Watch one of the most iconic catches in NFL history that happened 36 years ago
The San Francisco 49ers were the NFL’s most dominant franchise of the 1980s, winning four Super Bowls. The first of those four wins came in Super Bowl XVI, when the 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21.
San Francisco earned its way into its first Super Bowl with a dramatic 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC championship game, and the play that clinched that victory is one of the most famous in NFL history.
It’s known simply as “The Catch.” It happened Jan. 10, 1982.
The 49ers were hosting the Dallas Cowboys at Candlestick Park. San Francisco had the best record in the NFC at 13-3, remarkable for a team that had won a total of eight games in its previous two years.
Both the 49ers and Cowboys had relatively easy victories in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Dallas blasted Tampa Bay 38-0, while the 49ers defeated the New York Giants 38-24.
The NFC title game was a back-and-forth affair that would feature seven lead changes. The Cowboys entered the fourth quarter trailing 21-17, but a Rafael Septien field goal and a 21-yard pass from Danny White to Doug Cosbie gave Dallas a 27-21 lead.
The fact that the 49ers were still within striking distance was amazing considering they committed six turnovers, including three interceptions by Montana. But with 4:54 remaining in the game, San Francisco began what turned out to be its final drive of the game at its own 11-yard line.
San Francisco was able to move the ball to the Cowboys 6-yard line with 58 seconds remaining. On third down, Montana took the snap and rolled right. He was chased by three Dallas defenders while looking into the end zone for someone to get open.
Montana pumped once and threw off his back foot. The ball floated high toward the back of the end zone in what many believed was an attempt to simply throw the ball away.
But running along the back line of the end zone was wide receiver Dwight Clark, who reached high in the air to grab the ball, land in the end zone, and complete one of the most memorable plays in NFL history, giving the 49ers a 28-27 lead.
Had Dallas won the game, it’s quite possible that Cowboys defensive back Everson Walls would have been the game’s MVP. He intercepted two Montana passes and recovered a fumble. But on that iconic play, Walls was covering Clark, and Walls admitted that he believed Montana was trying to throw the ball away because of how high the pass was as it came into the end zone.
But the 6-foot-4 Clark leapt into the air, reached high above his head and made the catch.
Montana admitted he had so many Dallas defenders draped all over him that he never saw Clark make the catch known as “The Catch.” He heard the crowd react, so he knew Clark caught the ball, but it wasn’t until after the game, in the locker room, that he saw replays of the memorable moment.
Montana and Clark had both come to San Francisco in the 1979 draft. That was also the first draft the team had under coach Bill Walsh.
This past season, the 49ers honored Clark, 61, who is now battling ALS. Three years ago, Clark noticed his hands had become so weak he could not even open a pack of sugar. In September 2015, he was diagnosed as having the condition often known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Clark told the Santa Cruz Sentinel this week that he has battled depression and anger about his condition. He can still walk but tires easily and often uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.
He also admits it’s tough to think about his future.
“The future is so scary,” Clark said. “I can’t imagine being totally paralyzed. I keep trying to re-enact it — just lay there, and think, ‘I can’t get up.’ But I can’t do it for very long. It freaks me out.”
While Clark faces an uncertain future, he can take pride in knowing he has a permanent place in his team’s remarkable history.
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