1989 San Francisco 49ers season
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco 49ers
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...

 1989 season
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...

was their 44th season in the National Football League. 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...

 and the 49ers franchise cemented their reputation as the best team of the decade. After going 14-2 in the regular season, the 49ers completed the season with the most dominant playoff performance in NFL history, outscoring opponents 126-26 and winning their fourth Super Bowl victory.

In 2007, ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...

's Page 2 ranked the 1989 49ers as the greatest team in Super Bowl history.

NFL Draft

Round # |Player |College
28 San Francisco 49ers
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...

Keith DeLong
Keith DeLong
Keith De long is a former linebacker in the NFL who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1989-1993....

Inside Linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...

Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...


Staff

Roster

Regular season

The 49ers offense was just as dominating as it was during the previous regular season. 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...

 threw for 3,512 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, giving him what was then the highest quarterback rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...

 in NFL history (112.4). Montana also rushed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns, and earned both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
NFL Most Valuable Player Award
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...

 and 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...

. Wide 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...

 had another outstanding season, catching 82 passes for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns. Running back Roger Craig was the team's leading rusher with 1,054 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he recorded 49 receptions for 473 yards and another touchdown.

But other stars on the 49ers offense began to emerge, enabling the team to spread the ball around. After being used primarily as a punt returner during his first 2 seasons, wide receiver John Taylor
John Taylor (American football player)
John Gregory Taylor is a former American football wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers. Taylor attended Pennsauken High School and was one of six NFL players to come from PHS during the 1980s. Taylor attended Delaware State College and was a member of their football team, the Hornets...

 had a breakout season, catching 60 passes for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also returning 36 punts for 417 yards. Tight End Brent Jones
Brent Jones
Brent Michael Jones is a former American Football tight end who played almost his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers from 1987 to 1997. He was selected in the 5th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1986 NFL Draft...

 recorded 40 receptions for 500 yards. 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:...

 had the best season of his career, rushing for 305 yards and catching 73 passes for 616 yards. Even Montana's backup, quarterback Steve Young had a great year, throwing for 1,001 yards and 8 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions, while also rushing for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. With all of these weapons, San Francisco's offense led the league in total yards from scrimmage (6,268) and scoring (442 points). The 49ers
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...

 Defense was ranked #3 in the NFL. Three starters from the Defense made the 1989 All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...

 Team: (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...

, Don Griffin
Don Griffin
Donald Frederick Griffin is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 176-lb. cornerback from Middle Tennessee State University.-Career:Griffin played in 11 NFL seasons from 1986 to 1996...

, and Michael Walter
Michael Walter (American football)
Michael David Walter is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for eleven seasons for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys....

)

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result TV Time Attendance
1 September 10, 1989 at Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

W 30-24 CBS 10:00am
60,111
2 September 17, 1989 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

W 20-16 CBS 1:00pm
64,087
3 September 24, 1989 at Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 38-28 CBS 10:00am
66,042
4 October 1, 1989 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 13-12 CBS 1:00pm
64,250
5 October 8, 1989 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 24-20 CBS 10:00am
60,488
6 October 15, 1989 at Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

W 31-14 CBS 10:00am
61,077
7 October 22, 1989 New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

 (at Stanford)
W 37-20 NBC 1:00pm
51,781
8 October 29, 1989 at New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 23-10 CBS 1:00pm
62,805
9 November 6, 1989 (Mon) 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 31-13 ABC 6:00pm
60,667
10 November 12, 1989 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 45-3 CBS 1:00pm
59,914
11 November 19, 1989 Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

L 21-17 CBS 1:00pm
62,219
12 November 27, 1989 (Mon) 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 34-24 ABC 6:00pm
63,461
13 December 3, 1989 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 23-10 CBS 10:00am
43,128
14 December 11, 1989 (Mon) 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 30-27 ABC 6:00pm
67,959
15 December 17, 1989 Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

W 23-10 NBC 1:00pm
60,927
16 December 24, 1989 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...

W 26-0 CBS 1:00pm
60,207

  • September 24, 1989 - In a game versus the Philadelphia Eagles, Joe Montana threw for 428 yards and 5 Touchdown passes.

  • December 11, 1989 – Joe Montana set a Monday Night Football
    Monday Night Football
    Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...

     record with 458 yards thrown in one game and also threw three touchdown passes. Montana achieved this versus the Los Angeles Rams.

