49ers arrival of Edward DeBartolo & Bill Walsh

The team was led in its turnaround from late 1970s doormat by new owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. and head coach Bill Walsh. The former head coach of Stanford University was known for stockpiling draft picks, making excellent draft selections, and patching roster holes by acquiring key free agents.
Bill Walsh was hired to be the 49ers head coach in the 1978 off-season. Walsh was a disciple of Paul Brown, and served as Brown's offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975. However, Brown did not appoint him as his successor upon his retirement, ironically choosing another assistant, former 49ers center Bill "Tiger" Johnson. Desiring head coach experience, Walsh looked to Stanford University in 1977. He had had some success there before the 49ers tapped him to be their replacement.
Walsh is given credit for popularizing the 'West Coast offense'. The Bill Walsh offense was actually created and refined while he was an assistant coach with Bengals. The offense utilizes a short, precise, timed passing game as a replacement/augmentation of the running game. The offense is extremely difficult to defend against as it is content to consistently make 6-8 yard gains all the way down the field. (The other West Coast offense—more focused on the vertical, or downfield, passing game—was actually created by 1960s L.A. / San Diego coach Sid Gillman, and San Diego State coach Don Coryell, who also employed a version of it as head coach of the San Diego Chargers during a period where it garnered the nickname "Air Coryell".)
In Walsh's first draft, the 49ers had targeted Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana as an early round pick. Montana had enjoyed a storied college career, leading the Fighting Irish to the 1977 national title and a number of dramatic comeback victories, the most stunning of all being his final game, at the 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic. Playing the University of Houston in an ice storm, and with Montana suffering from a bad flu, Notre Dame was down 34–13 in the third quarter. However, Montana led a magnificent rally that culminated with him throwing a touchdown pass on the game's final play to give Notre Dame the 35-34 win.
Despite this, most scouts did not peg Montana as a top prospect. In addition to being relatively small for a quarterback (just over six feet) and slow, Montana's arm strength was considered suspect. Though he did get credit for his moxie and intangibles, most thought of him as a system player surrounded by a great team.
In the 1979 draft, the Dallas Cowboys were placed just ahead of the 49ers. The Cowboys' draft strategy through that time was to take the highest-ranked player on their draft board at the time of their selection, regardless of position. When the Cowboys' turn came up in the third round, the highest rated player on their board was Montana. However, feeling that the quarterback position was in excellent long-term shape with Roger Staubach and Danny White, and desperately needing a tight end, the Cowboys went off their strategy and drafted Doug Cosbie. The 49ers took Montana. The 49ers other notable draft choice of the 1979 draft was wide receiver Dwight Clark in the 10th round. Walsh discovered the unheralded Clark while scouting quarterback Steve Fuller of Clemson University as Clark ran routes for Fuller during Walsh's evaluation of the quarterback. Walsh's serendipitous discovery of Clark would prove to be an early glimpse into the coach's keen eye for talent.
As Walsh implemented his strategies and game plan, the 49ers had another year of losing, going 2-14. There were, however, a number of bright spots. Despite throwing more interceptions (21) than touchdowns (17), Steve DeBerg blossomed under Walsh, throwing for over 3600 yards and completing 60% of his passes. Freddie Solomon also had a good year, with over 800 yards receiving. The running game was patchwork, with Paul Hofer leading the team with 615 yards and O.J. Simpson, in what would be his final season, rushing for only 460 yards and being sidelined with injuries.
The 49ers got off to a strong start in 1980, winning their first three games of the season. However, the team, still not quite ready for the big time, would lose their next eight games in a row, although many of those games were close, and the 49ers acquitted themselves well. During the season Walsh alternated DeBerg and Montana at quarterback. Though DeBerg had 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 QBs, giving Montana some experience while keeping opponents off guard. This strategy of alternating quarterbacks from game to game and during games is rare in football, although it had been employed by other successful teams in the past, specifically the Dallas Cowboys of the early 1970s who alternated Roger Staubach and Craig Morton, and the Los Angeles Rams of the early 1950s alternating Norm Van Brocklin and Bob Waterfield.
In all DeBerg started nine games, going 4-5 with 1,998 yards, 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Montana started seven games, going 2-5 with 1,795 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine picks; Montana also had a better completion percentage at 64.6 to DeBerg's 57.9.
The highlight of the 1980 season, and a sign of good things to come, came in Week 14. The 49ers trailed the New Orleans Saints, who at the time were winless at 0-13, 35-7 at halftime. However, led by Joe Montana, the 49ers made (what was then) the greatest comeback in NFL history, coming back to tie the score in regulation and winning the game in overtime with a field goal by Ray Wersching to give the 49ers an incredible 38-35 victory. It was this game, which marked Montana's first big NFL comeback win, that won Montana the quarterback job full time.
A number of key players emerged for the 49ers in 1980. Among them were Dwight Clark, who led the 49ers with 82 receptions and just under 1000 yards receiving, and running back Earl Cooper, who ran for over 700 yards.




1981: 'The Catch' and first Super Bowl championship

The Catch' and first Super Bowl championship

1981 San Francisco 49ers season and The Catch (American football)
With the offense playing well consistently, 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 offensively and defensively balanced, dominant team. After a 1-2 start, the 49ers won all but one of their remaining games to finish with a 13-3 record, up to this point in time it was the team's best regular season win-loss record in its history. 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).
The 49ers faced the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs and won, 38-24. This set up an NFC Championship Game match-up with the Dallas Cowboys, whom the 49ers historically could not beat during their earlier success and playoff run in the early 1970s.
As they had earlier in the season (beating the Cowboys 45-14), the 49ers played the Cowboys tough, but the Cowboys forced six turnovers and held the lead late. Unlike the playoff games of the '70s, this would end differently. In a scenario not unlike the 1972 divisional playoff, the 49ers were down 27-21 and on their own 11 yard line with 4:54 remaining. As Montana had done for Notre Dame and the 49ers so many times before, he led the 49ers on a sustained drive to the Cowboys' 6-yard line. On a 3rd-and-3 play, with his primary receiver covered, Montana rolled right and threw the ball off balance to Dwight Clark in the end zone, who leaped up and caught the ball to tie the game at 27, with the extra point giving the 49ers the lead. Other contributors on the final 89-yard drive included Solomon, Lenvil Elliott (RB), Earl Cooper (FB), Mike Wilson (WR), Charle Young (TE), Dan Audick (LT), John Ayers (LG), Fred Quillan (C), Randy Cross (RG), and Keith Fahnhorst (RT).
"The Catch", as the play has since been named by sportscasters, reminded older 49er fans of the "Alley-oop" passes that Y.A. Tittle threw to lanky receiver R.C. Owens back in the 1950s. A picture of Clark's leap in the air taken by Walter Iooss, Jr. appeared on the cover of that week's Sports Illustrated and was also featured in an Autumn 2005 commercial for Gatorade.
Despite this, the Cowboys had one last chance to win. And indeed, on the first play of the next possession, Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson caught a pass from Danny White and got to midfield before he was pulled down by the jersey at the 49ers 44 yard line by Cornerback Eric Wright. Had Pearson not have been jersey-tackled, there was a good chance he would have scored a touchdown, as there were no 49ers downfield. On the next play, White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Jim Stuckey, giving the 49ers the win and a trip to their first ever Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, who were also in their first Super Bowl.
The 49ers would take a 20-0 halftime lead and hold on to win Super Bowl XVI 26-21 behind kicker Ray Wersching's four field goals and a key defensive stand. Throughout the '81 season, the defense had been a significant reason for the team's success, despite residing in the shadow of the then-innovative offense. Montana won MVP honors mostly on the strength of leading the 49ers on a 92 yard, 12 play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Earl Cooper. Thus did the 49ers complete one of the most dramatic and complete turnarounds in NFL history, going from back-to-back 2-14 seasons to a Super Bowl championship in just two years.




