1981 San Francisco 49ers season
| 1981 San Francisco 49ers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bill Walsh |
| General manager | Bill Walsh |
| Home field | Candlestick Park |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC West |
| Playoff finish |
Won Divisional Playoffs (Giants) 38–24 Won NFC Championship (Cowboys) 28–27 Won Super Bowl XVI (Bengals) 26–21 |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 49ers playing against the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.
The 1981 San Francisco 49ers season was their 32nd season in the National Football League. Under third-year head coach Bill Walsh, the team finished the regular season with a 13–3 record. The season would be one of the franchise's most successful seasons to that point and would be 'the birth of a dynasty', when the 49ers began their decade of dominance.
The 49ers won Super Bowl XVI by defeating the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. It was the first of five Super Bowl victories in franchise history, all within the next 13 seasons.
Quarterback Joe Montana began the 1981 season as San Francisco's starting quarterback. Montana produced two fourth-quarter comeback victories. Montana's signature game of the season was the NFC Championship Game, which culminated in "The Catch," a last-minute touchdown pass from Montana to Dwight Clark, propelling the 49ers to victory over Dallas, and a berth in their first Super Bowl.
Offseason
NFL Draft
A turning point for the franchise was the drafting of safety Ronnie Lott from the University of Southern California. Lott would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Main article: 1981 NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Ronnie Lott | DB | USC |
| 2 | 36(Choice from Washington) | John Harty | DT | Iowa |
| 2 | Choice to Chicago | |||
| 2 | 40(Choice from Chicago) | Eric Wright | DB | Missouri |
| 3 | 65 | Carlton Williamson | DB | Pittsburgh |
| 4 | Choice to Dallas | |||
| 5 | 121 | Lynn Thomas | DB | Pittsburgh |
| 5 | 122(Choice from Chicago) | Arrington Jones | RB | Winston-Salem State |
| 6 | 147 | Pete Kugler | DT | Penn State |
| 7 | Choice to Philadelphia | |||
| 8 | 203 | Garry White | RB | Minnesota |
| 9 | Choice to Cincinnati | |||
| 10 | Choice to Baltimore | |||
| 11 | 286 | Ron DeBose | TE | UCLA |
| 12 | 313 | Major Ogilvie | RB | Alabama |
| 12 | 322(Choice from Pittsburgh) | Joe Adams | QB | Tennessee State |
Training Camp
The 1981 San Francisco 49ers season held training camp at Sierra College in Rocklin, California.
Personnel
Staff
| 1981 San Francisco 49ers staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Roster
Pre season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Record | Stadium | Attendance | Time | Local TV |
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August 5, 1981 | at Seattle Seahawks | |
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August 15, 1981 | San Diego Chargers | |
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August 22, 1981 | Seattle Seahawks | |
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August 29, 1981 | at Oakland Raiders | |
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Notes:
Game officials
| Week | Opponent | Referee | Umpire | Head Linesman | Line Judge | Back Judge | Side Judge | Field Judge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Seattle Seahawks | (7) | (12) | (10) | (19) | (16) | (8) | (11) |
| 2 | San Diego Chargers | |||||||
| 3 | Seattle Seahawks | (10) | (7) | (22) | (14) | (5) | (19) | (20) |
| 4 | at Oakland Raiders |
Regular season
With the offense in good shape, Walsh and the 49ers focused on overhauling the defense in 1981. Walsh took the highly unusual step of overhauling his entire secondary with rookies and untested players, bringing on board Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson and giving Dwight Hicks a prominent role. He also acquired veteran linebacker Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds and veteran defensive lineman and sack specialist Fred Dean.
These new additions, when added to existing defensive mainstays like Keena Turner, turned the 49ers into a dominant team. After a 1–2 start, the 49ers won all but one of their final games to finish with a 13–3 record, easily the best record in the team's history. Additionally, the 49ers defense yielded more than 20 points in only three games. Dean made the Pro Bowl, as did Lott, in his rookie season, and Hicks.
Led by Montana, the unusual offense was centered around the short passing game, which Walsh used as ball control. Both Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon had excellent years receiving; Clark as the possession receiver, and Solomon as more of a deep threat. The 49ers running game, however, was among the weakest for any champion in NFL history. Ricky Patton led the 49ers with only 543 yards rushing. The 49ers' most valuable running back, however, might have been Earl Cooper, whose strength was as a pass-catching back (he had 51 catches during the season).
