A funny thing happened after the Super Bowl window appeared to slam shut on the 49ers in 2024.
It opened back up again.
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After the team plummeted to last place in the NFC West last season amid injuries, tragedy and distractions, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have put Humpty Dumpty back together again to the point where sports books have actually made the 49ers division favorites.
That makes the 49ers at least a possibility to be at home on Feb. 8, when Levi’s Stadium plays host to Super Bowl LX.
Maybe that will be the key to the 49ers snapping what fans feel has been an eternal title drought.
After winning their first five Super Bowl appearances (over the course of just 14 years), it’s been a championship drought since the 1994 season and a blowout win over the San Diego Chargers. That’s a span of 30 seasons during which 14 other teams have won Super Bowls.
The 49ers have had their chances, three of them, but lost each time.
Here’s a review of the 49ers’ Super Bowl legacy:
San Francisco 49ers players Craig Puki (54) and Ronnie Lott (42) react after the 49ers stopped a Cincinnati Bengals drive on Jan. 24, 1982, in Pontiac, Mich., within the one-yard-line on a fourth down in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVI. Bengals players visible are center Blair Bush (58) and tackle Mike Wilson (77). (AP Photo)
Super Bowl XVI
Jan. 24, 1982, Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 13-3 record, then beat the New York Giants 38-24 in division playoff and Dallas 28-27 in conference championship, with both games at Candlestick Park
What happened: The 49ers jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead in their Super Bowl debut and then held on for dear life. They forced four turnovers, including a squib kick fumble by Archie Griffin just before halftime that led to the second of four Ray Wersching field goals.
By the numbers: Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions; Ricky Patton rushed for 55 yards on 17 carries, and Freddie Solomon had four receptions for 52 yards. The Bengals’ Ken Anderson completed 25 of 44 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice.
The big play: On fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, with the 49ers leading 20-7 and 1:45 left in the third quarter, Bengals fullback Pete Johnson was stopped for no gain by Jack Reynolds and Archie Reece. The 49ers also stopped a first-and-goal at the 3 (Johnson at the 1 by John Choma), second-and-goal at the 1 (Reynolds again) and third-and-goal at the 1 (Charles Alexander stuffed on a swing pass by Dan Bunz).
Quotable: “We’re a team of character. You could see it in our goal-line stand, in the way we played all day. I’m sure a lot of people still aren’t convinced. The scouts don’t see great talent here. Most of them picked the Bengals to win.” – 49ers coach Bill Walsh
STANFORD, CA – JANUARY 20: Wendell Tyler #26 of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball during the SuperBowl XVIV against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium on January 20, 1985 in Stanford, California. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins 38-16. (Photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images)
Super Bowl XIX
Jan. 20, 1985, Stanford Stadium
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 15-1 record, then beat the New York Giants 21-10 in division playoff and Chicago 23-0 in conference championship, with both games at Candlestick Park
What happened: Even with the 49ers having lost just one game in the regular season and dominating both of their playoff games, the buzz was all about Miami and second-year quarterback Dan Marino. But the 49ers were at “home” in Palo Alto and practiced for the game at their own facility. They dominated on both sides of the ball, running up 537 yards of offense behind Super Bowl MVP Montana.
By the numbers: Marino was 29-for-50 passing for 318 yards and a touchdown but threw two interceptions as well as being sacked four times. His top target was running back Tony Nathan, who had 10 receptions for 83 yards. Montana completed 24 of his 35 attempts for 331 yards and three touchdowns. Wendell Tyler rushed 13 times for 65 yards and caught four passes for another 70 yards. Roger Craig had seven receptions.
The big play: Montana took apart the Dolphins by throwing to his running backs Tyler and Craig, but the connection that got the 49ers rolling was a surprise. Carl Monroe, a little-used second-year back, caught a swing pass for a 33-yard touchdown for the 49ers’ first touchdown, and the rout was on.