1982–83: Strike-shortened season and coming just short

Montana's success in the playoffs, and his success in leading the 49ers on big comebacks, made him one of the biggest stars in the NFL, and arguably the best quarterback ever to play the game. Not only was he the face of the 49ers, but his easygoing and modest manner enabled his celebrity to transcend football. Additionally, it caused other teams to consider players who, although not physically gifted, nonetheless had certain intangibles and tendencies that made them great players who could come up big in the toughest of situations.
During their first Super Bowl run, the team was known for its short-range passing game and the play-making ability of quarterback Joe Montana. Later, they became proficient in all aspects of the game, featuring a dominant defense (always in the offense's shadow) and a fast-scoring passing attack (with wide-receivers Jerry Rice and John Taylor).
The 1982 season was a bad one for the 49ers, as they lost all five games at Candlestick Park en route to a 3–6 record in a strike-shortened season. This would be the 49ers last losing season for the next 17 years. Joe Montana was the one highlight, passing for 2,613 yards in just nine games, highlighted by five straight games in which he broke the 300-yard barrier.
In 1983, the 49ers won their final three games of the season, finishing with a 10-6 record and winning their 2nd NFC Western Divisional Title in three years. Leading the rebound was Joe Montana with another stellar season, passing for 3,910 yards and connecting on 26 touchdowns. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, they hosted the Detroit Lions. The 49ers jumped out in front early and led 17-9 entering the 4th quarter, but the Lions roared back, scoring two touchdowns to take a 23—17 lead. However, Montana would lead a comeback, hitting wide receiver Freddie Solomon on a game-winning 14-yard touchdown pass with 2:00 left on the clock to put the 49ers ahead 24—23. The game ended when a potential game-winning FG attempt by Lions kicker Eddie Murray missed. The next week, the 49ers came back from a 21—0 deficit against the Washington Redskins in the NFC Championship Game to tie the game, only to lose, after a questionable pass interference call, 24—21 on a Mark Moseley field goal that sent the Redskins to Super Bowl XVIII.




1984–87:Second Superbowl/Arrival of Jerry Rice

In 1984, the 49ers had one of the greatest seasons in team history by finishing the regular season 15-1-0, setting the record for most regular season wins that was later equaled by the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, and the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers, and finally broken by the 2007 New England Patriots (with 16 regular season victories). Their 18 wins overall is also still a record, tied by the 1985 Bears and the 2007 New England Patriots. The 49ers' only defeat in the 1984 season was a 20-17 loss to the Steelers; a late field goal attempt in that game by San Francisco kicker Ray Wersching went off the uprights and was no good. In the playoffs, they beat the New York Giants 21-10, shut out the Chicago Bears 23–0 in the NFC Championship, and in Super Bowl XIX the 49ers shut down a record-setting year by NFL MVP Dan Marino (and his speedy receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duper), beating the Miami Dolphins 38-16. Their entire defensive backfield (Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Dwight Hicks, and Carlton Williamson) was elected to the Pro Bowl—an NFL first.
During the 1984 season,[5] fourteen 49ers players came together to record a 45 pop single entitled "We're the 49ers." The song, released as a 45 rpm single on Megatone Records, was produced and co-written by Narada Michael Walden.[6] It mixed elements of R&B, funk, and pop. Prominent 49ers who provided vocals include Roger Craig, Dwight Clark and Ronnie Lott (Joe Montana is noticeably absent, although he would join Lott, Clark and Riki Ellison to provide background vocals for the San Francisco band Huey Lewis and the News on two tracks from their 1986 album Fore!). While achieving some local airplay in San Francisco on radio stations like KMEL, it did not catch on nationally the way the Bears' Super Bowl Shuffle would a year later.
In the 1985 season, Roger Craig became the first NFL player to gain 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. The 49ers were not as dominant as in 1984, however, and they settled for a 10-6 record, a wild card berth and a quick elimination from the playoffs when the New York Giants beat them 17-3. In addition, 1985 marked the appearance of newly acquired rookie Jerry Rice who would continue with the 49ers throughout the 1990s.
When the 1986 season began, the 49ers were off and running with a 31–7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening day. But the win was costly; Joe Montana injured his back and was out for two months. Jeff Kemp became the starting quarterback, and the 49ers went 4–3–1 in September and October. Upon Montana's return, the 49ers caught fire, winning 6 of the last 8 games, including a 24–14 win over the Los Angeles Rams, to clinch the NFC West title. However, the New York Giants defeated them again in the playoffs, 49–3. Montana was injured in the first half by a hit from the Giants' Jim Burt.
During the strike-shortened 1987 season, the 49ers led the league with a 13–2 record but fell in their first playoff game to the Minnesota Vikings, 36–24—the third year in a row they lost in the first round. The loss to the Vikings was a stunning upset considering the 49ers that year were ranked #1 on both offense and defense, making them the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl. Note that 1987 marked the first of six seasons when the 49ers had two Hall of Fame quarterbacks on the roster: from 1987 through 1992, Montana's backup (and frequent replacement) was Steve Young.




1988–89: Back-to-back Super Bowls

In 1988, the 49ers at first 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 game, 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 game time was 26 degrees below zero. The Las Vegas line at game time was "pick", but it was the Bears famed 46 defense who got methodically picked apart by Joe Montana and Jerry Rice as the 49ers dominated the Chicago Bears 28-3 in the NFC Championship game.
The win over the Bears gave the 49ers their third trip to the Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXIII, located in Miami. Despite numerous trips deep into Cincinnati territory by the 49ers, the game was tied 3–3 at halftime. A late Cincinnati field goal put the Bengals ahead 16-13 with just over three minutes left on the clock. Following the kickoff, and a holding penalty, the 49ers took over on their 8 yard line with 3:08 left on the clock. Joe Montana began the final drive by stepping into the huddle and remarking to his teammates, during a television timeout, "hey, isn't that John Candy," as he pointed to the stands on the other side of the field. Harris Barton (offensive guard) was asked by Joe Montana and said if he wanted to go meet him. His calm demeanor reassured the 49ers, and he then engineered what some consider the greatest drive in Super Bowl history, as he drove the team 92 yards for the winning touchdown on a pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left. Final score: 20–16 49ers.
The following year, coach Bill Walsh retired, and his defensive coordinator and handpicked successor, George Seifert, took over head coaching duties. The 49ers then steamrolled through the league to finish 14–2 and gain homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Their two losses were by a combined 5 points. In the first round, they crushed the Vikings, 41—13. In the NFC Championship game, they blew out the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 before crushing the Denver Broncos 55–10 in Super Bowl XXIV - setting a record for points scored and widest margin of victory in a Super Bowl. Montana himself set many Super Bowl records (some since tied or surpassed) en route to his third Super Bowl MVP. In winning the Super Bowl, the 49ers became the only team to win back-to-back Super Bowls under different head coaches. This 1989 championship squad is often regarded as one of the most dominant teams ever, winning all three playoff games by a combined 100 points.






