This is a carousel. Ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers unveiled statues depicting "The Catch" -- Dwight Clark's iconic game-winning touchdown in the 1981 NFL. Third and three. In fact, beginning in 1986, the Cowboys went on to suffer losing seasons for the remainder of the eighties, leading to head coach Tom Landry being fired by new owner Jerry Jones after the 1988 season. In 2005, a commercial for the Gatorade sports drink, known as "The Winning Formula", portrayed an alternate version of The Catch, in which the ball bounced out of Clark's fingertips. Guys would take my job. Two subsequent touchdown passes by the 49ers to win home playoff games with the team trailing and facing 3rd and 3 with less than a minute to go have also been named after The Catch: 1981 NFC Championship Game: NFL Full Game, Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:31, 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, "Jim jividen: Every NFC Championship Game in San Francisco 49ers History-Part 1", "1982 San Francisco 49ers offensive playbook", "49ers finally put away Cowboys To begin their Super Bowl run", "The backstory to Walter Iooss' photo of", "New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders Recap", "Joe Montana on 'The Catch' statues: 'An honor to be remembered forever', "100 Greatest Plays: Numbers 5-1 | NFL 100", @NFL: "No. And now we come to a catch that truly changed the game of football forever. Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone to complete a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana, enabling the 49ers to defeat the Cowboys, 2827. I cannot put into words how special Dwight was to me and to everyone his life touched. In the Niners' version, Montana's first read was supposed to be receiver Freddie Solomon, who was supposed to shake loose via pick, just as Renfrow did. -- The game will be highlighted by the unveiling of statues depicting "The Catch" outside of Levi's Stadium. In October 2018, the 49ers unveiled a statue outside of Levis Stadium featuring Clark making his famous catch. The game was not over, however, and the Cowboys quarterback Danny White had 51 seconds following a Wersching squib kick to move the ball 75 yards. On Tuesday, he celebrated the 35th anniversary of "The Catch," the game-tying 6-yard touchdown he caught from Joe Montana in the 1982 NFC Championship Game that set up the game-winning extra point to send the Niners to the Super Bowl. "The San Francisco 49ers family has suffered a tremendous loss today with the passing of Dwight Clark," the team announced in a statement. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. In 2016, Kroichick and photographer Michael Macor earned "Best Sports Feature" from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, for their series on Antioch High running back Najee Harris, the nation's No. He said he suspected numerous concussions during his playing days contributed to his disease. Montana was flushed from the pocket, and as he faded backward and was hit, he lofted a high pass to Clark in hopes he could come down with it. And then Dwight Clark might not have made The Catch. Dwight Clark! Another photographer, Lee Romero, suggested Storey crop the photo vertically. As a junior, he was named a starter at wide receiver and was part of the team that qualified Clemson to the Gator Bowl, its first bowl game in 18 years. Local San Francisco radio station KCBS also provided their own broadcast, as they did for all 49ers games, with Don Klein and Wayne Walker providing the play-by-play and color respectively. In 2017, Clark shocked the sports world when he announced that he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs Disease or ALS. [4] Montana was supposed to roll to his right and find Solomon, who would run a short "square out" pattern that he would catch just past the first down marker, and either step out of bounds, giving the 49ers a fresh set of downs, or would turn upfield and score himself. But how did it occur? That play, called simply "sprint right option," differed from the Clemson touchdown only in how it finished, but not in how it was designed. Apr 14, 2015. He was Executive Vice President and Director of Football Operations from 1999 to 2001. Yet the largest ripple effect of The Catch wasnt necessarily felt on the football field, but in the heart of the city of San Francisco itself. On Sunday, Clark celebrated his 60th birthday. The Cowboys had Solomon covered. After retiring Dwight Clark remained a part of the 49ers organization working as an executive in the front office. "I cocked my arm to do that when I saw Dwight covered. 49ers: 30 years ago, photographer caught The Catch, SF 49ERS DWIGHT CLARK MAKING " THE CATCH " 49ERS VS. DALLAS COWBOYS, 10 JAN82, 1981 NFC championship game in San Francisco. The representation of Clark, with his hands outstretched, will extend 11 . Your email address will not be published. When asked about his team's success with the play, GM Howie Roseman said "All I know is everything we're doing is legal and works.". What Clark displayed during the workout was something the 49ers and no other team had seen on tape. The image, forever frozen in the minds eye, is the ball in the late Dwight Clarks fingertips, as he stretches above Everson Walls, who can only reach futilely with his right arm. But just then I saw Dwight getting away from the coverage.". Thanks For Watching and bless uP !Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the copyright act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, scholarship, and research. When Walsh called to arrange a workout for Fuller, Clark happened to answer the phone. Actor Don Cheadle demonstrated the height of Clark's catch by standing on a stepladder in the end zone. "I'm sure the Dallas defense is saying, We forced six errors. And they'd be right. Despite having quite an unmemorable rookie season and catching only 18 passes, Clark managed to make his mark with his team. This included a 45-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys earlier on in the year. Even then, before the spate of titles, this was a transcendent moment in Bay Area sports - the 49ers had finally conquered the Cowboys. Dwight Clark was never destined to be a star in the NFL, let alone make one of the greatest catches in NFL history. "Theres all kinds of versions of how we had practiced it, where we practiced it, when -- everybody remembers it a little bit different," Clark told the 49ers website in 2013. In the October 16, 2001 episode "My Old Lady" of the American television sitcom/medical drama Scrubs, when a dying patient David asks if anyone has ever heard of The Catch, Turk comes in and says, "Niners-Cowboys, Joe Montana to Dwight Clark deep in the end-zone, zero time left. [18] Clark finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He was unhappy and considered transferring to play basketball at Appalachian State University, until he was finally allowed to play offense. [25] Located in Redwood City, California, the restaurant was sold in 1993. Touchdown! Montana launched his next pass into the end zone, but missed Solomon. New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, a Bay Area native who ultimately grew up idolizing Montana on his way to his own successful NFL career including seven Super Bowl wins, attended the game as a four-year-old and aspired to become a 49er.[7]. Two weeks later, they beat Cincinnati to win their first Super Bowl title and launch an incomparable stretch of five championships in 14 seasons. Clark had plans to play a round of golf and was headed out to play when he answered the phone. As a freshman, he was moved to wide receiver, because the team had recruited four other quarterbacks. Your email address will not be published. This would be the final professional football game that Vin Scully would call the play by play as well as the final game that Pat Summerall did color commentary before moving to play-by-play announcer for the rest of his broadcast career (Summerall had moved from color commentator to play-by-play midway through the 1974 season; working color commentary here as a substitute for Jack Buck's regular radio partner Hank Stram; who was also Scully's main television broadcast partner during the 1981 season). Weeks later, the 49ers drafted Clark in the 10th of 12 rounds, pairing him with their third-round quarterback from Notre Dame. The 49ers were 214 in 1978 and had the same record in 1979. The Catch was the reason for a resurgence in visitors to the city after a tough couple of years caused by lots of negative press coverage. Jim Stuckey recovered the dropped ball, giving the 49ers offense possession near midfield, and allowing Montana to kneel down twice and run out the clock. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. It's great to give 49er fans that moment that they can relive over and over and over, and I know they do because when I am in San Francisco and a lot of places, people want to talk about that play and how it crushed the Cowboys and sent them into submission for a decade. Montana completed two quick passes to Clark and Solomon respectively and the 49ers called a timeout with the ball on the Dallas 12. I heard the crowd scream." "The Catch" - January 10, 1982 Before "The Catch" "The way I remember it is, we had practiced it during practice maybe once, and then Bill [Walsh] kept Joe and I after practice during training camp, and he said, "This is what were going to do; were going to try to pick the defender thats covering Freddie, hit him, touchdown. I had the flu last week and I had trouble getting my breath on that last drive. Jan. 8, 2022 Updated: Jan. 8, 2022 6:04 p.m. 5. Sadly, he died a couple of years ago after a short battle with ALS. The Examiner sold thousands of extra editions on Jan. 11, 1982, and even turned the photo into a modestly profitable poster. I didn't want to take a loss in that situation. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen spoke to the media on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, updating reporters on contract negotiations with Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. When Montana took the snap, the play, officially named in the 49ers playbook "Change Left Slot Sprint Right Option",[3] was intended to set up quick pass to Solomon; earlier in the game, Solomon had scored a touchdown on the same play. Not only did the winning touchdown catch lift the 49ers to their first-ever Super Bowl, but it has made history as one of the greatest catches in the history of the NFL. 49ers quarterback Joe Montana went on to gain a reputation for his last-minute heroics, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility. Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, American football player and executive (1957-2018). In retirement, Clark expressed remorse about the end of Candlestick Park, saying that "It was a dump [but] it was our dump, so we could talk bad about it, but we didn't want anybody else to talk bad about it. Clark had been Joe Montana's running mate, and he was himself a legend to football fans, but the prospect of meeting Mays turned Dwight into a hero-worshiping kid. Pearson would have scored had defensive back Eric Wright not made a one-handed horse-collar tackle. Clarks discovery was a complete accident, so the fact he was drafted and then made the roster of a respected team was seen to be quite surprising. How did he die?. Receiver Dwight Clark makes "The Catch" on a pass from Joe Montana that tied the game late in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys in the 1982 NFC championship game. Scott Ostler. