October 9, 2026
October 9, 2026
1994 San Francisco 49ers: Steve’s Run for One
The 1994 San Francisco 49ers had already moved past the best era of their franchise’s history, a time when Bill Walsh coached the sidelines and Joe Montana threw clutch passes as the starting quarterback. Even without Walsh, the 49ers still had a great coaching staff, which included head coach George Seifert, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, and quarterbacks coach Gary Kubiak. Finally stepping out of Joe Montana’s shadow, Steve Young became the starting quarterback for San Francisco and would lead the 49ers to many victories in the 1990s.
Young completed 324 of 461 pass attempts for 3,969 yards and 35 touchdowns while also gaining 293 yards on 58 rushing attempts, scoring 7 touchdowns. Running back Ricky Watters had 877 yards on 239 rushing attempts and scored 6 touchdowns, while also adding 66 receptions for 719 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William Floyd had 305 yards on 87 rushing attempts and scored 6 touchdowns.
Wide receiver Jerry Rice had 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also gaining 93 yards on 7 rushing attempts and scoring 2 touchdowns. Tight end Brent Jones had 49 receptions for 670 yards and 9 touchdowns. Wide receiver John Taylor had 41 receptions for 531 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Nate Singleton had 21 receptions for 294 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey had 11 receptions for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The go-to guy on San Francisco’s special teams was running back Dexter Carter, who had 48 kick returns for 1,105 yards and 1 touchdown, and 38 punt returns for 321 yards.
The 1994 San Francisco 49ers made key additions to their defense, which bolstered their overall performance. One addition was linebacker Ken Norton, who had 75 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. The other addition was the flashy and confident cornerback Deion Sanders, nicknamed “Prime Time.” Sanders had 6 interceptions for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 1 fumble recovery. Cornerback Eric Davis had 68 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries. Strong safety Tim McDonald had 67 tackles, 2 interceptions for 79 yards and 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery for a 49-yard touchdown.
Free safety Merton Hanks had 65 tackles, 7 interceptions for 93 yards, and 2 fumble recoveries. Middle linebacker Gary Plummer had 56 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive tackle Bryant Young had 45 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Linebacker Lee Woodall had 45 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield had 8.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Defensive tackle Rhett Hall had 4 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Linebacker Todd Kelly had 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Defensive end Dennis Brown had 3 sacks.
The 49ers went on a 10-game winning streak during the regular season, which began in Week 6 on October 9 with a 27-21 win over the Detroit Lions and ended with a 42-19 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 16 on December 17.
The 1994 San Francisco 49ers finished 13-3 in the regular season, winning the NFC West division by 6 games over the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.
On January 7, 1995, the 49ers faced the Chicago Bears in the Division Round, and San Francisco ran away with the game, winning 44-15. Bears kicker Kevin Butler kicked a 39-yard field goal in the 1st quarter, but the 49ers quickly took control as William Floyd scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by Brent Jones’s 8-yard touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter.
Floyd then added a 4-yard touchdown run, followed by a 36-yard field goal from 49ers kicker Doug Brien, and then a 6-yard touchdown run by a scrambling Steve Young. Floyd punched in another 1-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter, and sandwiched between a 2-yard touchdown run by Bears defensive tackle Jim Flanigan and a 1-yard touchdown run by Bears running back Lewis Tillman in the 4th quarter, 49ers running back Adam Walker added a 1-yard touchdown run.
The NFC Championship Game on January 15 pitted the San Francisco 49ers against a team they had developed a long rivalry with over the years, the Dallas Cowboys. In a classic quarterback duel, Steve Young completed 13 of 29 pass attempts for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns while also gaining 47 yards on 10 rushing attempts and scoring 1 touchdown. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman completed 30 of 53 pass attempts for 380 yards and 2 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions.
The 49ers struck first in the 1st quarter when Eric Davis returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown. Ricky Watters soon followed with a 29-yard touchdown run, and William Floyd punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. Dallas finally got on the board with a 44-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Michael Irvin, and after Doug Brien kicked a 34-yard field goal for San Francisco, running back Emmitt Smith had a 4-yard touchdown run for the Cowboys. The 49ers responded with a 28-yard touchdown reception by Jerry Rice.
In the 3rd quarter, Smith kept the Cowboys in the game with a 1-yard touchdown run, but Young scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown run. Michael Irvin’s 10-yard touchdown reception in the 4th quarter didn’t change the outcome, as the 49ers beat the Cowboys 38-28.
Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida, would host Super Bowl XXIX on January 29, played between the San Francisco 49ers and the AFC Champion San Diego Chargers. San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries didn’t have a pleasant night, as the 49ers’ defense kept him off balance throughout the game. Humphries completed 24 of 49 pass attempts for 275 yards and 1 touchdown but also threw 2 interceptions.
Jerry Rice put the 49ers on the board in the 1st quarter with a 44-yard touchdown reception, and Ricky Watters followed with a 51-yard touchdown reception. After Chargers running back Natrone Means scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, William Floyd had a 5-yard touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter, and Watters followed again with an 8-yard touchdown reception. Chargers kicker John Carney kicked a 31-yard field goal to make the score 28-10 at halftime, but the Chargers never found a way to slow down the 49ers in the second half.
Watters had a 9-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter, followed by a 15-yard touchdown reception by Rice. Although Chargers wide receiver Andre Coleman had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and wide receiver Tony Martin had a 30-yard touchdown reception later in the 4th quarter, the game was well out of reach for San Diego, as Rice caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Young in between. Rice was his usual self in the Super Bowl, finishing with 10 receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Steve Young was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIX as the 49ers defeated the Chargers 49-26. Young completed 24 of 36 pass attempts for 325 yards and 6 touchdowns while also gaining 49 yards on 5 rushing attempts. Young had finally won a Lombardi Trophy he could call his own, getting the monkey off his back.
7th February, 2017
17th June, 2026
5th March, 2016
29th March, 2016
17th April, 2016
October 8th, 2026 2
October 7th, 2026 2
October 7th, 2026 2
