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. 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark delivers a go-ahead touchdown in the 1981 NFL Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, ranks No. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Clark played his entire nine-year career with the 49ers and earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 1982. I see that catch every day. [7][8] Clark talked about how he was nervous playing quarterback in high school. After "The Catch", the 49ers went on to win Super Bowl XVI 2621 over the Cincinnati Bengals. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. He also won another Super Bowl in 1984. Two weeks later, they beat Cincinnati to win their first Super Bowl title and launch an incomparable stretch of five championships in 14 seasons. After calling a timeout, White took the first down snap and was sacked by Lawrence Pillers, fumbling in the process. Clark had plans to play a round of golf and was headed out to play when he answered the phone. [15] But they soon greatly improved, winning the Super Bowl at the ends of the 1981 and 1984 seasons, and, starting in 1981, making the playoffs every year Clark was with them except 1982. This ended a remarkable period that saw the Cowboys play in 10 of 13 conference championship games, while Danny White, who had become Dallas' starting quarterback in 1980, drew criticism for "not being able to win the big game," despite leading the team to successful winning seasons. This included a 45-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys earlier on in the year. Third and three. "It was exciting," Storey said. [16][31], Clark married Kelly Radzikowski in 2011. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. But they not only talk about it, they pass it down through the generations. This dramatic win was the crown jewel of a memorable postseason in the NFL. The 49ers and Cowboys meet again this weekend in the NFL playoffs, and youll likely see and hear a lot about the iconic play. Jim Stuckey recovered for the 49ers and the rest is history. The 49ers representative convinced Clark to skip golf and serve as Fullers receiver during the quarterbacks workout. 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. In the October 16, 2001 episode "My Old Lady" of the American television sitcom/medical drama Scrubs, when a dying patient David asks if anyone has ever heard of The Catch, Turk comes in and says, "Niners-Cowboys, Joe Montana to Dwight Clark deep in the end-zone, zero time left. Clark had been Joe Montana's running mate, and he was himself a legend to football fans, but the prospect of meeting Mays turned Dwight into a hero-worshiping kid. 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. The Cowboys managed to make the playoffs in the 1983 and 1985 seasons, only to be knocked out in their first game (Wild Card round in 1983; Divisional round in 1985), then failed to reach the postseason for the rest of the decade. 64: 2011 NFC Divisional Playoff - Saints vs. 49ers "The Catch III" (Jan. 14, 2012) #NFL100 @49ers @VernonDavis85 Television: NFL 100 Greatest Games on @NFLNetwork, "TD could become 'The Catch III' in 49ers lore", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Catch_(American_football)&oldid=1142103148. Nine and a half yards deep in the end zone! Just before being chased out of bounds, and after a pump-fake caused the 6-foot 9-inch (206 cm) "Too Tall" Jones to leave his feet, Montana threw a high pass to the back of the end zone that seemed to be heading out of bounds until Clark, closely covered by Cowboys defender Everson Walls, made a leaping catch with his fingertips, and landed just in-bounds at the back right corner of the end zone to score the touchdown and tie the game with 51 seconds left. An All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion, Clark was diagnosed with. In 2016, Kroichick and photographer Michael Macor earned "Best Sports Feature" from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, for their series on Antioch High running back Najee Harris, the nation's No. Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, American football player and executive (1957-2018). Sadly, he died a couple of years ago after a short battle with ALS. To his credit, when he did catch the ball, he made it count and averaged 18.8 yards per catch. The offense certainly took some pressure off my back., "Some people might call it a mistake-filled game, Walsh said afterward. 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. Born on January 8, 1957, in Kinston, North Carolina,[6] Clark graduated from Garinger High School in Charlotte, where he played quarterback. Reddit . The Catch, 40 years ago this week, capped a magnificent 89-yard drive, a breathtaking 6-yard pass play, designed by coach Bill Walsh and executed spectacularly by quarterback Joe Montana and Clark, to make the 49ers NFC champions on Jan. 10, 1982, at Candlestick Park. "[20] In the early 1990s, Clark's catch had become the most requested clip in the archives of NFL Films, which was charging up to $5,000 for its use.