1990–93: Failed to three-peat/Steve Young steps in

49ers wall of trophies at the Marie P. DeBartolo Sports Center.
In 1990, the 49ers won their first ten games, and they eventually finished 14-2. They ripped through the season, and the coveted third consecutive Super Bowl victory seemed within reach. In the playoffs, the 49ers dispatched the Washington Redskins 28–10, setting up a conference championship game with the New York Giants. Despite not scoring a touchdown in the game, the Giants took advantage of a fourth-quarter injury to Montana and converted a faked punt attempt to thwart the 49ers attempt at a "three-peat." The Giants kicked a last-second field goal after recovering a Roger Craig fumble in the final minutes of the game, winning 15-13 and going on to win Super Bowl XXV.
During their quest for a "three-peat" between 1988 and 1990, the 49ers set a league record with 18 consecutive road victories.
Joe Montana missed almost all of the following two seasons with a recurring elbow injury. Following the 1990 season, the 49ers left team stalwarts Roger Craig and Ronnie Lott unprotected and let them go to the Los Angeles Raiders via Plan B free agency.
In 1991, Steve Young injured the thumb on his throwing hand and later was sidelined with an injured knee. After 10 games, the 49ers had a record of 4-6. Backup quarterback Steve Bono helped the team win five of its next six games with Young sidelined. In the final game of the season, Monday Night versus the NFC's no. 2 seed, Young returned and the 49ers embarrassed the Chicago Bears 52-14, finishing 10-6. However, the team missed qualifying for the playoffs by virtue of losing the head-to-head tiebreaker to the Atlanta Falcons, which had beaten the 49ers on a last-second Hail Mary pass earlier in the season. The 1992 and 1993 seasons saw a resurgent 49er team under the leadership of Steve Young, but a subpar defense could only take them to the NFC Championship game before falling to the Dallas Cowboys each time.
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 7–6 lead, Montana entered the game and looked as though he had not missed a single snap, completing 15-21 for 126 yards and 2 TDs, as the 49ers defeated the Lions 24-6. The 49ers finished the 1992 season with a 14-2 record and home field advantage in the playoffs. San Francisco defeated the Washington Redskins 20-13 in the divisional playoff game, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 30-20 in the NFC Championship at Candlestick Park.
At the end of the 1992 season, partly fueled by media hype, the biggest quarterback controversy in football history was in full swing. After discussions with the owner and the coach, Montana asked for, and was granted, a trade to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 1993 season. Despite Eddie DeBartolo wanting Montana to stay and start, Montana realized that he and Young could not stay with the 49ers without a controversy. Montana was later quoted as saying, "If I had stayed and started, there would have been problems. If I had stayed and Steve Young had started, there would have been problems."
The 49ers finished the 1993 season, the team's first without Joe Montana on the roster, with a 10-6 record and no. 2 seed in the playoffs. San Francisco defeated the New York Giants 44-3 in the divisional playoff game, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys 38-21 in the NFC Championship at Texas Stadium.



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Jahvid Best

San Francisco 49ers fifth

In 1994, the team spent large amounts of money on the addition of several star free agents from other teams, including Ken Norton, Jr., Gary Plummer, Rickey Jackson, Bart Oates, Richard Dent, Charles Mann and Deion Sanders. Additionally, several rookie players made key contributions to the team, some becoming season-long starters such as defensive tackle Bryant Young, fullback William Floyd, and linebacker Lee Woodall. The 49ers had some tough times early in the season, including a 40–8 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and a 24–17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, led by former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. Following the Eagles game, a poll conducted on local sports radio station KNBR showed that an overwhelming majority of 49er fans wanted head coach George Seifert fired.
The game against the Eagles was a turning point for the 49ers despite the lopsided score. Young was benched in the 3rd quarter and was later seen livid on the sidelines, shouting profanities at head coach George Seifert. The following week in Detroit, the 49ers trailed the Lions 14-0. After throwing a pass, Young was hit, picked up, and driven into the ground by three Lions defenders. After the hit, Young was screaming with his face dark red in color. He crawled most of the way off of the field before refusing help from the trainers as he limped the remaining way off the field. He miraculously returned to the field one play later (NFL rules state that after trainers attend to an injured player, that player must leave the field for at least one play) to lead the 49ers to a 27-21 victory. The team rallied around Young to win 10 straight games, including a 21-14 victory over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. During that span the 49ers' average margin of victory was nearly 20 points per game, a sustained dominance not seen since the 1985 Chicago Bears. Despite scoring only 8 points in one game and 14 in another the 49ers set a new record for total regular season and post season combined points scored. That record was later broken by the Minnesota Vikings in 1998 and the New England Patriots in 2007.
Even after those initial rough spots early in the season, the 49ers finished the season 13-3 and with homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. In their first game, they easily defeated the Chicago Bears, 44-15, setting up the third straight 49ers-Cowboys NFC Championship Game. The 49ers took advantage of three early Cowboys turnovers, taking a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Taking a 31-14 lead into halftime after a perfect 29 yard pass from Young to Rice in the closing seconds, the game appeared to be far out of reach for the Cowboys. A 49er fumble on the opening kick of the 3rd quarter led to a Cowboy score, cutting the lead to 31-21. Later, the 49ers responded with a Steve Young touchdown run, making it 38-21, before the Cowboys scored another touchdown in the final minutes for a final score of 38-28. The convincing win qualified the 49ers for their fifth Super Bowl appearance, and the first to be played by two teams from California. The 49ers steamrolled the San Diego Chargers 49-26,and at the time becoming the first team to win a record five Super Bowls.They are the only multiple Super Bowl winner that has never lost and are 5-0. With a record 6 touchdown passes, Steve Young was named the game's MVP. Their run of 5 Super Bowl wins in 14 seasons (1981–1994) solidified them as one of the all time greatest NFL teams.




1995–98: Seifert steps down, Mariucci steps in

The 49ers made the playoffs in 1995 and again in 1996, being eliminated by the Green Bay Packers both times. On January 17, 1997, George Seifert retired as 49ers head coach; on the same day, the 49ers hired Cal head coach Steve Mariucci as his replacement. At the time, Mariucci only had one year of head coaching experience at any level. The first game of the 1997 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a disaster, as both quarterback Steve Young and receiver Jerry Rice went down with injuries. Rice appeared to be out for the season with a serious knee injury, while Steve Young left the game with one of the many concussions he suffered throughout his career. However, Steve Young returned just two weeks later and, along with the league's number one defense, lead the 49ers to a strong finish with a final record of 13-3. Even Jerry Rice returned for one and a half quarters late in the season, before getting another injury to his knee (unrelated to the first one). In the NFC Championship game, the 49ers would again meet the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick Park and would lose 23-10.
In 1998 Jerry Rice finally returned from his knee injury and helped the 49ers to a 12-4 record and their 16th straight winning season (all with 10 wins or more). Once again, the 49ers faced the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Things looked bleak when the 49ers trailed 27-23 in the waning seconds. However, in one last moment of glory, Young hit Terrell Owens on a dramatic, game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass, dubbed by many as "The Catch II". That put the Niners ahead 30-27 with just three seconds left on the game clock, sealing the win. After beating the Packers, San Francisco would go on to lose 20-18 to the eventual NFC champion Atlanta Falcons a week later, in a game that was marked by pro bowl running back Garrison Hearst suffering a gruesome broken ankle on the first play from scrimmage.