Quotable: “Deep down, we all felt it. All we heard was ‘Miami, Miami, how are you going to stop Miami?’ Yeah, yeah, we were overlooked a little.” – Montana
22 Jan 1989: Quarterback Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers throws the ball during Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The 49ers won the game, 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
Super Bowl XXIII
Jan. 22, 1989, Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 10-6 record; then beat Minnesota 41-13 in a division playoff game at Candlestick Park and beat Chicago 28-3 in the conference championship at Soldier Field.
What happened: Trailing 16-13 with 3:04 to play, Montana drove the 49ers 92 yards in 10 plays, culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds to play. It was the final NFL game coached by Walsh, who broke down when asked about it post-game by announcer Brent Musburger.
By the numbers: Ickey Woods rushed 20 carries for 77 yards, but the Bengals star never got a chance to do his “Ickey Shuffle” touchdown dance. Stafford Jennings did return a kick 93 yards for a touchdown that gave the Bengals a 13-6 lead late in the third quarter. Montana completed 23 of 36 attempts for 357 yards and two TDs. Jerry Rice, who was named the MVP, caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a TD in the fourth quarter that tied the score at 13-13.
The big play: There were numerous big plays on the last drive, but a first-quarter hit by Ronnie Lott heavily influenced the outcome. Woods had gained 27 yards on his first four rushes when he was met head-on by Lott with two minutes left in the first quarter. Woods was a non-factor for the remainder of the game.
Quotable: “Isn’t that John Candy?” – Montana to 49ers offensive lineman Harris Barton in the huddle, diffusing the tension during the game-winning drive by pointing out the actor/comedian near the field.
Tackle Harris Barton #79 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after the 49ers 55-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV at Louisiana Superdome on Jan. 28, 1990 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)
Super Bowl XXIV
Jan. 28, 1990, Superdome, New Orleans
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 14-2 record, then beat Minnesota 41-13 in a division playoff game and the Los Angeles Rams 30-3 in the conference championship, both at Candlestick Park.
What happened: The 49ers annihilated the Broncos in conquering the postseason under first-year head coach George Seifert, outscoring three opponents 126-26. The 49ers defense harassed a shaky John Elway (19.4 passer rating) into his worst Super Bowl performance.
By the numbers: Montana earned his second Super Bowl MVP award, completing 22 of 29 attempts for 297 yards and five touchdowns. Craig had 20 carries for 69 yards and Rice had seven catches for 148 yards and 3 TDs. Elway completed just 10 of his 26 pass attempts for 108, was intercepted twice and sacked four times.
The big play: Denver safety and future Hall of Famer Steve Atwater came in with a reputation as a big hitter. On the 49ers’ first series, he attempted to level Rice, who simply bounced off the tackle attempt and scored on a 20-yard touchdown. The 49ers were off and running.
Quotable: “If they’d left our first offense in for four quarters, we might have scored 200.” – 49ers linebacker Matt Millen
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young runs a victory lap after his team beat the San Diego Chargers 49-26 on Jan. 29, 1995 in Super Bowl XXIX at Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi) A.P. Photo
Jan. 29, 1995, Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 13-3 record, then beat Chicago 44-15 in a divisional playoff game and Dallas 38-28 in the conference championship, both at Candlestick Park.
What happened: Super Bowl MVP Steve Young threw a record-setting six touchdown passes against the overmatched Chargers. The game had an anti-climactic feel following an emotional win over the Cowboys to win the NFC title after playoff losses to Dallas the previous two seasons.
By the numbers: The Chargers’ Stan Humphries passed for 275 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice. Young completed 24 of his 36 pass attempts for 325 yards and rushed for 49 more yards. Rice caught half of Young’s TD passes (three) and had 10 catches for 149 yards.
The big play: On the third snap of the game, Young hit Rice for a 44-yard touchdown and the rout was on. The 49ers led by as much as 42-10 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.