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. The play saw Joe Montana find Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game played at Candlestick Park. In the Sports Illustrated article, Montana explained that he never saw The Catch, since he had just been knocked to the ground by Jones, but "I saw Dwight's feet touch the ground. 'The Catch' at 40: 5 things to know about that 49ers-Cowboys game. But don't throw it low, don't throw an interception. Dwight Clark leaves a Dallas defender in his dust after making. After suffering through several losses early on in the 1981 season, the Montana-led 49ers cruised straight into the playoffs with an impressive record. The statue features two life-size figures, Montana with his arms in the air celebrating the touchdown and, 23 yards away, Clark leaping to make The Catch. They might not have finished the job without big plays from Eric Wright (game-saving tackle), Lawrence Pillers (forced fumble) and Jim Stuckey (fumble recovery) on Dallas' last-chance drive. Not only did San Franciscos winstart a dynasty, but its victory over Dallas also signaled the impending end of another: theCowboys underlegendary coach Tom Landry. And Storey looked at the back of his camera to see if he captured the moment, right? I am honored to be able to be a part of a play that was kind of the culmination of just this incredible surprise season. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 15 matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks. The Philadelphia Eagles have promoted quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to offensive coordinator and hired Sean Desai as defensive coordinator. The 49ers coach, Bill Walsh, assumed that it was a throw-away play and immediately began planning for the fourth down until he heard the cheers from the crowd. A 22-year-old rookie free agent, Walls had led the NFL in interceptions that season with 11 a mark that went unmatched for 40 years until Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs did it this season. Later, in the locker room, he expressed his amazement at how high Clark had jumped. Three plays later, running back Tony Dorsett scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give Dallas a 1714 lead. Things got even better for Dallas when Walls recorded his second interception from Montana on the next drive at the Cowboys 27. The 49ers made the playoffs eight out of the next ten seasons and won three more Super Bowls in the 1980s, becoming the NFLs best dynasty of the decade. The legendary moment that changed the 49ers and San Francisco sports' fortunes forever. The Catch, 40 years ago this week, capped a magnificent 89-yard drive, a breathtaking 6-yard pass play, designed by coach Bill Walsh and executed spectacularly by quarterback Joe Montana and Clark, to make the 49ers NFC champions on Jan. 10, 1982, at Candlestick Park. Throughout the game, player momentum shifted equally between the two teams. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. But I certainly suspect it did. However, Solomon, as Montanas intended receiver, was covered by the Cowboys. 10 teams that could have interest, and how much cash he could get. San Francisco 49ers third round draft selection BYU linebacker Fred Warner goes through drills at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. All the TV and radio calls you can handle from Harper, Stott clutch homers on Sunday, Shooters Radio: ECW One Night Stand 05 deep dive. [5] He served as the general manager of the 49ers from 1995 to 1998 and in the same capacity with the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2001. "Everybody says they were there," Storey said of The Catch. [8] Clark's catch was a popular photo location among Clemson Tigers fans during their 4416 win over Alabama in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship held at Levi's Stadium. Sep 20, 2019. The San Francisco 49ers defense is the Nickelodeon MVP of Week 13, 2022. In a game where the lead shifted back and forth repeatedly, the 49ers took over the ball at their own 11-yard line . That's the camera he used to track Montana as he drifted toward the opposite sideline, evaded the pass rush and eventually floated the ball toward the back of the end zone. CNN Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark died Monday at age 61 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. In the second quarter, San Francisco reached the Cowboys' 27-yard line, only to lose the ball when Everson Walls intercepted a pass from Montana in the end zone. "We extend our condolences and prayers to Dwight's wife, Kelly, his family, friends and fans, as we join together to mourn the death of one the most beloved figures in 49ers history. Late on in the fourth quarter with the game hanging in the balance and the 49ers trailing with 27-21, Montana swiftly guided the 49ers down the entire field. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 14 matchup vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas responded with Danny White's 20-yard pass to Butch Johnson setting up a 44-yard field goal by Rafael Septin. How much cash he could get Clark died Monday at the back of his to... 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