In the early years of the NFL, San Francisco was the west’s first professional sports team. Its founder, Joseph Morabito, pushed the idea that the Bay Area was ready for a professional franchise in a football business that was dominated by East Coast teams. Morabito owned the new All-America Football Conference franchise along with partners Allen E. Sorrell and E.J. Turre, and suggested that the team be named after voyagers who rushed to California in search of gold.
After a slow start, the 49ers began to win games in the late 1940s and 1950s. In the 1960s the team built on its success, advancing to the Super Bowl three times. In 1969, the 49ers were eliminated in the first playoff round by the Dallas Cowboys. During the 1970s the 49ers flirted with sustained excellence, winning three straight NFC Western division titles but losing in the NFC championship game in 1970 and 1971 and the first playoff round in 1972. During this period, the 49ers moved from antiquated Kezar Stadium to a more modern 68,491-seat Candlestick Park.
The 1980s saw the 49ers build a roster with several superstar players. The offense was led by quarterback Joe Montana, wide receivers Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark, running back Roger Craig and safety Ronnie Lott. Careful personnel planning by George Seifert allowed the 49ers to have capable young players on hand to replace the stars when they left the team.
Under coach Kyle Shanahan the 49ers 49s are recapturing some of their glory days from the past. The team entered the season as one of the top five betting favorites to win the Super Bowl and a strong performance in Week 1 gave them confidence that they could live up to those expectations.
During the second half of the regular season, the 49ers’ defense held off a late charge from the Vikings and defeated the Rams to set up a matchup with the Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday. The Niners cruised to a 41-23 victory over the Seahawks and will play another home playoff game next weekend when they host the winner of Sunday’s game between the Vikings and Giants.
In the divisional round of the playoffs, the 49ers will face a resurgent Dallas Cowboys team. The Cowboys won their wild card game by thrashing Tampa Bay, but the teams are very close statistically. Some metrics even predict a Cowboys victory. Despite the underdog odds, the 49ers are confident that they can win their first-round game against the Cowboys. A victory would give the 49ers a 2-1 record and advance them to their seventh Super Bowl in franchise history. The final score will be determined in a game that is sure to be filled with high drama and excitement. The game will also mark the first time that the 49ers have hosted a playoff game in their home stadium since 2023.