A brief history of the 49ers (2024)

Sept. 8, 1946

The 49ers play their first game as part of the All-America Football Conference. More than 35,000 fans attend the game at Kezar Stadium.

Bill Young / The Chronicle 1956

Dec. 1949

The All-America conference merges with the National Football League and the 49ers are one of three AAFC teams added to the NFL. Buck Shaw serves as the team’s head coach from 1946-54.

Bill Young / The Chronicle 1954

Jan. 21, 1950

The 49ers take Leo Nomellini with their first NFL draft pick. He plays 14 seasons for the team, making the Pro Bowl 10 times, and is later selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During an era when players had jobs during the offseason, Nomellini wrestles professionally as Leo "The Lion" Nomellini.

Barney Peterson / The Chronicle 1960

1954

The 49ers’ offense is powered by the Million Dollar Backfield, featuring quarterback Y.A. Tittle, halfbacks Hugh McElhenny and John Henry Johnson, and fullback Joe Perry. All are in the Hall of Fame.

Duke Downey / The Chronicle 1956

Oct. 27, 1957

The 49ers fall behind the Bears 17–7 at Kezar Stadium. Tragically, 49ers ownerTony Morabito collapses of a heart attack and dies during the game. The 49ers’ players learn of his death at halftime and come back to win the game.

The Chronicle 1957

Jan. 3, 1971

The 49ers play their last game at Kezar Stadium, a matchup against Dallas Cowboys with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake. San Francisco loses a hard-fought game, 17-10. A brawl breaks out in the often-unruly bleachers and more than a dozen spectators are arrested.

Bill Young / The Chronicle 1971

Oct. 10, 1971

The 49ersplay their first regular-season game at Candlestick Park, falling 20-13 to the Rams. Tight end Ted Kwalick scores San Francisco's first touchdown at its new home on a 9-yard pass from quarterback John Brodie.

Barney Peterson / The Chronicle 1971

Jan. 9, 1979

Eddie DeBartolo Jr., the 49ers’ owner, hires Stanford’s Bill Walsh as head coach.

Jerry Telfer / The Chronicle 1979

May 3, 1979

The 49ers select quarterback Joe Montana from the University of Notre Dame in the third round of the draft.

John Storey / The Chronicle 1979

Dec. 7, 1980

The 49erspull off one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. They trail the Saints 35-7 at halftime, but Montana leads a second-half charge with touchdown passes to wide receivers Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon. The 49erswin 38-35 on Ray Wersching's field goal in overtime.

Mike Maloney / The Chronicle 1980

Jan. 10, 1982

Montana throws three touchdown passes, including one that ends with “The Catch” by Clark, as the 49ersbeat Dallas 28-27 in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco advances to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

Mike Maloney / The Chronicle 1982

Jan. 24, 1982

The 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21, to win their first Super Bowl.

Frederic Larson / The Chronicle 1982

Jan. 20, 1985

The 49ers win the Super Bowl XIX at nearby Stanford Stadium, as they race past the Miami Dolphins, 38-16. Montana is chosen Most Valuable Player after San Francisco gained a Super Bowl-record 537 yards.

Frederic Larson / The Chronicle 1985

May 1, 1985

The 49ers make deals to move up 12 places in the first round and select wide receiver Jerry Rice in the draft. Rice would go on to make 1,281 receptions and catch 176 touchdown passes during a 16-year run with the team.

Frederic Larson / The Chronicle 1987

April 24, 1987

Steve Young is acquired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a trade for two picks four days before the draft.

Eric Luse / The Chronicle 1997

Jan. 22, 1989

The49erswin a close game, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII. Rice makes 11 catches for 215 yards and is named MVP. This was Walsh’s last game as head coach of the 49ers.

Frederic Larson / The Chronicle 1989

Jan. 28, 1990

In a rout, the 49ers win Super Bowl XXIV 55-10 over the Denver Broncos. Montana wins his third Super Bowl MVP award.

Mike Maloney / The Chronicle 1990

Jan. 29, 1995

Young is named the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, leading the 49ersto a 49-26 shellacking of the San Diego Chargers. It is the franchise’s record fifth championship.

Brant Ward / The Chronicle 1995

April 23, 2005

The 49ers have the first overall draft pick for the first time since choosing Dave Parks in 1964. They draft quarterback Alex Smith from the University of Utah and in the third round, select running back Frank Gore from the University of Miami.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle 2006

Jan. 7, 2011

The 49ers hire Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh as head coach. Stanford was 1-11 in 2006, before Harbaugh took over the program. Stanford enjoyed a 12-1 season and Orange Bowl victory in Harbaugh’s fourth and final season with the Cardinal.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2014

Feb. 3, 2013

In Super Bowl XLVII, the 49ers fall behind 28-6 in the third quarter, and despite a furious Colin Kaepernick-led comeback, they lose to the Ravens and Jim Harbaugh’s brother, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh, 34-31.

Brant Ward / The Chronicle 2013

Sept. 14, 2014

The 49ers host their first regular-season game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle 2014

Oct. 30, 2017

The 49ers send a second-round draft pick to the New England Patriots for their backup quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. With Garoppolo at quarterback, the 49ers win their final five games of the season.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle 2017

Sept. 23, 2018

In the fourth quarter of a 38-27 loss at Kansas City, Garoppolo suffers a season-ending knee injury. The 49ers stumble to a 4-12 record in 2018.

Associated Press

April 25, 2019

With the second pick in the NFL draft, the 49ers select defensive end Nick Bosa from Ohio State. Bosa proceeds to rack up nine sacks to win the Rookie of the Year award.

Associated Press

Dec. 29, 2019

Dre Greenlaw’s hit keeps Jacob Hollister just shy of the goal line on Seattle’s final play, preserving the 49ers’ 26-21 victory. The win gives the Niners the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Genna Martin / Seattlepi.com 2019

Jan. 19, 2020

Raheem Mostert runs for 220 yards — the second-most yards in a postseason game in NFL history — and four touchdowns against Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game. San Francisco wins 37-20, advancing to a Super Bowl matchup with Kansas City.

Santiago Mejia, / The Chronicle 2020