NFL Team History: The San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers were founded by trucking executive Tony Morabito and became a charter member of the All-American Football Conference in 1946. Initially, Morabito had attempted to have his franchise placed in the National Football League. As a member of the AAFC, the 49ers became the city of San Francisco's first major professional sports team.

The team's name derived from the California Gold Rush of 1849.

Throughout their four-year tenure as member of the AAFC, the 49ers posted 36 wins 14 losses and 2 ties. Only the Cleveland Browns won more games in the span.

Following the 1949 season, the AAFC disbanded as it could not keep pace with the National Football League, which was the foremost professional football league in the United States. The 49ers, along with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Colts, were invited to join the NFL in 1950.

The 49ers and their fans had grown accustomed to winning; however, the NFL provided the 49ers with formidable opponents. The 49ers introduction to the NFL resulted in a 21-17 loss to the New York Yankees on their home field at Kezar Stadium. The loss set the stage for a disappointing opening season in the NFL. The 49ers won three games versus nine losses.

A year later, the 49ers compiled a 7-4-1 regular season record, a drastic improvement from the previous season.

In 1957, the 49ers would face the Detroit Lions in a tie-breaking playoff game that would determine the NFL Western Division title. After building a comfortable 24-7 lead in the third quarter, the Lions rallied back to defeat the 49ers 31-27.

Despite the 8-4 regular season record, the highlight of the 1957 season was on October 27, 1957 when the 49ers rallied to defeat the Chicago Bears 21-17, the same day that the franchise's founder Tony Morabito passed away due to a heart attack. The victory was dedicated to their fallen leader.

From 1958 to 1969, the 49ers would fail to qualify for the post-season. In 1968, they hired Dick Nolan as the head coach. Nolan had previously served as the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator.

The 49ers emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the1970 season as they posted an exceptional record of 10-3-1. Their regular season record was sufficient enough to claim the NFC West Division title and their first post-season appearance since 1957. The 49ers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 17-14; however, their playoff run came to an abrupt end following a 17-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The 49ers were the NFC West champions again in 1971; nevertheless, their Super Bowl hopes were dashed by the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship showdown. The Cowboys kept the 49ers out of the end zone with a 14-3 victory.

The 49ers clinched their third successive NFC West Division title in 1972. However, their stranglehold on the NFC West was irrelevant when they faced the Dallas Cowboys in the post-season. For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys eliminated the 49ers from playoff contention with a 30-28 victory.

In 1977, Edward DeBartolo Jr acquired the San Francisco 49ers organization.

Four consecutive fruitless seasons prompted the 49ers to trade multiple draft picks to the Buffalo Bills for running back O.J. Simpson in 1978. Unfortunately, Simpson had exited his prime and was ineffective. The 49ers hit rock-bottom in 1978 as they posted a pitiable record of 2-14.

Following the debacle in 1978, the 49ers hired Bill Walsh as the head coach. Walsh had previously served as the head coach for Stanford University. Furthermore, they selected quarterback Joe Montana out of Notre Dame in the 1979 NFL Draft.

The 1981 season is considered to be the beginning of one of the most successful dynasties in NFL history. The 49ers posted a 13-3 regular season record, clinched the NFC West Division title, and their first post-season berth in nine years.

After dismantling the New York Giants 38-24 in the divisional playoff match-up, the 49ers would face the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. A decade earlier, the Cowboys eliminated the 49ers from playoff contention three consecutive seasons.

After trailing 27-21 late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Joe Montana led the 49ers to a clutch victory after his late-game touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwight Clark. The Montana to Clark conversion has been famously branded as 'The Catch'.

In Super Bowl XVI, the 49ers were challenged by the Cincinnati Bengals. After building a 20-0 lead, the Bengals rallied back and nearly shocked the 49er faithful. But it was the San Francisco-based franchise that held on for a 26-21 victory and would finally be crowned as the Super Bowl Champions.

As a result of the 1982 NFL strike, each team only played nine games. The 49ers were unable to defend their Super Bowl title as they posted a sub-par record of 3-6.

Two years later, the 49ers returned to the upper echelon of the NFL as they posted a remarkable record of 15-1. After rolling past the New York Giants and Chicago Bears in the NFC playoffs, the 49ers would face the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. The highly anticipated match-up between two of the NFL's best quarterbacks, Joe Montana and Dan Marino, took center-stage. It was the Montana-led 49ers that would clinch their second Super Bowl title as they defeated the Dolphins 38-16.

Prior to the 1985 season, the 49ers drafted wide receiver Jerry Rice out of Mississippi Valley State University as the sixteenth overall draft pick.

