New general manager Ran Carthon pushed back against this notion Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. Those two calls added up to 10 points, Lott noted in The Sporting News. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw joined 'NFL Now' ahead of the 49ers Divisional Round game vs. the Dallas Cowboys to preview the playoff matchup. 3 of 5 4 of 5 Photographer John Storey visits Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, where he captured the iconic image of Dwight Clark's famous touchdown catch . CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 100 Dwight Clark The Catch Premium High Res Photos Browse 100 dwight clark the catch stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. This was the winning touchdown reception that meant the 49ers were bound for the Super Bowl! The Catch is widely regarded as one of the most memorable events in NFL history. The concept for the photo. 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. 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. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". It came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard game-winning drive engineered by Montana. He said he suspected numerous concussions during his playing days contributed to his disease. Dwight Clark, a receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, is best known for making what is now seen as one of the most iconic catches during the 1981 NFC Championship. The twin statues feature an airborne Clark leaping high into the air for a fingertip catch, just as he did for "The Catch" against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 10, 1982. Touchdown! An All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion, Clark was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, in March of 2017. George Rose/Getty Images. He was second on the team with 11 receptions for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a career-high 68-yard touchdown catch against the University of Maryland that helped the Tigers win the ACC Championship. Clark played college football at Clemson University and was selected by the 49ers in the tenth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. "I cocked my arm to do that when I saw Dwight covered. Statement from @nflcommish on the passing of 49ers legend Dwight Clark pic.twitter.com/Wuaw1ceKsC, The Philadelphia Eagles converted 90% of QB sneaks this season and while the push play has been legal since 2005, no team employed it with as much dominance as the 2022 Eagles. He was responsible for one of the most iconic plays in NFL history that began our run of Super Bowl championships, but to me, he will always be an extension of my family. Montana said, "We'd never thrown the ball to Dwight on that play, at all. In 2021, Kroichick earned an Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 award for his feature on Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee conquering cancer. Clark, while discussing The Catch in America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions documentary about the 1981 49ers, said: It's humbling, really. Throughout the game, player momentum shifted equally between the two teams. "Back then, you didn't know (at first) if it was sharp.". He went on to become Director of Football Operations for the reconstituted Cleveland Browns from 1999-2002. Its the same play Niners QB coach Sam Wyche called from the coaches booth on third and 3 from the Cowboys 6 with 58 seconds to play. In the game, momentum shifted back and forth between the two teams. [23] In the 2018 NFL Films' "Dwight Clark: A Football Life", he was quoted as saying that it was probably a mistake to have accepted the position. Storey got $100 in a bonus from the paper. "It was exciting," Storey said. Clark died on Monday, aged 61. "I will always remember Dwight the way he was -- larger than life, handsome, charismatic and the one who could pull off wearing a fur coat at our Super Bowl parade. Jets general manager Joe Douglas confirmed that Derek Carr will meet with the team a second time during the combine, but New York plans to look at every available option in the veteran quarterback market. With Brock Purdy and Trey Lance coming off injuries, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn't rule out adding a veteran signal-caller this offseason. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! -- The game will be highlighted by the unveiling of statues depicting "The Catch" outside of Levi's Stadium. On Monday night, he was in Tampa to see Clemson, his alma mater, win the college football national championship in thrilling fashion. Clark's leap and fingertip grab remains one of the most famous plays in NFL history for not only its degree of difficulty, but also for how clutch it was in a big moment. He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Wild Card matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks. The theme of Josh McDaniels' media session at the NFL Scouting Combine was consistently vague: After releasing Derek Carr, the Raiders are going to explore every avenue to address quarterback. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 14 matchup vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2018, he was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. Dwight Edward Clark (January 8, 1957 June 4, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 to 1987. Touchdown! In 2019, in celebration of the NFL's 100th season, NFL Films ranked The Catch second on its list of the 100 Greatest Plays.[9]. Barnwell forecasts offseason moves for all 32 NFL teams, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore, Covered Rams for nine years for stlouisrams.com, Previously covered University of Missouri football, Member of Pro Football Writers of America. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . The representation of Clark, with his hands outstretched, will extend 11 . He was 61. 'Zero visibility' conditions: All roads to Tahoe are closed, Horoscope for Wednesday, 3/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, My meal at this landmark SF spot was too expensive to be so bad, One of the largest movie theaters in SF to close permanently, Report: Matthew McConaughey has a massive Salesforce paycheck, 'Really cool sight': Rare waterspout forms in Northern California, Man shot dead near San Francisco Ferry Building, A different horse': Bay Area will likely continue to see rain, 'Lady in the fridge' murder victim ID'd as Bay Area mother of 3, 'Life threatening': Tahoe braces for massive blizzard, Snow shuts down over 70 miles of I-80 in Northern California, These East Bay gems are a haven for music lovers, How to score cheap flights (and mistake fares) in 2023. 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. 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. Tag Lamar Jackson? Lined up in the slot on the right side in the first quarter, 49ers receiver Freddie Solomon took off for the flag as Clark, lined up wide right, curled inside. 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, 28-27. The PAT was good, and the 49ers were Super Bowl bound. 