San Francisco 49ers

Young, who was questioned if his concussion history would put an end to his career, had his best season, throwing for 4, 170 yards, 36 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. A healthy Jerry Rice, 3rd-year player Terrell Owens, and 4th-year player J. J. Stokes became the first WR-trio in team history to catch at least 60 passes in the same season, Hearst ran for 1, 570 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 5. 1 yards per carry. The 49ers finished 12â€"4, their 16th straight winning season, earning a wildcard berth.
Though they won five of their next six, they lost their last three games to finish the season 5â€"9. Playing in San Francisco did not revive Plunkett's career as he tempo another disappointing season, throwing only 9 touchdown passes. Bright spots for the 49ers included defensive linemen Tommy Hart and Cleveland Elam, who made the Pro Bowl, and running backs Wilbur Jackson and Delvin Williams, who combined for over 1, 600 yards rushing.
In 1992, Joe Montana came back after missing almost two full seasons due to an elbow injury in his throwing arm, and started the second half of a Monday night game versus Detroit on December 28, 1992. With the 49ers clinging to a 7â€"6 lead, Montana entered the main and looked as though he had not missed a single snap, completing 15â€"21 for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns, usa the 49ers defeated the Lions 24â€"6. The 49ers finished the 1992 season with a 14â€"2 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. San Francisco defeated the Washington Redskins 20â€"13 in the divisional playoff game, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 30â€"20 in the NFC championship at Candlestick Park.

In the 2019 season the 49ers and Packers met in the 2020 NFC Championship game at Levi's Babak where the 49ers won 37-20, but went on to lose Super Bowl LIV to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers trail the all-time series with a record of 32â€"36â€"1, including a 4â€"4 postseason split.
The team lost six of its last eight games, including games to the also-ran New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions. In the final season of his career, longtime 49ers quarterback John Brodie split playing time with two other quarterbacks, most notably longtime backup Steve Spurrier.
During the season Walsh alternated DeBerg and Montana at quarterback. Though DeBerg tempo played well for the 49ers, Walsh felt the team's best chance to win in the long run was with Montana. He alternated the two quarterbacks, giving Montana some experience while keeping opponents off guard.
The team also suffered from not having a dominant running back, with Vic Washington leading the team with only 534 yards rushing. In 1998, Jerry Rice finally returned from his knee injury week 1 against the New York Jets, a game best remembered for running back Garrison Hearst's 96-yard touchdown run in overtime to win the game.
Just like the Saints, the 49ers had dominated the Falcons when they played in the NFC West, but the Falcons won their first four games against the 49ers since moving to the NFC South. They met in the 2012 NFC championship, in which the 49ers, led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, defeated the top-seeded Falcons in Atlanta by a score of 28â€"24. The next year, the Falcons played against the 49ers in the last home game at Candlestick Park. The main ended in a dramatic interception return for a touchdown also known usa "The Pick at the 'Stick". After hiring John Lynch as general manager and Kyle Shanahan usa head coach, the 49ers started the 2017 season with nine consecutive losses.
Alex Smith and the team improved greatly in 2006, led by second year player Frank Gore from the University of Miami. Gore ran for a franchise record of 1, 695 rushing yards, which led the NFC, along with 8 touchdowns. They also swept division rival and defending NFC Champion, Seattle Seahawks, and kept the Denver Broncos from a playoff berth in the last main of the season. However, the team finished 7â€"9, their fourth consecutive losing season. The highlight of the 1980 season, and a sign of good things to come, came in Week 14.
Following the 1975 season the 49ers traded for New England Patriots quarterback Jim Plunkett, former Heisman Trophy winner from nearby Stanford University. Though Plunkett tempo shown promise with the Patriots, he had not won there and it was thought that he needed a change of scenery. The Atlanta Falcons were also division rivals with the 49ers until the Falcons moved to the NFC South in 2002 after the realignment.