[11]. Clark already had plans to play a round of golf and was about to head out to begin his game when he picked up the phone instead. Overseeing the entire operation was Hall of Fame owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who released his own statement on Clark's passing: "My heart is broken. Clark curled into the end zone, braked at the end line and looked for his quarterback. There are plays that stand by themselves in sports. It's great to give 49er fans that moment that they can relive over and over and over, and I know they do because when I am in San Francisco and a lot of places, people want to talk about that play and how it crushed the Cowboys and sent them into submission for a decade. Dwight Clark was never destined to be a star in the NFL, let alone make one of the greatest catches in NFL history. After retiring Dwight Clark remained a part of the 49ers organization working as an executive in the front office. And then Dwight Clark might not have made The Catch. So, Montana had to improvise. [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. Montana said, "We'd never thrown the ball to Dwight on that play, at all. 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. 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. "You can see from the picture that Dwight is much taller than the defensive back," Storey, now 56 , said recently. He caught the winning touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Joe Montana in the NFC Championship Game on January 10th, 1982 against the Dallas Cowboys. Clark's got a touchdown! Local Dallas radio station KRLD also provided their own broadcast, as they did for all Cowboys games, with Verne Lundquist and Brad Sham providing the play-by-play and color respectively. As a junior, he was named a starter at wide receiver and was part of the team that qualified Clemson to the Gator Bowl, its first bowl game in 18 years. The 49ers went on to dominate the NFL throughout the remainder of the 1980s, winning four titles within the decade. Storey recalled jostling for position as the 49ers moved toward their go-ahead touchdown. However, Solomon, as Montanas intended receiver, was covered by the Cowboys. Dwight Clark! Dallas responded with an 80-yard drive, including a controversial pass interference penalty on 49ers defensive back Ronnie Lott which nullified his interception and gave the Cowboys a 35-yard gain to the San Francisco 12-yard line. The "Good Morning Football" crew broke down the top storylines following the San Francisco 49ers win vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi's Stadium. That play, called simply "sprint right option," differed from the Clemson touchdown only in how it finished, but not in how it was designed. But none more important than Dwight Clarks demonstration of skill on January 10, 1982, in an event commonly known as The Catch.. [33] "I've been asked if playing football caused this," Clark wrote. Except this time Montana, sprinting right, away from dominant Cowboys pass rusher Harvey Martin, faced a decision. He was 61. After the workout finished, Walsh was impressed with Clarks ability. The game was broadcast on CBS and the call was made by the great Vin Scully. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . George Rose/Getty Images. His wife . He scored a pair of touchdowns. "I cocked my arm to do that when I saw Dwight covered. In the second quarter, Clark managed to catch a 20-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana that provided the 49ers with a slight 14-10 lead. Before that, Walls had intercepted Montana twice. 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. Now, Gergen wrote of the play, Montana was throwing the most significant pass in 49er annals toward Clark. 10 teams that could have interest, and how much cash he could get. Required fields are marked *. He showed tremendous courage and dignity in his battle with ALS and we hope there will soon be a cure for this horrendous disease. Another photographer, Lee Romero, suggested Storey crop the photo vertically. Clark and Montana re-enacted The Catch in observance of the 25th anniversary of the play as part of San Francisco alumni day activities at halftime of the Minnesota game November 5, 2006, at Candlestick Park. Their record improved, as did Montana and Clark, in 1980, going 6-10. The NFL has many notable moments. Clark built his restaurant, Clark's By The Bay, the year he retired and decorated it with sports memorabilia including The Catch. He led the NFL in receptions (60) during the strike-shortened 1982 season and made the Pro Bowl twice, in 1981 and 1982. The legendary moment that changed the 49ers and San Francisco sports' fortunes forever. But just then I saw Dwight getting away from the coverage.". When asked about his team's success with the play, GM Howie Roseman said "All I know is everything we're doing is legal and works.". Late in the fourth quarter with the game in the balance and the 49ers trailing 27-21, Montana guided San Francisco down the field. And Storey looked at the back of his camera to see if he captured the moment, right? In 2021, Kroichick earned an Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 award for his feature on Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee conquering cancer. 