1999–2003:The end of a dynasty/Jeff Garcia years

In the late 1990s, Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. was involved in a corruption investigation regarding Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and one of his Mississippi riverboat casinos. DeBartolo later pled guilty to a failure to report a felony charge in 1998. He was suspended from active control of the 49ers for one year. His sister, Denise DeBartolo York, and her husband, Dr. John York, took over operations of the team.
Eddie DeBartolo returned from his suspension in 1999, but a series of lawsuits over control of the family's vast holdings led him to surrender controlling interest to the Yorks as part of a 2000 settlement. Denise York is now chairwoman of the board, while John York is CEO.
On the field, the 1999 version of the 49ers got off to a 3-1 start, then in a nationally televised Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Steve Young suffered a blindside hit from cornerback Aeneas Williams that would eventually convince him to retire. At the time it was believed the severe hit ended his career but Young later said in interviews he could have come back to play another season or two. After meeting with then GM Bill Walsh and being told about how the salary cap troubles would make the team non-competitive, Young chose to retire rather than risk his long-term health further for a likely losing club. Without their future Hall of Famer, the 49ers lost 11 of their last 12 games, and suffered their first losing season since 1982. Bobb McKittrick, 49ers offensive line coach since 1979, also died of cancer following the 1999 season.
In 2002, they produced the second-greatest comeback in playoff history when Jeff Garcia led the team back from a 24-point deficit to win 39-38 against the New York Giants. They lost their subsequent game to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This would be, to date, the last postseason appearance for the 49ers. Following the season, head coach Steve Mariucci -- whose published statements about his degree of power in the organization had frayed already-strained relations with management—was fired by John York, despite a winning record. York has since said he made the correct decision to fire Mariucci, but could have handled it better; for instance, he admitted he should have made the announcement himself rather than hand that responsibility to general manager Terry Donahue. The replacement, former Seattle Seahawks and Oregon State University head coach Dennis Erickson was signed to a five-year contract. The hiring of Erickson was highly criticized by the fans and the media. During the coaching search, three defensive coordinators emerged as candidates for the job, but the offensive-minded Erickson was chosen despite the fact that Erickson's offensive philosophy was very different from the West Coast Offense.
Although they finished the 2003 season with a losing record of 7–9, Erickson was retained as coach for the 2004 season. The 2003 season also marked the end for volatile wide receiver Terrell Owens with the San Francisco 49ers. Owens scored 85 touchdowns in 8 seasons for the 49ers, including 4 in the playoffs. But his on and off-field antics lead to the 49ers trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason.




2004–2010: Difficult years


49ers running back Frank Gore in action against the St. Louis Rams in 2007
On September 26, 2004, the Niners were shut out 34–0 by the Seattle Seahawks, their first shut-out loss in 420 regular season and 36 playoff games, a league record. The last shutout had been 27 years prior in 1977—they were defeated 7-0 by Atlanta at Candlestick Park. The 49ers had several chances to score in the fourth quarter, but an interception and a fumble recovery sealed their fate in this game.
The 49ers finished that season with a record of 2–14, and thus finished last in the NFC West division for the first time since 1979, ending what had been the NFL's longest active streak for not finishing last in a division. It was also the worst record that season among the 32 NFL teams, securing them the right to the first pick in the NFL Draft. Erickson and the man who hired him, General Manager Terry Donahue, were fired.
After an extensive coaching search, the 49ers announced the hiring of Mike Nolan—defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens—as their head coach for the 2005 season. He is the son of Dick Nolan, who led the team to three consecutive playoff appearances from 1970 to 1972. Among many NFL franchises, the general manager makes strategic, player and coaching personnel decisions; the 49ers hired a head coach without hiring a GM, indicating that Nolan will likely possess substantial control in all of these areas. In his inaugural draft as head coach, Mike Nolan selected with the first pick of the draft, quarterback Alex Smith of the University of Utah. It was a pick predicted by most, though many predicted the 49ers might select local product Aaron Rodgers of the University of California. Nolan had a strong personality, and he thought Smith to be cerebral, introspective, and non-confrontational. Nolan also evaluated Rodgers but did not believe that Rodgers' attitude could co-exist with him.
Tragedy struck the Niners on August 20, 2005, when OL Thomas Herrion died immediately following a preseason loss to the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field. Coach Mike Nolan had just finished addressing the players in the locker room when Herrion collapsed. He was taken to a local Denver hospital, where he died several hours later. An autopsy revealed that Herrion died of a heart disease, which had not been previously diagnosed.
In 2005, the 49ers finished 4th in the NFC West for the second consecutive year, but were able to double their win total from 2004, ending the season with a 4–12 record. They ended the season on a high note with two consecutive wins; their first two game winning streak since 2003. Also, they swept their division arch-rival, the St. Louis Rams for the first time since 1998.
The 49ers finished the 2006 regular season with a 7–9 record and 3rd in the NFC West, their fourth consecutive losing season. The team displayed vast improvement, however. The most impressive victory of the season came in the last week vs. the Denver Broncos. The 49ers managed to come back from a 13–0 deficit and knock Denver out of the playoffs in an OT win (26–23). They also defeated division rival, and defending NFC Champion, Seattle Seahawks in both meetings on the season.
At the beginning of the 2006 season, the team made perhaps their most important decision, awarding the top running back spot to second year veteran Frank Gore from Miami. Gore ran for a franchise record of 1,695 rushing yards, which led the NFC, along with 8 TDs. He was awarded his first Pro Bowl appearance as a starter.
Before the beginning of the 2007 season, former coach and Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh died of complications from leukemia. In the off-season, cornerback Nate Clements was signed as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills. Clement's contract was worth $80 million for 8 years, the largest contract given to a defensive player in NFL history at the time. In the NFL Draft that year, the 49ers made another key addition to their defense, selecting middle linebacker Patrick Willis with the 11th overall pick. Willis was named the 2007 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The 49ers started that season 2–0, winning their first two games against the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. This marked the first time the 49ers started 2–0 since 1998. In the fourth game of the season, against the Seattle Seahawks, QB Alex Smith suffered a separated shoulder on the third play of the game, an injury that would severely hamper his play and ultimately lead to an early end to his 2008 campaign after having shoulder surgery. Chiefly due to QB Trent Dilfer's struggles and Alex Smith's injury, the 49ers lost 8 straight consecutive games from week 3 through week 12, ending the year with a disappointing 5–11 record.
Questions were raised about the future of Alex Smith, whose first three seasons had been plagued by inconsistent play, injuries, and not having had an offensive coordinator remain on the team for consecutive years. Head coach Mike Nolan and new Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz stated that a competition between Smith, Shaun Hill, and NFL journyman J. T. O'Sullivan would run through the first two preseason games of 2008, with the hope of naming a starter soon after. O'Sullivan was named the 49ers starter because of his familiarity with the Martz offense and after performing better than Smith or Hill in the first three preseason games. On the night of October 20, 2008, after struggling through the beginning of the season, Mike Nolan was fired. Assistant head coach Mike Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears, was named as the interim head coach. Singletary proved to be a fan favorite when after his first game as head coach he delivered a memorable post game interview. Singletary said of their loss: "... right now, we've got to figure out the formula. Our formula. Our formula is this: We go out, we hit people in the mouth.". The team had won five of its final seven games and went 5–4 overall under Singletary after Nolan's dismissal,They ended the season with a 7-9 record After the last game of the season, Singletary was announced as head coach by Jed York, who had been appointed as team president just days before. Jed York is the oldest son of John York and Denise DeBartolo York (and nephew of former team owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.).
On April 25, 2009, the 49ers selected Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. A Player many people thought would go in the top 5. The 2009 training camp was the first time since 2005 that the 49ers failed to have all drafted rookies signed and in training camp on time. Michael Crabtree, reached a contract agreement with the team on October 7, 2009, after having missed the first four games of the regular season. After an up and down season, featuring many close games, the 49ers posted an 8-8 record, the team's first non-losing season since 2002. Despite missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season, several key players continued to show signs of improvement. Alex Smith regained his role as the 49ers' starting quarterback (after Shaun Hill had won the starting job in training camp), passing for more than 2,000 yards with 18 touchdowns, while Frank Gore collected his fourth consecutive season with 1,000 or more rushing yards, a 49ers record. Safety Dashon Goldson showed signs of potential in his first year as full-time starter, as he tallied 94 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 sacks. Vernon Davis, in particular, had a breakthrough year at tight end, earning Pro Bowl honors with 965 yards and 13 touchdowns (tying the NFL record for his position). 2010 saw five Pro-Bowl Players for the 49ers. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, and Andy Lee.
Before the 2010 Season, the 49ers became the heavy favorites to win the NFC West. This was because Cardinals QB and future hall of famer Kurt Warner retired early in the offseason. Also, the 49ers had promising young talent and a solid draft: Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis, 11th overall, and Idaho offensive guard Mike Iupati, 17th overall, in the first round. However, the 49ers' 2010 season was a surprising disaster. They started the season with an 0-5 record, their worst start since 1979. By week 3, the 49ers fired offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, who was hand picked by Singletary in the 2009 offseason, and starting safety Michael Lewis had demanded to be released after he was demoted in favor of rookie safety Taylor Mays. By mid-season, Singletary would constantly switch QBs between Alex Smith and Troy Smith, who was picked up in free agency after the preseason. The 49ers gained their first win of the 2010 season when they won at home against the Oakland Raiders in week 6. On Week 11, the 49ers were shut out 21-0 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their first shut out at home since 1977. On December 27, 2010, the San Francisco 49ers fired Mike Singletary as head coach, and Defensive Lines coach Jim Tomsula stepped in to be interim Head Coach for the last game of the season,where they blew out the Cardinals 38-7 and finished a disappointing 6-10.




