The San Francisco 49ers are arguably the most prestigious team in NFL history, and they have done plenty of winning. That includes in the postseason, and the team is now back in the NFC Championship Game. NFL fans are used to the 49ers being dominant, so we decided to look at just how good the Niners have been historically. Here is the 49ers' playoff history, including their Super Bowl titles, postseason record, and much more.
49ers' playoff history
The San Francisco 49ers are one of five teams with at least seven Super Bowl appearances, and they have always made the most of their opportunities in the big game. Of their seven times in the Super Bowl, the 49ers have won the championship five times, which is the second most in league history.
San Francisco was in the All-American Football Conference from 1946-49. There, they won a playoff game in the Divisional Round in the 1949 playoffs. The Niners then joined the NFL in 1950. The team wasn't great in the early days, though, as they only made the playoffs once (1957) from 1950 to 1969.
The winning started picking up at the turn of the decade, though. The team made the playoffs three times in the '70s, and they reached the Conference Championship in both 1970 and 1971. The best had yet to come, though, and the 49ers of the '80s were arguably the greatest team in the history of the NFL. Joe Montana joined the team in 1979, and he became arguably the best quarterback ever, especially when it came to the postseason.
Montana's Niners won four Super Bowls in the '80s, including Super Bowl XVI, Super Bowl XIX, Super Bowl XXIII, and Super Bowl XXIV. Super Bowl XVI was a 26-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, and the 49ers won Super Bowl XIX by a score of 38-16 over the Miami Dolphins. Jerry Rice – the greatest non-quarterback ever – joined the team in 1985 and helped them win Super Bowl XXIII by a score of 20-16 over the Bengals, and Super Bowl XXIV, which was a blowout win. They beat the Denver Broncos 55-10.
Montana's successor was Steve Young, another Hall of Famer, and he won Super Bowl XXIX by a score of 49-26 over the San Diego Chargers. From 1981 to 2002, San Francisco made the playoffs in all but four seasons.
The team started off 5-0 in the Super Bowl, but they didn't reach the big game again until Super Bowl XLVII. There, they lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens. They also lost their next championship appearance in Super Bowl LIV by a score of 31-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 21st century also saw a playoff drought from 2003 until 2010. The team is back to being one of the top contenders now, though. The 49ers have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, and they have made the Conference Championship in all four of those seasons. They need to break through to the Super Bowl, though, as they have only done that once during that stretch. They will have a chance to do so against the Detroit Lions this year.
Overall, San Francisco is 38-24 in the postseason. They have made the playoffs 30 different times, which makes them one of the most successful organizations.
Can the 49ers win the Super Bowl this year?
Being five for seven in the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers have one of the best records in the NFL in the league's biggest game. Getting past the NFC Championship Game and into the Super Bowl has been somewhat of an issue as of late, though. San Francisco has tons of playoff experience, though, and that is something their opponent – the Detroit Lions – is lacking in.
While the Lions do have some momentum, the fact remains that they have only won two playoff games since 1991 as an organization. Additionally, the 49ers have all the talent in the world. Brock Purdy was in the MVP conversation for much of the year, and he is surrounded by studs at the skill positions. George Kittle is one of the best tight ends in the NFL, and Christian McCaffrey was also in the MVP conversation despite being a running back.
The receiver room includes Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. They are one of the best receiving duos in the league, but Samuel is at risk of missing the Conference Championship with an injury.
Defensively, San Francisco is just as stacked. They allow the third-fewest points per game (17.5), with players like Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, and Charvarius Ward leading the way.
If the 49ers do get past the Detroit Lions, they will set themselves up for the opportunity to win a sixth Super Bowl, which would tie them for the all-time lead. No one is doubting they have the talent to do it, either.
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