Quotable: “Someone take the monkey off my back!” – Young on the sideline in the game’s final moments, a shot at critics who said he was an unworthy successor to Montana because he hadn’t won a Super Bowl
Baltimore Ravens’ Jacoby Jones (12) takes off on a 108-yard run as San Francisco 49ers’ Tramaine Brock (26) pursues during Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, at the Superdome in New Orleans. The Ravens beat the 49ers 34-31. (Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area News Group)
Super Bowl XLVII
Feb. 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, New Orleans
How they got there: They won the NFC West with an 11-4-1 record, then beat Green Bay 45-31 in a divisional playoff at Candlestick Park and beat Atlanta 28-24 for the conference championship at the Georgia Dome.
What happened: Back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years, the 49ers rallied from a 28-6 deficit following a 34-minute delay due to a power outage to make it 34-29 with 2:39 to play. On first-and-goal at the 7, the 49ers didn’t turn to Frank Gore, whose 33-yard run put the 49ers in position to score, and instead, LeMichael James ran for 2 yards. Then Colin Kaepernick failed to connect with Michael Crabtree in the end zone three straight times, and the 49ers turned the ball over on downs. The Ravens took a safety for the final margin of victory.
By the numbers: The Ravens’ Joe Flacco was the MVP, passing for 287 yards and three TDs. Future 49er Anquan Boldin had six catches for 104 yards and a score, but the day belonged to Jacoby Jones, who had a 56-yard TD reception and a 108-yard kickoff return for a TD. Kaepernick passed for 302 yards and rushed for 62 more yards. Gore rushed for 110 yards, and Crabtree caught five passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.
The big play: After getting within 34-29, Crabtree was jostled in the end zone on the 49ers’ final offensive snap. No penalty flag was thrown, and Baltimore had withstood the 49ers’ rally with a final goalline stand.
Quotable: “Everybody had their hand on this game. We point the fingers at nobody. We win together, and we lose together, and today we lost it.” – 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis
San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa (97) heads to the sidelines after the Kansas City Chiefs scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Super Bowl LIV
Feb. 2, 2020, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 13-3 record, beat Minnesota 27-10 in a division playoff game and then beat Green Bay 37-20 in the conference championship game, both at Levi’s Stadium.
What happened: The 49ers gave up three touchdowns in the final 6:13, as the Chiefs wiped out a 20-10 deficit. The touchdowns came on 1- and 5-yard passes from Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and a 38-yard run by Damian Williams to put the game away.
By the numbers: Mahomes was intercepted twice but passed for 286 yards and the two late touchdown passes. 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo was 20-for-31 for 219 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice.
The big play: On third-and-10, with the 49ers trailing 24-20 and 1:40 to play at Kansas City’s49-yard line, Garoppolo bypassed an open Kendrick Bourne in the middle of the field and threw deep to double-covered Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders was open, but the ball was overthrown. Garoppolo was sacked on the next play.
Quotable: “We’ll lick our wounds and get over this.” – 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs’ George Karlaftis III (56) and Chris Jones (95) throws a pass to Jauan Jennings (15) for an 8-yard loss in the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Super Bowl LVIII
Feb. 11, 2024, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Kansas City 25, 49ers 22, overtime
How they got there: They won the NFC West with a 12-5 record; beat Green Bay 24-21 in a division playoff game and the Detroit Lions 34-31 in the conference championship game, both at Levi’s Stadium.
What happened: The 49ers had the lead twice in the fourth quarter (16-13 and 19-16) and once in overtime (22-19 but fell victim once again to Mahomes. He won the game with a 3-yard pass to Mecole Hardman with three seconds left in OT.
By the numbers: Mahomes was named MVP after passing for 333 yards and two touchdowns as well as rushing nine times for 66 yards. Travis Kelce had nine catches for 93 yards. 49ers QB Brock Purdy passed for 255 yards, and Christian McCaffrey rushed 22 times for 80 yards and caught eight passes for 80 yards, including Purdy’s lone TD pass.
The big play: On fourth-and-1 from the Kansas City 34, with the 49ers leading 22-19 and 6:05 left in overtime, Mahomes kept the game going with an eight-yard keeper. Six minutes – and 58 yards – later, the Chiefs scored the winning touchdown.
Quotable: “That game will always stay with me. It was devastating.” – 49ers linebacker Fred Warner