2011 San Francisco 49ers season

On January 4, 2011 Jed York promoted Interim General Manager Trent Baalke to be the General Manager,Baalke took over the General Manager role after former GM Scot McCloughan was relieved of his duties the year before. 2 days later, former head coach of Stanford University Jim Harbaugh was hired to become the new head coach.
In the 2011 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected defensive end/linebacker Aldon Smith from the University of Missouri with the seventh pick of the first round. In the second round they traded up nine spots to select Nevada Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick, giving three picks to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the 36th overall pick. Later selections included defensive back Chris Culliver in the third round, running back Kendall Hunter in the fourth round, offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore in round five, wide receiver Ronald Johnson and safety Colin Jones in round six, and fullback Bruce Miller, offensive lineman Michael Person, and cornerback Curtis Holcomb in the seventh round. The 49ers did not draft any players from Stanford, despite the recent hiring of Harbaugh.
In the first game of the 2011 regular season, the 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 33-17 at Candlestick. Ted Ginn Jr. was the star of the game as he returned two kicks, a kickoff and a punt, for touchdowns late in the 4th quarter. The win marked Harbaugh's first career win as a head coach in the NFL. In week two, the Dallas Cowboys came to town. The 49ers built a 14-0 lead in the first half but ended up losing the game 27-24 in overtime. The 49ers traveled to Cincinatti the next week to play the Bengals. The 49ers won that game 13-8. In week four, the 49ers visited Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. At halftime, Philadelphia was winning 20-3. In the 3rd quarter the Eagles added a field goal to extend their lead to 23-3. With a 20-point deficit, the 49ers retaliated with touchdowns scored by Joshua Morgan and Vernon Davis bringing the Niners within 6 points. Late in the 4th quarter, Frank Gore ran for a 12-yard touchdown with three minutes remaining, giving the Niners their first lead of the game. On the Eagles next possession, they drove into 49ers territory and field goal range. However, Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin took a bubble screen pass from quarterback Michael Vick up the field and was stripped recovered by the 49ers' Justin Smith and Dashon Goldson respectively, sealing their victory. The 49ers' 20-point comeback was their biggest since 1996. The next game was at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They defeated them 48-3, one of the biggest leads they've had. They then traveled to Detroit to take the once undefeated Detroit Lions. They gave Detroit their first loss, 25-19.




Proposed new 49ers stadium

On November 8, 2006, reports surfaced that the 49ers ended negotiations with the city of San Francisco about building a new stadium and plan to move to Santa Clara, 30 miles south of San Francisco; Santa Clara already hosts the team's administrative headquarters and training facility. The Yorks and then-San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom had been talking over the last few months about building a privately financed stadium at Candlestick Point that was going to be part of the city's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The 49ers' decision ended the Olympic bid. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago were the three cities competing to be the U.S. Olympic Committee's choice to bid on the 2016 games, with Chicago emerging as the eventual victor.
The team's current lease at Candlestick Park could extend through 2013.
The 49ers sponsored Measure J, which appeared on the June 8, 2010 Santa Clara, California ballot, to build a new stadium as home for 49ers in that city. The measure passed with 58.2% of the total vote. This is seen as the first step for the 49ers relocation to a new venue to be built in Santa Clara.
On the 49ers website, owner and business man John York had a letter stating that after a move to Santa Clara, the team would retain its name "San Francisco". York, who is a businessman/owner will use the S.F Brand in order to help keep the team marketable. In the history of the NFL, Teams who have relocated have embraced the city/community support for its stadium and name change. Diane Feinstein and other leaders will attempt to keep the name "San Francisco ".
York later confirmed in a press conference on November 9 that the team would move to Santa Clara with plans to build a state of the art stadium without a shopping mall in time for the 2015 season.



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San Francisco 49ers season Records

The rivalry between the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers is considered by many to be one of the greatest NFL rivalries ever, placing #8 on Sports Illustrated's "Top 10 NFL Rivalries Of All Time" list, compiled in 2008. Some feel that the rivalry was more intense before the Rams moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis, as it seemed like the rivalry was coming to an end when the Rams relocated. Yet, some players did not believe so. Roger Craig stated in Tales from the San Francisco 49ers Sideline that "the Rams will always be the 49ers' biggest rival. It doesn't matter if they no longer play in Los Angeles. If the Rams played their home games on Mars, it would still be a rivalry." In fact, the Rams are the only team to have played the 49ers twice every season for the last 58 seasons to combine for more than 100 regular season games. Though they have only met once in a playoff game when the 49ers beat the Rams 30-3 in 1989, the 49ers lead the overall series through 123 games (including the postseason) with a record of 61-60-2.




