ers won their first Super Bowl over the Cincinnati Bengals. This play set in motion what would become one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history. Click here to watch the 49ers defining moment.
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