1988 San Francisco 49ers season
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco 49ers
1988 season
was their 43rd season in the National Football League. The season was highlighted by their third Super Bowl victory. In 1988, the 49ers struggled. At one point, they were 6-5 and in danger of missing the playoffs but rose to defeat the Washington Redskins on a Monday night, eventually finishing the season at 10-6. They gained a measure of revenge by thrashing the Minnesota Vikings 34-9 in the first round. The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's Soldier Field, where the chill factor at gametime was 26 degrees below zero. They defeated the Chicago Bears 28-3 in a NFC Championship game upset.
For the 49ers, it was their first Super Bowl appearance since they defeated the Miami Dolphins
in Super Bowl XIX
. They had made the playoffs in the three seasons between Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII, but were eliminated each time in the first round, primarily because of the poor performances by their offensive stars in those games; quarterback Joe Montana
, receiver Jerry Rice
and running back Roger Craig all failed to produce a single touchdown.
with a 10-6 regular season record, but it was a long uphill battle. The team had a quarterback controversy with Montana and Steve Young each starting at quarterback during the season. But after a 6-5 start, Montana led the 49ers to win 4 of their final 5 regular season games.
Montana finished the regular season with 238 completions for 2,981 yards and 18 touchdowns, and also added 132 rushing yards. His favorite target was Rice, who recorded 64 receptions for 1,306 yards (a 20.4 yards per catch average) and 9 touchdowns. Craig was also a key contributor with a total of 2,036 combined rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
. Fullback Tom Rathman
also made a big impact, rushing for 427 yards and catching 42 passes for 387 yards. The 49ers defense was led by defensive backs Ronnie Lott
, Eric Wright, Jeff Fuller, and Tim McKyer
, who recorded a combined total of 18 interceptions. McKyer led the team with 7, while Lott recorded 5. Linebacker Charles Haley
was also a big contributor with 11.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.
1st Quarter
MIN- Chuck Nelson
47 yard field goal MIN 3-0
SF- Jerry Rice
2 yard pass from Joe Montana
(Mike Cofer kick)SF 7-3
2nd Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 4 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 14-3
SF- Jerry Rice 11 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 21-3
3rd Quarter
MIN- Hassan Jones
5 yard pass from Wade Wilson (kick failed) SF 21-9
4th Quarter
SF- Roger Craig 4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) SF 28-9
SF- Roger Craig 80 yard rush (kick failed) SF 34-9
1st Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 61 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 7-0
2nd Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 27 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 14-0
CHI- Kevin Butler
25 yard field goal SF 14-3
3rd Quarter
SF- John Frank
5 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 21-3
4th Quarter
SF- Tom Rathman
4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) 28-3
49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice was named the Super Bowl MVP. He caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing once for 5 yards.
This was also the final NFL game coached by the 49ers' Bill Walsh. This was also the final Super Bowl that Pete Rozelle presided over as NFL Commissioner.
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
1988 season
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
was their 43rd season in the National Football League. The season was highlighted by their third Super Bowl victory. In 1988, the 49ers struggled. At one point, they were 6-5 and in danger of missing the playoffs but rose to defeat the Washington Redskins on a Monday night, eventually finishing the season at 10-6. They gained a measure of revenge by thrashing the Minnesota Vikings 34-9 in the first round. The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's Soldier Field, where the chill factor at gametime was 26 degrees below zero. They defeated the Chicago Bears 28-3 in a NFC Championship game upset.
For the 49ers, it was their first Super Bowl appearance since they defeated the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
. They had made the playoffs in the three seasons between Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII, but were eliminated each time in the first round, primarily because of the poor performances by their offensive stars in those games; quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
, receiver Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
and running back Roger Craig all failed to produce a single touchdown.
NFL Draft
| Round # | |Player | |College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | San Francisco 49ers | Danny Stubbs Danny Stubbs Daniel Stubbs II is a former professional American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played for ten seasons from 1988 to 1999 for the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Miami Dolphins... |
Outside Linebacker | Miami |
| 39 | San Francisco 49ers | Pierce Holt Pierce Holt Pierce Holt is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons from 1988 to 1995. He played collegiately at Angelo State University and was selected by the 49ers in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft... |
Defensive Tackle | Angelo State Angelo State University Angelo State University is a public, coeducational, doctoral level degree-granting university located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained University status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the... |
| 80 | San Francisco 49ers | Bill Romanowski Bill Romanowski William Thomas "Bill" Romanowski is a former American football player. He was born in Vernon, Connecticut. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988 , and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers , Philadelphia... |
Outside Linebacker | Boston College Boston College Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early... |
| 102 | San Francisco 49ers | Barry Helton Barry Helton Barry Helton is a former punter with a 4 year career in the National Football League. He played in Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXIV for the San Francisco 49ers. He now coaches his son's baseball team, the Colorado Springs Cheyenne Mountain Indians and sells used cars in Colorado Springs.... |
Punter | Colorado |
| 191 | San Francisco 49ers | Kevin Bryant | Linebacker | Delaware State |
Staff
Roster
Regular season
In the 1988 season, San Francisco won the NFC WestNFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
with a 10-6 regular season record, but it was a long uphill battle. The team had a quarterback controversy with Montana and Steve Young each starting at quarterback during the season. But after a 6-5 start, Montana led the 49ers to win 4 of their final 5 regular season games.