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Record | Stadium | Attendance | Time | Network | National Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6, 1981 | at Detroit Lions | L | 17–24 | 0–1 | Pontiac Silverdome | |
10:00 AM PDT | CBS | |
| 2 | September 13, 1981 | Chicago Bears | W | 28–17 | 1–1 | Candlestick Park | |
1:00 PM PDT | CBS | |
| 3 | September 20, 1981 | at Atlanta Falcons | L | 17–34 | 1–2 | Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium | |
10:00 AM PDT | CBS | |
| 4 | September 27, 1981 | New Orleans Saints | W | 21–14 | 2–2 | Candlestick Park | 44,433 | 1:00 PM PDT | CBS | |
| 5 | October 4, 1981 | at Washington Redskins | W | 30–17 | 3–2 | RFK Stadium | 51,843 | 10:00 AM PDT | CBS | |
| 6 | October 11, 1981 | Dallas Cowboys | W | 45–14 | 4–2 | Candlestick Park | 57,574 | 1:00 PM PDT | CBS | Mutual |
| 7 | October 18, 1981 | vs. Green Bay Packers (at Milwaukee) | W | 13–3 | 5–2 | County Stadium | 50,171 | 11:00 AM PDT | CBS | |
| 8 | October 25, 1981 | Los Angeles Rams | W | 20–17 | 6–2 | Candlestick Park | 59,190 | 1:00 PM PST | CBS | |
| 9 | November 1, 1981 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W | 17–14 | 7–2 | Three Rivers Stadium | 52,878 | 10:00 AM PST | CBS | |
| 10 | November 8, 1981 | Atlanta Falcons | W | 17–14 | 8–2 | Candlestick Park | 59,127 | 1:00 PM PST | CBS | |
| 11 | November 15, 1981 | Cleveland Browns | L | 12–15 | 8–3 | Candlestick Park | 52,455 | 1:00 PM PST | NBC | |
| 12 | November 22, 1981 | at Los Angeles Rams | W | 33–31 | 9–3 | Anaheim Stadium | 63,456 | 1:00 PM PST | CBS | |
| 13 | November 29, 1981 | New York Giants | W | 17–10 | 10–3 | Candlestick Park | 57,186 | 1:00 PM PST | CBS | |
| 14 | December 6, 1981 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W | 21–3 | 11–3 | Riverfront Stadium | 56,796 | 10:00 AM PST | CBS | |
| 15 | December 13, 1981 | Houston Oilers | W | 28–6 | 12–3 | Candlestick Park | 55,707 | 1:00 PM PST | NBC | |
| 16 | December 20, 1981 | at New Orleans Saints | W | 21–17 | 13–3 | Louisiana Superdome | 43,639 | 11:00 AM PST | CBS | |
Notes:
Game summaries
Week 1 at Detroit Lions
Week One: San Francisco 49ers at Detroit Lions – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
- Date: September 6
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: indoors
- Game attendance: 63,710
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play), George Allen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 2 vs. Chicago Bears
Week Two: Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: September 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C); wind 12
- Game attendance: 49,520
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (CBS): Tom Brookshier (play-by-play), Johnny Morris (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 3 at Atlanta Falcons
Week Three: San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Falcons | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 34 |
at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C); wind 8
- Game attendance: 56,653
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play), George Allen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 4 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week Four: New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: September 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C); wind 12
- Game attendance: 44,433
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play), Sonny Jurgenson (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 5 at Washington Redskins
Week Five: San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 14 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| Redskins | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
at RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 10
- Game attendance: 51,843
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (CBS): Tom Brookshier (play-by-play), Roger Staubach (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 6 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Six: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| 49ers | 21 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: October 11
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 18
- Game attendance: 57,574
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 7 at Green Bay Packers
Week Seven: San Francisco 49ers vs. Green Bay Packers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| Packers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, WI
- Date: October 18
- Game time: 11:00 a.m. PDT
- Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C); wind 21
- Game attendance: 50,171
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan (play-by-play), Johnny Morris (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 8 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week Eight: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 49ers | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: October 25
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 11
- Game attendance: 59,190
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender (play-by-play), Roger Staubach (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 9 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Nine: San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C); wind 8
- Game attendance: 52,878
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully (play-by-play), Hank Stram (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 10 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week Ten: Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 49ers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: November 8
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); wind 11
- Game attendance: 59,127
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play), George Allen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 11 vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Eleven: Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 15 |
| 49ers | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: November 15
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C); wind 15
- Game attendance: 52,455