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. Montana was was running out of room on the sideline. The 49ers defeated the New York Giants in the divisional round and then hosted the Cowboys in a rematch with much more on the linea berth in Super Bowl XVI. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. In 1988, he was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame. The 49ers were 214 in 1978 and had the same record in 1979. [13] New head coach Bill Walsh had visited Clemson to scout quarterback Steve Fuller, Clark's roommate. Weeks later, the 49ers drafted Clark in the 10th of 12 rounds, pairing him with their third-round quarterback from Notre Dame. I heard the crowd scream." The Niners would go on to win Super Bowl XVI, the first professional sports championship the city of San Francisco had ever experienced. 4 Share 165 views 1 year ago 1/10/1981 - This day in 1981 During the NFC Championship Game between The San Francisco 49ers and The Dallas Cowboys , with 58 seconds left in the game Dwight Clark. Scott Ostler. But he landed a priceless shot - that's former Chronicle columnist Ray Ratto in the background, incidentally, wearing a white tie and looking mighty young - and a cool memory. 5 overall spot is a 'rare opportunity.'. 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. The game was broadcast on CBS and the call was made by the great Vin Scully. Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark died on Monday after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Thirty years later, John Storey remains grateful it was Joe Montana scrambling to his right on that memorable January 1982 day. The play that afforded Watson the chance to throw or run for the score and sprung Renfrow with the pick/rub play had a striking resemblance to the play in which Montana found Clark. [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. "For almost four decades, he served as a charismatic ambassador for our team and the Bay Area. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:31. Solomon caught a quick sprintout pass from Montana for an 8-yard score. Being fairly tall himself, at 6-foot 4-inches (193 cm) tall, Clark was able to use all of his length to jump and grab the ball with the tips of his fingers completing one of the most memorable plays in NFL history. It's a madhouse at Candlestick! Earlier in that game, Solomon had scored on a similar play. Kroichick writes features on the Warriors during the NBA season, and various other topics - ranging from the 49ers/NFL and major-league baseball to college football and basketball - the rest of the year. 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. This is also done with Derek Jeter's "flip play" going wide of home plate and Michael Jordan's famous buzzer-beater against Cleveland going off the rim. [24] He would later return to North Carolina to run his real estate business. It was supposed to be a pass to Freddie Solomon, who scored on the play earlier in the game. However, the Cowboys soon returned the favor with Danny White's interception to linebacker Bobby Leopold, and this time the 49ers converted, regaining the lead at 2117 with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Johnny Davis. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. The NFL's highest-paid players at every position: Here's who makes the most money, from QB to punter, Trade for Aaron Rodgers? The 19921994 seasons would see the Cowboys and 49ers face off in three straight NFC Championship games, with the Cowboys winning the first two and the 49ers winning the last one; each victorious team following it up with a Super Bowl title. The Catch is widely regarded as one of the greatest plays in National Football League (NFL) history. He scored a pair of touchdowns. Sadly, he died a couple of years ago after a short battle with ALS. [26], Clark was the lead role in the 1993 direct-to-video comedy Kindergarten Ninja. 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]. [11] Unheralded as a collegian playing alongside wide receiver Jerry Butler, Clark felt fortunate to get to the NFL.[12]. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger explained what he loved about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's first NFL start and how the offense gelled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After a less-than-memorable rookie season where he caught just 18 passes, Dwight Clark made his mark with the 49ers catching 80 passes in 1980 from quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve DeBerg, including eight touchdowns. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark, there's something about ringing in the new year that brings good fortune. [3][4] The play, immortalized as "The Catch", propelled the 49ers to their first Super Bowl championship. And, in fact, it was the Cowboys who made the final, fatal mistake. Except this time Montana, sprinting right, away from dominant Cowboys pass rusher Harvey Martin, faced a decision. One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. Clark disputes that assertion, claiming that it was a backup plan that they practiced many times. After the workout was over, Walsh was impressed. Dwight Clark! The Cowboys fared no better as White was sacked twice on their next drive, once by Jim Stuckey and once by Lawrence Pillers, and the half ended soon after. Guys would take my job. The Examiner sold thousands of extra editions on Jan. 11, 1982, and even turned the photo into a modestly profitable poster. [1] [2] He was a member of San Francisco's first two Super Bowl championship teams. Then 49ers running back Bill Ring lost a fumble on his own 29, leading to White's 26-yard touchdown pass to Tony Hill that put the Cowboys up 107. He caught 80 passes including eight touchdowns in 1980 from quarterbacks Steve DeBerg and Joe Montana. 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. It's like a championship fight, like Snipes knocking down Holmes. (Original Caption) San Francisco 49ers Dwight Clark (87, WR), goes up in the air in the end zone for the game-tying touchdown pass from Qb Joe Montana to set up the PAT which beat the Dallas . John Taylor was better than I was, so I couldnt come out of the game. It's an extraordinary, enduring image - and, as Storey pointed out, it conveys Montana's touch as much as Clark's leaping ability. Dwight Clark, who made one of the most famous catches in NFL history, died Monday -- 15 months after he announced he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as 49ers hero Dwight Clark's ashes laid to rest next to same goal post from 'The Catch' And this is Dwight Clark's stone in proximity to where he did make 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. San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark is known for making one of the most iconic catches during the 1981 NFC Championship game. I am thankful for all of Dwights friends, teammates and 49ers fans who have sent their love during his battle with ALS. Clark spiked the ball. 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