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. Photo by John Storey/ San Francisco Examiner/Bancroft Library. And then Storey might not have snapped The Photo. What Clark displayed during the workout was something the 49ers and no other team had seen on tape. The team retired his jersey in 1988. This would be the final professional football game that Vin Scully would call the play by play as well as the final game that Pat Summerall did color commentary before moving to play-by-play announcer for the rest of his broadcast career (Summerall had moved from color commentator to play-by-play midway through the 1974 season; working color commentary here as a substitute for Jack Buck's regular radio partner Hank Stram; who was also Scully's main television broadcast partner during the 1981 season). "I'm sure the Dallas defense is saying, We forced six errors. And they'd be right. San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark is known for making one of the most iconic catches during the 1981 NFC Championship game. San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. I cannot put into words how special Dwight was to me and to everyone his life touched. In 2002, Clark resigned from the Browns and returned to his roots in North Carolina where he operated a real estate business. The Cowboys did have a last chance for victory. [19] During the 1981 season, Walsh had Montana practice that part of the play back in training camp. San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk dove and caught a pass from Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in the second half of the Pro Bowl flag finale. Clark died on Monday, aged 61. 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. Then he moved home to Charlotte, N.C., and began building luxury spec houses. Give us another down to make a play.". An offside penalty against the Cowboys on the next play gave Montana a fresh set of downs to work with, and Montana completed a 5-yard pass to Earl Cooper just before the 2-minute warning. And, in fact, it was the Cowboys who made the final, fatal mistake. [36] He was the father-in-law of former NHL defenseman Peter Harrold. Here are five things you might not know about the teams, the players, the game and, yes, The Catch, from the pages of The Sporting News: TSN ARCHIVES: Swing right option dooms Dallas. : The powerful #AFootballLife: Dwight Clark premiers TOMORROW (8pm ET) pic.twitter.com/HzycErFAgE. When the football gods decided to bestow everlasting glory on an athlete with a random moment of triumph, they picked the right guy in . One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. Vin Scully described the play on CBS Television: Meanwhile, Jack Buck had the call over on CBS Radio: Meanwhile, Don Klein called the play locally for the 49ers on KCBS: Finally, Verne Lundquist called the play locally for the Cowboys on KRLD: This game was a watershed in the historic fortunes of both the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. This was the winning touchdown reception that meant the 49ers were bound for the Super Bowl! In the Niners' version, Montana's first read was supposed to be receiver Freddie Solomon, who was supposed to shake loose via pick, just as Renfrow did. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. 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. Weeks later, the 49ers drafted Clark in the 10th of 12 rounds, pairing him with their third-round quarterback from Notre Dame. Yikes. Getty Dwight Clark Dwight Clark, the beloved wide receiver for the the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s, died on Monday. Following the Gatorade logo, the real version was shown with Dwight Clark's completion. Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. But how did it occur? Despite the hurried and improvised look of the play on the field, it had mostly run according to plan. Future Hall of Fame DB Ronnie Lott was flagged twice for crucial pass interference calls that extended Cowboys drives. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch." Dwight Clark's catch beat the Cowboys and remains one of the iconic moments in NFL . Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 17 matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". Clark disputes that assertion, claiming that it was a backup plan that they practiced many times. "I don't know for sure. The concept for the photo. Plus, back then, that was just football. The 350-pound statues of Dwight Clark and Joe Montana will be placed exactly 23 yards apart, just as the two 49ers were during the famous play. The drive began with an incomplete pass to Lenvil Elliot. San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark hauls in a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana with 51 seconds left in the 1982 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys. With under a minute remaining and facing 3rd-and-3 from the Dallas 6-yard line, Montana rolled right, pump-faked, then fired to Clark, who made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone. 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