Dallas Cowboys


All about: Dallas Cowboys


The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers has been going on since the 1970s. San Francisco has played Dallas in seven postseason games. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers in the 1970 and 1971 NFC Championship games, and again in the 1972 Divisional Playoff Game. The 1981 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, which saw the 49ers' Joe Montana complete a game-winning pass to Dwight Clark in the final minute (now known as "The Catch"), is one of the most famous games in NFL history.The rivalry became even more intense during the 1992-1994 seasons. San Francisco and Dallas faced each other in the NFC Championship Game three separate times. Dallas won the first two match-ups, and San Francisco won the third. In each of these pivotal match-ups, the game's victor went on to win the Super Bowl. Both the Cowboys and the 49ers are second all time in Super Bowl victories to the Pittsburgh Steelers with five each. The 49ers-Cowboys rivalry is also part of the larger cultural rivalry between California and Texas, or more specifically, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
In recent years, this once bitter rivalry has greatly softened, with the recent struggles of both the Cowboys and 49ers.However, in its prime especially in the 1990s this rivalry was a very bitter one as both teams were the class of the NFL during this time




Oakland Raiders

All about: Oakland Raiders


The 49ers have an intense Crosstown rivalry with the Oakland Raiders, games between the two are referred to as the "Battle of the Bay". The first exhibition game played in 1967, ended with the NFL 49ers defeating the AFL Raiders 13-10. After the 1970 merger, the 49ers won a meaningless Week Fourteen game in Oakland 38-7. The Raiders had already clinched the inaugural AFC West championship in Week Thirteen with a tough 20-6 win over their arch rival the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 20-6 and were going to host the AFC wildcard Miami Dolphins regardless of the outcome of the Week Fourteen contests. Since the two teams play in different conferences, regular-season match-ups are infrequent. The two teams have played each other annually during the preseason. However, annual preseason games will be discontinued after acts of fan violence eruputed during their preseason game in 2011. When they do play each other in regular-season, fans and players of the winning team can claim "bragging rights" as the better team in the bay area.




New York Giants


All about: New York Giants


The 49ers have another major rivalry with the New York Giants. The Giants and 49ers have had seven playoff meetings over the last 25 years. In 1981 and 1984, San Francisco beat the Giants, both times at Candlestick Park (38-24 and 21-10 respectively). However, New York would beat the 49ers in the 1985 and 1986 playoffs at Giants Stadium,17-3 in 1985 and a 49-3 rout in 1986 as the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl that year. In January 1991, the two teams met once again in the playoffs. In the 1990 NFC Championship, Matt Bahr would kick five field goals for the Giants, the Giants won 15-13 ending any hopes for San Francisco for a super bowl three-peat, the game is best remembered for a vicious hit by Leonard Marshall that knocked Joe Montana out of the game (due to an unrelated elbow injury, Montana would play in only one game the next two years as a 49er) The 49ers got their revenge in the 1993 playoffs, crushing the Giants 44-3.
Both teams had another classic match in Candlestick Park in the '02 Wildcard round. The Giants stormed to a 38-14 lead deep into the third quarter. The Giants defense, which had been highly ranked all year, began to collapse, and with two quick touchdowns and two successful two-point conversions followed by a field goal by the 49ers, the Giants lead was suddenly down to 38-33. With one minute left to play, Jeff Garcia hit Tai Streets for a 13-yard touchdown pass to take a 39-38 lead. Giants QB Kerry Collins led a drive to put the Giants at the 49ers 23-yard line with six seconds left for a shot at a game-winning field goal. After a bad snap, holder Matt Allen attempted a desperate pass down the field, which fell incomplete. The Giants were flagged for illegal man downfield and the call ended the game. It was the second biggest comeback victory in NFL playoff history.




Green Bay Packers


All about: Green Bay Packers


The 49ers have had a bitter rivalry with the Green Bay Packers that began in the mid 1990's during Brett Favre's prime. From 1995-1997 the Packers eliminated the 49ers three straight times in the postseason. They would meet again during the Wild Card Round in 1998, with a dramatic last second 25-yard touchdown from Steve Young to Terrell Owens lifting the 49ers over the Packers 30-27. This was the last time San Francisco beat Green Bay to date.




Arizona Cardinals


All about: Arizona Cardinals


The Arizona Cardinals are a recent growing rival of the 49ers. Unlike most rivalries of this team, the Arizona Cardinals are in the same division as the 49ers (since 2002, when the Cardinals transferred from the NFC East). Recently, there has been much bad blood between these two team's players, an example of this is a Twitter battle between Darnell Dockett of the Arizona Cardinals and Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers. The clash of words between players of both teams added with the decline of the other major rivalries of the 49ers, either from the rarity of meeting the rival teams (49ers rarely meet the Cowboys) or the move to different cities (Los Angeles Rams moving to St. Louis) has led to the rivalry between the 49ers and the Cardinals becoming heated and intense. The 49ers currently hold the edge over the Cardinals all-time 23 wins to 16 losses.




Seattle Seahawks


All about: Seattle Seahawks


The Seattle Seahawks have also become a new rival of the 49ers, following the NFL's realignment in 2002 that put both teams in the same division. Until then, the teams played each other almost every season during the pre-season, but only every 3 years during the regular season when the AFC West and NFC West teams faced each other. So far, their rivalry has not been as intense as other division foes because for the most part both teams have not been good at the same time. In the early to mid part of the decade, the Seahawks ruled the division and their favorable record against the 49ers reflected this. In recent years, as the Seahawks have faded the 49ers have enjoyed more success than in earlier years, however the 49ers still continue to struggle when playing at CenturyLink Field. The rivalry is expected to intensify after the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh out of Stanford in 2011, as he and Seahawks and former USC head coach Pete Carroll had an intense rivalry in college. The 49ers trail the overall series between the 2 teams 13-11, a mark they hope to overcome in the future.



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Seattle Seahawks

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 (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, joined the NFL in 1976 as expansion teams. Seattle is the only team to have played in both the AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC Championship Games. The Seahawks' only Super Bowl appearance was in 2006 for Super Bowl XL. In 2010, they became the first ever NFL team to win a division title or a playoff berth in a complete season with a record below .500 (7–9). Six days after clinching their division, they also became the first NFL team to win a playoff game with a 7–9 record, as they defeated the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints 41–36.


History of the Seattle Seahawks.

History of the Seattle Seahawks.

