The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most decorated franchises in NFL history, with five Super Bowl championships to their name, but it’s been quite some time since they won it all. Could 2024 be the year San Francisco ends that drought and takes home another Lombardi Trophy by knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs?
49ers Aim To End Long Super Bowl Drought
San Francisco had some rough early years as a franchise. Even after the AFL-NFL merger — when they made three straight playoff appearances, including two conference title game trips — the team missed the postseason for eight straight years.
A sudden breakthrough came in 1981, however, as the 49ers went from that lengthy playoff drought all the way to winning Super Bowl 16 over the Cincinnati Bengals, led by a Super Bowl MVP performance from Joe Montana.
The highs and lows continued, however, as San Francisco missed the playoffs entirely the next season. The 49ers then made an NFC Championship game appearance in 1983 before beating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl 19 for the franchise’s second ring. Montana again took home MVP honors after throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns.
The dynasty continued a few years later, as Montana led San Francisco to back-to-back Super Bowl wins to cap off the 1988 and 1989 seasons. The 49ers once again knocked off Cincinnati in Super Bowl 23 on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Montana to John Taylor and then romped the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl 24.
That fourth ring was the final one of Montana’s career — he turned the reins over to Steve Young two years later. San Francisco dropped two conference title games early in Young’s tenure but eventually made it back to the big game in the 1994 season and broke through with a blowout win over the then-San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl 29.
That victory marks the 49ers’ most recent of their five titles, which ranks third-most in the league. Though the franchise has made two more trips to the Super Bowl since then.
After winning each of its first five Super Bowl appearances, San Francisco has lost each of its last two matchups in the big game. The 49ers fell 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl 47 under Jim Harbaugh and then lost 31-20 to the Chiefs in Super Bowl 54 just over four years ago.
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Now, San Francisco will have a chance to avenge that defeat and break the team’s streak of Super Bowl losses on Sunday, as they aim to capture the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy and first since 1995.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!
