The San Francisco 49ers have a high pedigree when it comes to the NFL playoffs. What does the 49ers’ playoff history look like, and how do they fare when reaching the Super Bowl? Let’s look at the NFL’s playoff history and find out how the 49ers have performed over the past five decades.
*We’ll only consider appearances from the 1970 merger onward.
San Francisco 49ers Playoff Appearances and Results by Year
Most recently, the 49ers have found themselves in their fourth NFC title game appearance since the 2019 season. But are now in their third consecutive championship contest with the George Halas Trophy on the line. Here’s a look at their playoff results from most recent to their first:
- 2023
- Wild Card: None
- Divisional Round: Won 24-21 vs. Green Bay Packers
- Conference Championship: Too be determined against the Detroit Lions
- 2022
- Wild Card: Won 41-23 vs. Seattle Seahawks
- Divisional Round: Won 19-12 vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Conference Championship: Lost 31-7 @ Philadelphia Eagles
- 2021
- Wild Card: Won 23-17 @ Cowboys
- Divisional Round: Won 13-10 @ Packers
- Conference Championship: Lost 20-17 @ Rams
- 2019
- Divisional Round: Won 27-10 vs. Vikings
- Conference Championship: Won 37-20 vs. Packers
- Super Bowl: Lost 31-20 vs. Chiefs
- 2013
- Wild Card: Won 23-20 @ Packers
- Divisional Round: Won 23-10 @ Panthers
- Conference Championship: Lost 23-17 @ Seahawks
- 2012
- Divisional Round: Won 45-31 vs. Packers
- Conference Championship: Won 28-24 @ Falcons
- Super Bowl: Lost 34-31 vs. Ravens
- 2011
- Divisional Round: Won 36-32 vs. Saints
- Conference Championship: Lost 20-17 (OT) vs. Giants
- 2002
- Wild Card: Won 39-38 vs. Giants
- Divisional Round: Lost 31-6 @ Buccaneers
- 2001
- Wild Card: Lost 25-15 @ Packers
- 1998
- Wild Card: Won 30-27 vs. Packers
- Divisional Round: Lost 20-18 @ Falcons
- 1997
- Divisional Round: Won 38-22 vs. Vikings
- Conference Championship: Lost 23-10 vs. Packers
- 1996
- Wild Card: Won 14-0 vs. Eagles
- Divisional Round: Lost 35-14 @ Packers
- 1995
- Divisional Round: Lost 27-17 vs. Packers
- 1994
- Divisional Round: Won 44-15 vs. Bears
- Conference Championship: Won 38-28 vs. Cowboys
- Super Bowl: Won 49-26 vs. Chargers
- 1993
- Divisional Round: Won 44-3 vs. Giants
- Conference Championship: Lost 38-21 @ Cowboys
- 1992
- Divisional Round: Won 20-13 vs. Redskins
- Conference Championship: Lost 30-20 vs. Cowboys
- 1990
- Divisional Round: Won 28-10 vs. Redskins
- Conference Championship: Lost 15-13 vs. Giants
- 1989
- Divisional Round: Won 41-13 vs. Vikings
- Conference Championship: Won 30-3 vs. Rams
- Super Bowl: Won 55-10 vs. Broncos
- 1988
- Divisional Round: Won 34-9 vs. Vikings
- Conference Championship: Won 28-3 @ Bears
- Super Bowl: Won 20-16 vs. Bengals
- 1987
- Divisional Round: Lost 36-24 vs. Vikings
- 1986
- Divisional Round: Lost 49-3 @ Giants
- 1985
- Wild Card: Lost 17-3 @ Giants
- 1984
- Divisional Round: Won 21-10 vs. Giants
- Conference Championship: Won 23-0 vs. Bears
- Super Bowl: Won 38-16 vs. Dolphins
- 1983
- Divisional Round: Won 24-23 vs. Lions
- Conference Championship: Lost 24-21 @ Redskins
- 1981
- Divisional Round: Won 38-24 vs. Giants
- Conference Championship: Won 28-27 vs. Cowboys
- Super Bowl: Won 26-21 vs. Bengals
- 1972
- Divisional Round: Lost 30-28 vs. Cowboys
- 1971
- Divisional Round: Won 24-20 vs. Redskins
- Conference Championship: Lost 14-3 @ Cowboys
- 1970
- Divisional Round: Won 17-14 @ Vikings
- Conference Championship: Lost 17-10 vs. Cowboys
49ers Playoff History FAQ
The 49ers have quite an illustrious track record in the NFL postseason since the merger. Let’s examine some frequently asked questions regarding the 49ers’ playoff prestige.
What’s the 49ers’ Win/Loss Record?
The 49ers’ all-time playoff record is 38-22. The 49ers have had the upper hand since 1970 when hosting a postseason matchup, going 25-8 in home playoff games.
How Many Times Have the 49ers Been to the Playoffs?
San Francisco has made the playoffs 28 times in their team’s history (including this year). The first playoff appearance (1970 season) resulted in defeating the Vikings on the road 17-14, only to lose the conference championship at home to the Cowboys 17-10. Most recently, the 49ers went on a run during the 2021 postseason, taking out the Cowboys and Packers before falling short of an appearance in Super Bowl 56 after losing to the Rams 20-17.
How Many Super Bowl Appearances Do the 49ers Have?
The 49ers’ were a mainstay in the NFL postseason through the 1980s and ’90s when a whopping 16 of their 26 playoff appearances happened. While those trips cooled off in the 21st century, San Francisco has the third most Super Bowl appearances in NFL history with seven trips to the big game.
The first Super Bowl appearance for the 49ers came back in 1981 against the Cincinnati Bengals. With a strong roster this season, could head coach Kyle Shanahan appear in his second Super Bowl in his tenure and a NFL record-tying eighth (alongside the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers) big game appearance in franchise history?
How Many Super Bowls Have the 49ers Won?
Unfortunately for San Francisco fans, the 49ers have not won either of their Super Bowl appearances in the 21st century. The most recent trip to the NFL’s Championship game in 2019 saw Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes win his first Super Bowl. Roll the clocks back seven years, Jim Harbaugh fell just short in Super Bowl 47 to the John Harbaugh-led Ravens.
While the 21st century has not been too kind to San Francisco’s Super Bowl record, the 20th century was different. The 49ers appeared in and won five Super Bowls between 1981 and 1994. This run spanned the Joe Montana and Steve Young eras under center, with three rings coming with Hall-of-Fame WR Jerry Rice on the roster.
When Was the Last Time the 49ers Made the Super Bowl?
That was 2019. San Francisco lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20.
Shanahan and company will aim to end their current skid of NFC title game losses against the Lions. Turns out, the last time a 49ers team led by Shanahan played at Levi’s Stadium, they rolled to a rout of an NFC North representative.