Montana finished the regular season with 238 completions for 2,981 yards and 18 touchdowns, and also added 132 rushing yards. His favorite target was Rice, who recorded 64 receptions for 1,306 yards (a 20.4 yards per catch average) and 9 touchdowns. Craig was also a key contributor with a total of 2,036 combined rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award is given annually by the Associated Press to the offensive player of the National Football League believed to have had the most outstanding season...
. Fullback Tom Rathman
Tom Rathman
Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:...
also made a big impact, rushing for 427 yards and catching 42 passes for 387 yards. The 49ers defense was led by defensive backs Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
, Eric Wright, Jeff Fuller, and Tim McKyer
Tim McKyer
Timothy Bernard McKyer is a former professional American football player who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 174-lb. cornerback from the University of Texas at Arlington, McKyer played in 12 NFL seasons for 7 different teams from 1986 to 1997...
, who recorded a combined total of 18 interceptions. McKyer led the team with 7, while Lott recorded 5. Linebacker Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
was also a big contributor with 11.5 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 4, 1988 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 34-33 | |
| 2 | September 11, 1988 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20-17 | |
| 3 | September 18, 1988 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 17-34 | |
| 4 | September 25, 1988 | at Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
W 38-7 | |
| 5 | October 2, 1988 | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 20-13 | |
| 6 | October 9, 1988 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 13-16 (OT) | |
| 7 | October 16, 1988 | at Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
W 24-21 | |
| 8 | October 24, 1988 (Mon) | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 9-10 | |
| 9 | October 30, 1988 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 24-21 | |
| 10 | November 6, 1988 | at Phoenix Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 23-24 | |
| 11 | November 13, 1988 | Los Angeles Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 3-9 | |
| 12 | November 21, 1988 (Mon) | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 37-21 | |
| 13 | November 27, 1988 | at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 48-10 | |
| 14 | December 4, 1988 | at Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 13-3 | |
| 15 | December 11, 1988 | New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 30-17 | |
| 16 | December 18, 1988 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
L 16-38 | |
NFC Divisional Playoff
Scoring Summary1st Quarter
MIN- Chuck Nelson
Chuck Nelson
Charles LaVerne Nelson is a former professional American football placekicker for five seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, and the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Washington...
47 yard field goal MIN 3-0
SF- Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
2 yard pass from Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
(Mike Cofer kick)SF 7-3
2nd Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 4 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 14-3
SF- Jerry Rice 11 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 21-3
3rd Quarter
MIN- Hassan Jones
Hassan Jones
Hassan Ameer Jones , he played for the Clearwater High School Tornadoes, and is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 5th round of the 1986 NFL Draft . A 6'0", 195-lb. wide receiver from Florida State, Jones played in 8 NFL seasons from 1986...
5 yard pass from Wade Wilson (kick failed) SF 21-9
4th Quarter
SF- Roger Craig 4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) SF 28-9
SF- Roger Craig 80 yard rush (kick failed) SF 34-9
NFC Championship Game
Scoring Summary1st Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 61 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 7-0
2nd Quarter
SF- Jerry Rice 27 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 14-0
CHI- Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler (American football)
Kevin Gregory Butler is a former professional American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, and then played professionally for the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League...
25 yard field goal SF 14-3
3rd Quarter
SF- John Frank
John Frank
John G. Frank was an American football player who played tight end in the NFL from 1984 to 1988 and earned two Super Bowl rings.-High school & college:He attended Mt...
5 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) SF 21-3
4th Quarter
SF- Tom Rathman
Tom Rathman
Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:...
4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick) 28-3
Super Bowl XXIII
The game is remembered for the 49ers' fourth-quarter game-winning drive. Down 16-13, San Francisco got the ball on their own eight yard line with 3:10 on the clock and marched 92 yards down the field in under three minutes. They then scored the winning touchdown on a Joe Montana pass to John Taylor with just 34 seconds left in the game.49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice was named the Super Bowl MVP. He caught 11 passes for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing once for 5 yards.
This was also the final NFL game coached by the 49ers' Bill Walsh. This was also the final Super Bowl that Pete Rozelle presided over as NFL Commissioner.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter- SF - FG: Mike Cofer 41 yards 3-0 SF
2nd Quarter
- CIN - FG: Jim Breech 34 yards 3-3 tie
3rd Quarter
- CIN - FG: Jim Breech 43 yards 6-3 CIN
- SF - FG: Mike Cofer 32 yards 6-6 tie
- CIN - TD: Stanford Jennings 93 yard kickoff return (Jim Breech kick) 13-6 CIN
4th Quarter
- SF - TD: Jerry Rice 14 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 13-13 tie
- CIN - FG: Jim Breech 40 yards 16-13 CIN
- SF - TD: John Taylor 10 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 20-16 SF
Awards and records
- Mike Cofer, Led NFC, 27 Field Goals
- Mike Cofer, Led NFC, 121 Points
- Roger Craig, Offense, UPI NFC Player of the YearUPI NFC Player of the YearFrom 1970 to 1996, the United Press International awarded the NFC Player of the Year to players from the NFL's National Football Conference .-NFC Offensive Player of the Year:-See also:*UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year...
- Roger Craig, Led NFC with 2068 total yards
- Jerry Rice, Most Valuable Player, Super Bowl XXIII