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui (play-by-play), John Brodie (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 12 at Los Angeles Rams
Week Twelve: San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 3 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 33 |
| Rams | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California
- Date: November 22
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C); wind 8
- Game attendance: 63,456
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully (play-by-play), Hank Stram (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 13 vs. New York Giants
Week Thirteen: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: November 29
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C); wind 10
- Game attendance: 57,186
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan (play-by-play), Fred Dryer (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 14 at Cincinnati Bengals
Week Fourteen: San Francisco 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Bengals | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: December 6
- Game time: 10:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: 28 °F (−2 °C); wind 7, wind chill 21 °F (−6 °C)
- Game attendance: 56,796
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan (play-by-play), Fred Dryer (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 15 vs. Houston Oilers
Week Fifteen: Houston Oilers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 49ers | 0 | 0 | 21 | 7 | 28 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: December 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C); wind 7
- Game attendance: 55,707
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas (play-by-play), Bob Trumpy (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Week 16 at New Orleans Saints
Week Sixteen: San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| Saints | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 11:00 a.m. PST
- Game weather: indoors
- Game attendance: 43,639
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan (play-by-play), Fred Dryer (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Game officials
| Week | Opponent | Referee | Umpire | Head Linesman | Line Judge | Back Judge | Side Judge | Field Judge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Detroit Lions | (19) Tom Dooley | (12) Dave Hamilton | (7) Tony Veteri | (20) Jim Osborne | (9) Banks Williams | (8) Grover Klemmer | (14) Jack Vaughn |
| 2 | Chicago Bears | (15) Bob Frederic | (3) Lou Palazzi | (17) Jerry Bergman | (16) Bob Beeks | (20) Bob Swanson | (14) Ron Murphy | (6) Don Hakes |
| 3 | at Atlanta Falcons | (14) Gene Barth | (5) Bob Boylston | (18) Burl Toler | (3) Bob McLaughlin | (15) J.W. Sanders | (9) Dean Look | (7) Fritz Graf |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints | (7) Fred Silva | (15) Ralph Morcroft | (20) Frank Glover | (19) Vern Marshall | (12) Jim Kearney | (22) Merrill Douglas | (10) Don Orr |
| 5 | at Washington Redskins | (20) Gordon McCarter | (22) Ron Botchan | (14) Earnie Frantz | (9) Jack Fette | (10) Jimmy Rosser | (18) Ron DeSuzza | (11) Armen Terzian |
| 6 | Dallas Cowboys | (3) Jim Tunney | (8) Pat Harder | (25) Sid Semon | (8) Dick McKenzie | (11) Pat Knight | (5) Gil Mace | (24) Johnny Grier |
| 7 | vs. Green Bay Packers (at Milwaukee) | (12) Ben Dreith | (10) Tom Myers | (8) Dale Williams | (11) Bill Reynolds | (8) Don Wedge | (4) Ed Ward | (16) Pat Mallette |
| 8 | Los Angeles Rams | (4) Pat Haggerty | (9) Dave Moss | (10) Terry Gierke | (24) Walt Peters | (16) Jim Poole | (15) Dick Creed | (18) Bob Lewis |
| 9 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | (15) Bob Frederic | (3) Lou Palazzi | (17) Jerry Bergman | (16) Bob Beeks | (20) Bill Swanson | (14) Ron Murphy | (6) Don Hakes |
| 10 | Atlanta Falcons | (11) Fred Wyant | (19) Tom Hensley | (6) Ed Marion | (4) Wilson Gosier | (18) Dick Hantak | (25) Vince Jacob | (12) Bob Wortman |
| 11 | Cleveland Browns | (18) Chuck Heberling | (11) Gordon Wells | (15) Ray Dodez | (17) Dale Orem | (14) Al Jury | (24) Duwayne Gandy | (19) Charley Musser |
| 12 | at Los Angeles Rams | (8) Red Cashion | (14) Art Demmas | (16) Jack Johnson | (25) Neil Gereb | (4) Ben Tompkins | (3) Nate Jones | (15) Dick Ferguson |
| 13 | New York Giants | (9) Jerry Markbreit | (17) Ed Fiffick | (12) Dale Hamer | (15) Bama Glass | (7) Tom Kelleher | (6) Willie Spencer | (5) Bill Stanley |
| 14 | at Cincinnati Bengals | (17) Jerry Seeman | (20) Frank Sinkovitz | (3) Leo Miles | (6) John Leimbach | (23) Paul Baetz | (7) Bill Quinby | (9) Bill O'Brien |
| 15 | Houston Oilers | (6) Dick Jorgensen | (4) John Keck | (9) Ligouri Hagerty | (22) Boyce Smith | (17) Roy Clymer | (16) Royal Cathcart | (3) Dick Dolack |
| 16 | at New Orleans Saints | (14) Gene Barth | (5) Bob Boylston | (18) Burl Toler | (3) Bob McLaughlin | (15) J.W. Sanders | (9) Dean Look | (7) Fritz Graf |
Standings
| NFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| San Francisco 49ers(1) | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 357 | 250 | W5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 426 | 355 | L3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 303 | 351 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 2–10 | 207 | 378 | L4 |
Postseason
| Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Score | Stadium | Attendance | Time | Network | National Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFC Divisional Playoff | January 3, 1982 | New York Giants | W | 38–24 | Candlestick Park | 58,360 | 2:00 PM PST | CBS | CBS |
| NFC Championship Game | January 10, 1982 | Dallas Cowboys | W | 28–27 | Candlestick Park | 60,525 | 2:00 PM PST | CBS | CBS |
| Super Bowl XVI | January 24, 1982 | vs. Cincinnati Bengals (at Pontiac, MI) | W | 26–21 | Pontiac Silverdome | 81,270 | 1:00 PM PST | CBS | CBS |
Notes:
NFC Divisional Playoff
The Giants were making their first appearance in the postseason since 1963. First year starting quarterback Joe Montana led the 49ers to victory in his first ever playoff game, completing 20 of 31 passes for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 1 interception. His top target in the game was receiver Dwight Clark, who caught 5 passes for 104 yards.