On June 15, 1972, Seattle Professional Football Inc., a group of Seattle business and community leaders, announced its intention to acquire an NFL franchise for the city of Seattle, WA. Around two years later on June 4, 1974, the NFL gave the city an expansion franchise. On December 5, 1974, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced the official signing of the franchise agreement by Lloyd W. Nordstrom, representing the Nordstrom family as majority partners for the consortium. Nordstrom died of a heart attack before the Seahawks played their first game.
On March 5, 1975, John Thompson, former Executive Director of the NFL Management Council and a former Washington Husky executive, was hired as the general manager of the currently unnamed team. The name Seattle Seahawks ("Seahawk", another name for osprey) was selected on June 17, 1975 after a public naming contest which drew more than 20,000 entries and over 1,700 different names. The name "Seahawks" was submitted by Mary Hoolahan of Seattle, WA. Thompson recruited and hired Jack Patera, a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, to be the first head coach of the Seahawks. Patera was introduced as the new head coach at a press conference on January 3, 1976. The expansion draft was held March 30–31, 1976, with Seattle and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alternating picks for rounds selecting unprotected players from the other 26 teams in the league. The Seahawks were awarded the 2nd overall pick in the 1976 draft, a pick they used on defensive tackle Steve Niehaus. The team took the field for the first time on August 1, 1976 in a pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers in the then newly constructed Kingdome.
The Seahawks are the only NFL team to switch conferences twice in the post-merger era. The franchise began play in 1976 in the NFC West division but switched conferences with the Buccaneers after one season and joined the AFC West. This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan, so that both expansion teams could play each other twice and every other NFL franchise once during their first two seasons. In 2002, the Seahawks were returned to the NFC West as part of an NFL realignment plan that gave each conference four balanced divisions of four teams each. This was done after the Houston Texans were added as the thirty-second team. This realignment restored the AFC West to its initial post-merger roster of original AFL teams Denver, San Diego, Kansas City, and Oakland.
Seattle has won seven division titles in their franchise history: the 1988 and 1999 AFC West titles, and the 2004–2007 and 2010 NFC West titles. They won the NFC Championship Game in 2005, and went on to lose in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers (though it was not without controversy as NFL Films has Super Bowl XL at number 8 on its top ten list of controversial calls). Before 2005, Seattle had the longest drought of playoff victories of any NFL team, dating back to the 1984 season. That drought was ended with a 20–10 win over the Washington Redskins in the 2005 playoffs. The all-time Seahawks playoff record is 7–10.
The Seahawks became the first team in the history of the NFL to win their division and a playoff spot with a losing record (7–9) in a non-strike shortened year. They subsequently stunned the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints 41–36 for a win in the first round, but lost in the following week to the Chicago Bears 35–24.
As a tribute to the raucous fans that made the Kingdome the loudest stadium in the NFL the Seahawks retired the number 12 on December 15, 1984. Since then #12 Jerseys have been sold by the team and worn by Seahawk fans, often with the name "Fan" on the back. The Seahawks also have a ceremony before each home game where a flag bearing the #12 is raised by a prominent individual. In the 2005 season the fans were again making a difference in games and were recognized with the presentation of a special game ball for their efforts in a game against the New York Giants, a game in which the Giants committed 11 false start penalties in large part because of the crowd noise.
The team's use of the phrase "12th Man" was in a legal limbo for a while between the 2005 and 2006 seasons when Texas A&M University sued the team for trademark infringement. Before going to trial, both parties settled out of court with Seattle agreeing to acknowledge ownership rights to the 12th Man slogan to A&M. In return the Seahawks were allowed to continue to use the phrase.
Starting in the 1998 season, Blitz has been the Seahawks' official mascot. In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, a hawk named Faith would fly around the stadium just before the team came out of the tunnel. However, because of her relative small size and an inability to be trained to lead the team out of a tunnel, Faith was replaced by an augur hawk named Taima before the start of the 2005 season. Taima started leading the team out of the tunnel in September 2006.
Beginning in 2004, the Seahawks introduced their drum line, the Blue Thunder (Seattle Seahawks drum line). The group plays at every home game as well as over 100 events in the Seattle community.




Headquarters and training camps

Seattle Seahawks Headquarters and training camps

During the Seahawks' first ten seasons (1976–85), the team's headquarters was at Carillon Point on the shores of Lake Washington. The summer training camps were initially held at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, just southwest of Spokane. When the team's new headquarters across town in Kirkland were completed in 1986, the Seahawks held training camp at home for the next eleven seasons (1986–96), staying in the dormitories of the adjacent Northwest College. In Dennis Erickson's third season as head coach, the team returned to the hotter and more isolated Cheney in 1997, where they held training camp through 2006. In 2007, training camp returned to their Kirkland facility, because of the scheduled China Bowl game that was later canceled. In 2008, the Seahawks held the first three weeks of camp in Kirkland, then moved to the new 19-acre (77,000 m2) Virginia Mason Athletic Center (VMAC) on August 18 for the final week of training camp. The new facility, adjacent to Lake Washington in Renton, has four full-size practice fields: three natural grass outdoors and one FieldTurf indoors.




Logos and uniforms

Seattle Seahawks uniform, 1983–2001
When the Seahawks debuted in 1976, the team's logo was a stylized royal blue and forest green hawk's head based on Northwestern tribal art. The helmet and pants were silver while the home uniforms were royal blue with white, blue and green arm stripes. The road uniform was white with blue and green arm stripes. Black shoes were worn for the first several seasons, one of the few NFL teams that did in the late 1970s.
In 1983, coinciding with the arrival of Chuck Knox as head coach, the uniforms were updated slightly. The striping on the arms now incorporated the Seahawks logo, and the TV numbers moved onto the shoulders. Helmet facemasks changed from gray to blue. Also, the socks went solid blue at the top, white on bottom.
In 2002, to coincide with the team moving to the NFC as well as the opening of Seahawks Stadium (which would later be renamed Qwest Field, then CenturyLink Field), both the logo and the uniforms were heavily redesigned. The Wordmark was designed by Mark Verlander and the logo was designed by NFL Properties in-house design team. The colors were modified to a lighter "Seahawks Blue", a darker "Seahawks Navy" and lime green piping. The helmets also were changed from silver to the lighter "Seahawks Blue" color after a fan poll was conducted. The logo artwork was also subtly altered, with an arched eyebrow and a forward-facing pupil suggesting a more aggressive-looking bird. At first, the team had planned to wear silver helmets at home and blue helmets on the road, but since NFL rules forbid the use of multiple helmets, the team held the fan poll to decide which color helmet would be worn. The team has usually worn all blue at home and all white on the road since 2003, but late in the 2009 season, the Seahawks wore the white jersey-blue pants combo. The blue jersey and white pants combo has been worn for only one regular season game, the 2005 season opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the white jersey and blue pants combination has not been worn regularly since late in the 2002 season, with the exception of late in the 2009 season. In 2009, the Seahawks once again wore the white jersey and blue pants combination for road games at Minnesota (November 22), St. Louis (November 29), Houston (December 13) and Green Bay (December 27).
The Seahawks wore their home blues during Super Bowl XL despite being designated as the visitor, since the Pittsburgh Steelers, the designated home team, elected to wear their white jerseys.
With the Oakland Raiders wearing their white jerseys at home for the first time ever in a game against the San Diego Chargers on September 28, 2008, the Seahawks have become the only NFL team to have never worn their white jerseys at home.
On September 27, 2009, the Seahawks wore lime green jerseys for the first time, paired with new dark navy blue pants in a game against the Chicago Bears. The jerseys matched their new sister team, the expansion Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer who wear green jersey with blue pants. On December 6, 2009, the Seahawks wore their Seahawks blue jersey with the new dark navy blue pants for the first time, in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks broke out the same combo two weeks later against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and two weeks after that in the 2009 regular season finale against the Tennessee Titans. In December 2009, then-coach Jim Mora announced that the new lime green jerseys were being retired because the team did not win in them, because he liked the home jerseys better, and added that the home jersey is a better match for the navy pants. In the same press conference, he stated that the new navy pants "felt better" on players as opposed to the Seahawks blue pants. For the 2010 season, Seattle returned to the traditional all "Seahawks Blue" at home and all white on the road.




Seattle Seahawks seasons

As of 2009, the Seattle Seahawks have competed in 33 NFL seasons, dating back to their expansion year of 1976. The team has compiled a 250–266 record (257–276 counting the playoffs) for a .484 winning percentage (.482 counting the playoffs). Seattle has reached the playoffs in eleven separate seasons, including in the 2005 season when they lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the 2010 season, the Seahawks became the first team in NFL history to earn a spot in the playoffs with a losing record (7–9, .438); that year, 7 teams in the NFL with a record of 7–9 or better did not make the playoffs, including two 10–6 teams. However, the Seahawks would go on to defeat the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round, becoming the first team ever to win a playoff game with a losing record. They are also the oldest existing team in the NFL to never have had a tie game.




Seattle Seahawks records


During the 2005 season the Seattle Seahawks had one of the most potent offenses in the League; they would hold the record for Most Points Scored (564) in a single season as well as Highest Scoring Team (45.6 PPG) in a single season until 2007, when the New England Patriots would break the record.