NFC Divisional Playoff

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

MIN- Rich Karlis
Rich Karlis
Richard John Karlis is a former American Football placekicker who played nine seasons for the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Detroit Lions in the National Football League from 1982 to 1990...

 38 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...

 72 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- Brent Jones
Brent Jones
Brent Michael Jones is a former American Football tight end who played almost his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers from 1987 to 1997. He was selected in the 5th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1986 NFL Draft...

 8 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 14-3

SF- John Taylor 8 yard pass from Joe Montana (kick failed)SF 20-3

SF- Jerry Rice 13 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 27-3

3rd Quarter

MIN- Rich Karlis 44 yard field goal SF 27-6

4th Quarter

SF- 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...

 58 yard interception return (Mike Cofer kick)SF 34-6

SF- Roger Craig 4 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick)SF 41-6

MIN- Rick Fenney
Rick Fenney
Richard Dale Fenney is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Minnesota Vikings ....

 3 yard rush (Rich Karlis kick)SF 41-13

NFC Championship

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

LA- Mike Lansford
Mike Lansford
Mike Lansford is a former National Football League placekicker from 1982-1990 for the Los Angeles Rams. In 1989, he led the league with 51 extra points. He is one of seven barefooted kickers in NFL history...

 23 yard field goal LA 3-0

2nd Quarter

SF- Brent Jones 20 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 7-3

SF- Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Mike Cofer kick)SF 14-3

SF- John Taylor 18 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick)SF 21-3

3rd Quarter

SF- Mike Cofer 28 yard field goal SF 24-3

4th Quarter

SF- Mike Cofer 36 yard field goal SF 27-3

SF- Mike Cofer 25 yard field goal SF 30-3

Super Bowl XXIV

Scoring summary

1st Quarter
  • SF - Jerry Rice 20 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 7-0 SF
  • DEN - David Treadwell
    David Treadwell
    David Mark Treadwell is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants . He played college football for the Clemson Tigers from 1984 to 1987, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering...

     42 yard field Goal 7-3 SF
  • SF - Brent Jones 7 yard pass from Joe Montana (kick failed) 13-3 SF


2nd Quarter
  • SF - Tom Rathman 1 yard run (Mike Cofer kick) 20-3 SF
  • SF - Jerry Rice 38 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 27-3 SF


3rd Quarter
  • SF - Jerry Rice 28 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 34-3 SF
  • SF - John Taylor 35 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) 41-3 SF
  • DEN - John Elway
    John Elway
    John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...

     3 yard run (David Treadwell kick) 41-10 SF


4th Quarter
  • SF - Tom Rathman 3 yard run (Mike Cofer kick) 48-10 SF
  • SF - Roger Craig 1 yard run (Mike Cofer kick) 55-10 SF

Awards and records

  • Led NFC with 442 points scored
  • Led NFL, 27.6 points per game
  • Mike Cofer, Led NFL, 136 Points
  • Roger Craig, NFC Pro Bowl
  • Ronnie Lott, NFC Pro Bowl
  • Guy McIntyre, NFC Pro Bowl
  • Joe Montana, Most Valuable Player, Super Bowl XXIV
    Super Bowl XXIV
    Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...

  • Joe Montana, NFL Most Valuable Player Award
    NFL Most Valuable Player Award
    The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...

  • Joe Montana, PFWA NFL MVP
  • Joe Montana, NEA NFL MVP
  • Joe Montana, 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...

  • Joe Montana, Offense, UPI NFC Player of the Year
    UPI NFC Player of the Year
    From 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...

  • Joe Montana, Bert Bell Award
    Bert Bell Award
    The Bert Bell Award for the Professional American football Player of the Year is presented by the Maxwell Football Club. This award is named in honor of Bert Bell , Commissioner of the National Football League and founder of the Maxwell Club...

  • Joe Montana, NFL Passing Leader
  • Joe Montana, NFC Pro Bowl
  • Joe Montana, Associated Press Athlete of the Year
    Associated Press Athlete of the Year
    The first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press in 1931. At a time when women in sports were never given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete...

  • Jerry Rice, NFL Leader, Receiving Yards
  • Jerry Rice, NFL Leader, Receiving Touchdowns
  • Jerry Rice, NFC Pro Bowl
  • John Taylor, NFC Pro Bowl

External links

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