Also, the 1985 season was highlighted by running back Roger Craig becoming the first player to amass 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.

In 1988, the 49ers posted a 10-6 record and clinched the NFC West Division title. Victories over the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears led to their third Super Bowl conquest. In Super Bowl XXIII, the 49ers would face the Cincinnati Bengals, the same team that they defeated seven years prior to claim their first Super Bowl triumph.

The game was highlighted by a game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana to wide receiver John Taylor. The 20-16 victory over the Bengals was the third Super Bowl championship for the 49ers in seven years.

Following the Super Bowl celebration, head coach Bill Walsh announced his retirement. George Seifert replaced the legendary Walsh as head coach of the 49ers.

Following a 14-2 regular season in 1989, the 49ers once again prevailed in the post-season as they easily knocked off the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams en route to a fourth Super Bowl appearance.

In Super Bowl XXIV, the 49ers whitewashed the Denver Broncos by an overwhelming score of 55-10.

The 49ers dominated the NFC again in 1990 as they posted their second straight 14-2 regular season record; however, the surprising New York Giants ended the 49ers endeavor to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. The Giants defeated the 49ers 15-13 in the NFC Championship Game.

Joe Montana would miss the subsequent two seasons while recovering from an elbow injury sustained in the NFC Championship Game against the Giants.

Quarterback Steve Young was implemented into the starting lineup for the 49ers in 1991. Nonetheless, the 49ers 10-6 record was not enough to land them a spot in the post-season. It was the first time since the strike-shortened season in 1982 that the 49ers were shut out of the playoffs.

In 1992, they returned to their dominating ways as Young would lead the 49ers to a league-best 14-2 record. But their splendid season ended with a 30-20 loss at their home field to their familiar foe, the Dallas Cowboys.

Following the 1992 season, NFL MVP Steve Young had firmly established himself as the 49ers quarterback of the near future. As a result, the aging Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In 1993, the 49ers would be on the losing end of another NFC Championship showdown with the Dallas Cowboys. This time, the Cowboys stomped the 49ers by a score of 38-21.

A year later, the 49ers posted an NFC-best 13-3 regular season record. This led to a third consecutive NFC Championship bout with the reviled Cowboys. This time, the 49ers ended the Cowboys NFC supremacy with a 38-28 victory. Furthermore, the 49ers were set to play in their fifth Super Bowl game.

In Super Bowl XXIX, the 49ers handed their inner-state adversaries, the San Diego Chargers, a piercing 49-26 defeat.

The San Francisco 49ers became the first team to win five Super Bowl Championships. Since then, the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have won their fifth Super Bowl.

In 1995 and 1996, the 49ers reached the post-season but were prematurely eliminated by the Green Bay Packers in both seasons. Following the 1996 season, head coach George Seifert resigned from his position. The 49ers named Steve Mariucci was as the new head coach, and only the third head coach since 1978.

The Packers would continue to be a thorn in the 49ers side as they handed the San Francisco-based squad a 23-10 defeat in the 1997 NFC Championship game. It was the third consecutive post-season loss to the Packers.

In 1998, the 49ers capped off sixteen successive seasons with a winning record. Nonetheless, their Super Bowl run was derailed by the Atlanta Falcons.

All hopes of a seventeenth straight winning season dwindled early in the 1999 season when running back Garrison Hearst was injured. Additionally, quarterback Steve Young would suffer a head injury that would ultimately end his NFL career. Consequently, the 49ers posted a dreadful 4-12 regular season record, their first losing season since 1982.

Following their second consecutive losing season in 2000, the 49ers released wide receiver Jerry Rice. Over his sixteen-year career in San Francisco, Rice was acknowledged as one of the greatest wide receivers to play in the NFL. He was eventually signed by the Oakland Raiders.

In 2001, the 49ers clinched their first playoff berth since 1998; however, they were upended by the Green Bay Packers in the divisional playoff match-up.

In 2002, they returned to the post-season, but they were unable to overcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stifling defense and would suffer a thwarting 31-6 defeat.

The 2003 season was marred by controversy surrounding wide receiver Terrell Owens and his contract. Additionally, Owens engaged in an on-going feud with quarterback Jeff Garcia. Following the season, they traded Terrell Owens to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2004, the 49ers became the bottom-feeders of the NFC West as they posted a paltry 2-14 regular season record. Mike Nolan was hired as the head coach of the 49ers following the miserable season. Their new head coach is the son of former 49ers coach Dick Nolan who was the team's leader from 1968 to 1975.

In 2006, the 49ers finished the regular season with a 7-9 record.