Seattle Seahawks players


Current roster


Quarterbacks
2 Josh Portis
6 Charlie Whitehurst
7 Tarvaris Jackson
Running Backs
20 Justin Forsett
24 Marshawn Lynch
26 Michael Robinson FB/RB
33 Leon Washington RS
Wide Receivers
15 Doug Baldwin
16 Kris Durham
87 Benjamin Obomanu
18 Sidney Rice
81 Golden Tate
17 Mike Williams
Tight Ends
85 Anthony McCoy
86 Zach Miller
Offensive Linemen
75 James Carpenter T
72 Robert Gallery G
68 Breno Giacomini T
61 Lemuel Jeanpierre G
77 Jarriel King T
67 Paul McQuistan G
74 John Moffitt G
76 Russell Okung T
78 Tyler Polumbus T
60 Max Unger C
Defensive Linemen
99 Alan Branch DT
98 Raheem Brock DE
79 Red Bryant DE
91 Chris Clemons DE
94 Anthony Hargrove DT/DE
69 Clinton McDonald DT/DE
92 Brandon Mebane DT
95 Jason Shirley DT
90 Al Woods DT
Linebackers
44 Heath Farwell OLB
59 Stephen Franklin OLB
57 David Hawthorne MLB
56 Leroy Hill OLB
53 Malcolm Smith OLB
54 David Vobora OLB
50 K. J. Wright OLB
Defensive Backs
27 Atari Bigby SS
39 Brandon Browner CB
31 Kam Chancellor SS
35 Kennard Cox CB
32 Jeron Johnson SS
42 Chris Maragos FS
41 Byron Maxwell CB
25 Richard Sherman CB
29 Earl Thomas FS
28 Walter Thurmond CB
Special Teams
49 Clint Gresham LS
4 Steven Hauschka K
9 Jon Ryan P
Reserve Lists
11 Deon Butler WR (PUP)
89 John Carlson TE (IR)
58 Dexter Davis DE (IR)
46 Jameson Konz OLB/DE (IR)
34 Roy Lewis CB (PUP)
52 Matt McCoy OLB (IR)
88 Cameron Morrah TE (PUP)
23 Marcus Trufant CB (IR)
97 Jimmy Wilkerson DE (IR)
Practice Squad
66 Paul Fanaika G
93 Lazarius Levingston DT
83 Ricardo Lockette WR
55 Michael Morgan MLB
82 John Nalbone TE
62 Brent Osborne G
47 Vai Taua RB


with the Seahawks with Largent's permission)
Several other players and individuals related to the team have been honored by their induction into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor




Front office and coaching staff




Chairman – Paul Allen
President – Peter McLoughlin
General Manager – John Schneider
Vice President of Football Administration – John Idzik
Vice President of Football Operations – Will Lewis
Senior Personnel Executive – Scot McCloughan
Director of Pro Personnel – Tag Ribary
Director of College Scouting – Scott Fitterer
Assistant Director of College Scouting – Eric Stokes
Assistant Director of Pro Personnel – Trent Kirchner
Head Coaches
Head Coach/Executive Vice President of Football Operations – Pete Carroll
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line – Tom Cable
Offensive Coaches
Offensive Coordinator – Darrell Bevell
Quarterbacks – Carl Smith
Running Backs – Sherman Smith
Wide Receivers – Kippy Brown
Tight Ends – Pat McPherson
Assistant Offensive Line – Pat Ruel
Quality Control/Offensive Line – Luke Butkus
Quality Control/Offense – Dave Canales


Defensive Coaches
Defensive Coordinator – Casey Bradley
Defensive Line – Todd Wash
Linebackers – Ken Norton, Jr.
Defensive Backs/Cornerbacks – Kris Richard
Assistant Defensive Backs/Safeties – Rocky Seto
Quality Control/Defense – Robert Saleh
Special Teams Coaches
Special Teams Coordinator – Brian Schneider
Assistant Special Teams – Jeff Ulbrich
Strength and Conditioning
Head Strength and Conditioning – Chris Carlisle
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Mondray Gee
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Jamie Yancher




Sea Gals (Cheerleaders)


The Seahawks cheerleaders are called the Sea Gals. During the off-season, a select performing group from the Sea Gals travel parades and with other NFL Cheerleaders on the road.




12th man (football)


The term "12th Man" was coined and marketed to represent Texas A&M Aggies fans after the 1922 Dixie Classic. While intellectual property laws recognize such common law uses in trademark disputes, the official registration of the mark was not filed by Texas A&M (U.S. Reg. No. 1948306) until September 1990, and later significantly bolstered by the passage of the Federal Dilution Trademark Act of 1995. This law allowed Texas A&M to use potential damage to the trademark through dilution as a justification in its lawsuit against the Seattle Seahawks. According to statements made by Texas A&M officials, they sent requests to stop using the phrase to the Seattle Seahawks (2004, 2005), Buffalo Bills (undated), and the Chicago Bears (undated). Both the Bills and the Bears responded to the requests stating they would no longer use the phrase, however the Seahawks failed to respond to the request.
In January 2006, Texas A&M filed suit against the Seattle Seahawks to protect the trademark and in May 2006, the dispute was settled out of court. In the agreement, Texas A&M licensed the Seahawks to continue using the phrase "12th Man" in exchange for a licensing fee and public acknowledgement by the NFL franchise as to Texas A&M's ownership of the phrase.
The Seahawks have some of the loudest fans in the NFL, dating back to the days of the Kingdome. In 1984, the number twelve was retired to honor the fans.
The Seahawks began playing at CenturyLink Field in 2002. Every regular season and playoff game at CenturyLink Field since the 2nd week of the 2003 season has been played before a sellout crowd, a streak of 52 consecutive games.
Inside CenturyLink Field the noise level can reach as high as 137 decibels, or the equivalent of a jet engine. Indeed, this has caused problems for opposing teams, making them have numerous false starts and penalties. From 2005 through the beginning of the 2010 season, fans have caused a league-high 107 false start penalties.
Prior to kickoff of each home game, the Seahawks salute the loudest fans in the NFL by raising the 12th man flag at the south end of the stadium. Current and former players and coaches, various local celebrities, fans, other Seattle area athletes, and current owner Paul Allen have raised the flag.




Team owners


The Nordstrom family: 1976–1988
Ken Behring & Ken Hofmann: 1988–1996
Paul Allen: 1997–present




Radio and television


As of 2009, the Seahawks' flagship station is KIRO 97.3FM. The current announcers are former Seahawks players Steve Raible (who was the team's color commentator from 1982–2003) and Warren Moon. The Raible-Moon regular season pairing has been together since 2004 (during the preseason Moon works for the local television broadcast so the color commentary is split between former Seahawks Paul Moyer, Sam Adkins, and Brock Huard). Pete Gross, who called the games from 1976 until just days before his death from cancer in 1992, is a member of the team's Ring of Honor. Games are heard on 47 stations in five states and Canada making the Seahawks the NFL's largest area in terms of network coverage.
Past announcers include; Steve Thomas (Radio: 1992–1997), Lee Hamilton also known as "Hacksaw" (Radio: 1998–1999), and Brian Davis (Radio: 2000–2003). Preseason games not shown on national networks are televised by KING-TV, channel 5 (and, in 2008, also on sister station KONG-TV since KING, an NBC affiliate, was committed to the Summer Olympics in China). Curt Menefee (who replaced Vern Lundquist) has been the Seahawks TV voice since the 2009 preseason. The games are produced by Root Sports Northwest.



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