NFC Divisional Playoff: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| 49ers | 7 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 38 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: January 3, 1982
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C); wind 11
- Game attendance: 58,360
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator), Irv Cross (sideline reporter)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
NFC Championship Game
Main article: The Catch (American football)
The 49ers were making their third appearance in the NFC Championship Game. Their opponent was their opponent for the two previous NFC Championship Games-the Dallas Cowboys. In both previous matches, the 49ers had lost the game. The game is remembered for "The Catch". The play, remembered in 49er lore as "Red Right Tight—Sprint Right Option" had called for both the primary receiver, Solomon, and Dwight Clark to line up on the right. Montana was supposed to roll to his right and find Solomon. Clark's pattern called for him to cut left across the end zone, stop, and immediately reverse his path to the right. If Solomon were covered, it would be up to Montana to find Clark. Due to the pressure, Montana's pass was high, but Clark was in position to make his memorable grab. Future New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who grew up in the Bay Area, attended the game as a four-year-old. The 49ers were victorious despite an astonishing six turnovers, including three interceptions by Joe Montana.
A photograph of the catch, with Clark at the height of his leap and Everson Walls reaching out to try to block the ball, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated the following week.
NFC Championship Game: Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
- Date: January 10, 1982
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C); wind 4
- Game attendance: 60,525
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Vin Scully (play-by-play), Hank Stram (color commentator), Irv Cross (sideline reporter)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI: San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 7 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
| Bengals | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
- Date: January 24, 1982
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: indoors
- Game attendance: 81,270
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator), Irv Cross (sideline reporter)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com [3]
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Game officials
| Round | Opponent | Referee | Umpire | Head Linesman | Line Judge | Back Judge | Side Judge | Field Judge | Alternates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFC Divisional Playoff | New York Giants | (12) Ben Dreith | (12) Dave Hamilton | (15) Ray Dodez | (9) Jack Fette | (9) Banks Williams | (4) Ed Ward | (14) Jack Vaughn | (16) Jack Johnson |
| NFC Championship Game | Dallas Cowboys | (3) Jim Tunney | (5) Bob Boylston | (6) Ed Marion | (16) Bob Beeks | (5) Ray Douglas | (9) Dean Look | (20) Ed Merrifield | (20) Gordon McCarter (9) Dave Moss |
| Super Bowl XVI | vs. Cincinnati Bengals (at Pontiac, MI) | (4) Pat Haggerty | (7) Al Conway | (17) Jerry Bergman | (16) Bob Beeks | (20) Bill Swanson | (19) Bob Rice | (6) Don Hakes | (14) Gene Barth (8) Pat Harder |
Awards and records
- Joe Montana, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
- Bill Walsh, National Football League Coach of the Year Award
1982 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl
Main article: 1982 Pro Bowl
| Number | Player | Position | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | Dwight Clark | WR | NFC Pro Bowlers |
| 51 | Randy Cross | RG, Starter | NFC Pro Bowlers |
| 74 | Fred Dean | DE | NFC Pro Bowlers |
| 22 | Dwight Hicks | S | NFC Pro Bowlers |
| 42 | Ronnie Lott | RCB, Starter | NFC Pro Bowlers |
| 16 | Joe Montana | QB, Starter | NFC Pro Bowlers |
Media
Pre season Local TV
| Channel | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) |
|---|---|---|
| KPIX-TV 5 |
Local Radio
| Flagship station | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| KCBS–AM 740 | Don Klein | Wayne Walker |
References
- ↑ San Francisco 49ers 2015 Media Guide. San Francisco 49ers. p. 561-562.
- ↑ "1981 San Francisco 49ers starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 San Francisco 49ers 2015 Media Guide. San Francisco 49ers. p. 448.
- ↑ San Francisco 49ers 2015 Media Guide. San Francisco 49ers. p. 517.
External links
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