1994 San Francisco 49ers: Steve’s Run for One

Young completed 324 of 461 pass attempts for 3,969 yards and 35 touchdowns while also having 293 yards off 58 rushing attempts, scoring 7 touchdowns. Running back Ricky Watters had 877 yards off 239 rushing attempts and scored 6 touchdowns while also having 66 receptions for 719 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fullback William Floyd had 305 yards off 87 rushing attempts and scored 6 touchdowns.

Wide receiver Jerry Rice had 112 receptions for 1,499 yards and 13 touchdowns while also having 93 yards off 7 rushing attempts, scoring 2 touchdowns. Tight end Brent Jones had 49 receptions for 670 yards and 9 touchdowns. Wide receiver John Taylor had 41 receptions for 531 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wide receiver Nate Singleton had 21 receptions for 294 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wide receiver Ed McCaffrey had 11 receptions for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The go-to guy on San Francisco’s special teams was running back Dexter Carter, who had 48 kick returns for 1,105 yards and 1 touchdown, and 38 punt returns for 321 yards.

The 49ers made key additions to their defense, which bolstered their overall performance. One addition was linebacker Ken Norton, who had 75 tackles, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. The other addition was the flashy and confident cornerback named Deion Sanders, nicknamed “Prime Time”. Sanders had 6 interceptions for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns along with 1 fumble recovery. Cornerback Eric Davis had 68 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries. Strong safety Tim McDonald had 67 tackles, 2 interceptions for 79 yards and 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery for a 49-yard touchdown.

Free safety Merton Hanks had 65 tackles, 7 interceptions for 93 yards, and 2 fumble recoveries. Middle linebacker Gary Plummer had 56 tackles, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive tackle Bryant Young had 45 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. Linebacker Lee Woodall had 45 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. Defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield had 8.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Defensive tackle Rhett Hall had 4 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Linebacker Todd Kelly had 3.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Defensive end Dennis Brown had 3 sacks.

The 49ers went on a 10-game winning streak during the regular season, which began in Week 6 on October 9 with a 27-21 win over the Detroit Lions, and ended with a 42-19 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 16 on December 17.

The 49ers went 13-3 in the 1994 NFL regular season, winning the NFC West division by 6 games over the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. On January 7, 1995 the 49ers were pitted against the Chicago Bears in the Division Round, and the 49ers ran away with the game, winning 44-15. Bears kicker Kevin Butler kicked a 39-yard field goal in the 1st quarter, but the 49ers quickly took control of the game as William Floyd had a 2-yard touchdown run, and then in the 2nd quarter Brent Jones had an 8-yard touchdown reception.

Floyd then had a 4-yard touchdown run, followed by a 36-yard field goal by 49ers kicker Doug Brien, and then a 6-yard touchdown run by the scrambling Steve Young. Floyd then punched in another 1-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter, and in between a 2-yard touchdown run by Bears defensive tackle Jim Flanigan and a 1-yard touchdown run by Bears running back Lewis Tillman in the 4th quarter, 49ers running back Adam Walker had a 1-yard touchdown run.

The NFC Championship Game on January 15 pitted the San Francisco 49ers against a team they had developed a long rivalry with over the years, the Dallas Cowboys. In a classic quarterback duel, Steve Young completed 13 of 29 pass attempts for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns while also having 47 yards off 10 rushing attempts, scoring 1 touchdown. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman completed 30 of 53 pass attempts for 380 yards and 2 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions.

The 49ers struck first in the 1st quarter when Eric Davis returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown. Ricky Watters soon followed with a 29-yard touchdown run, and then William Floyd punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. Dallas finally got on the board with a 44-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Michael Irvin, and after Doug Brien kicked a 34-yard field goal for San Francisco, running back Emmitt Smith had a 4-yard touchdown run for the Cowboys. The 49ers responded with a 28-yard touchdown reception by Jerry Rice.

In the 3rd quarter Smith kept the Cowboys in the game with a 1-yard touchdown run, but the Young scrambled to score a 3-yard touchdown run. Michael Irvin’s 10-yard touchdown reception in the 4th quarter didn’t change the outcome as the 49ers beat the Cowboys 38-28.

Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida would host Super Bowl XXIX on January 29, which would be played between the San Francisco 49ers and the AFC Champion San Diego Chargers. San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries didn’t have a pleasant game as the 49er defense kept him off balance all night. Humphries completed 24 of 49 pass attempts for 275 yards and 1 touchdown, but also threw 2 interceptions.

Jerry Rice put the 49ers on the board in the 1st quarter with a 44-yard touchdown reception, and Ricky Watters followed with a 51-yard touchdown reception. After Chargers running back Natrone Means had a 1-yard touchdown run, William Floyd had a 5-yard touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter, and Watters followed again with an 8-yard touchdown reception. Chargers kicker John Carney kicked a 31-yard field goal to make the score 28-10 at halftime, but the Chargers never found a way to slow down the 49ers in the 2nd half.

Watters had a 9-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter, followed by a 15-yard touchdown reception by Rice, and although Chargers wide receiver Andre Coleman had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and wide receiver Tony Martin had a 30-yard touchdown reception later in the 4th quarter, the game was out of reach for the Chargers as Rice caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Young in between. Rice was his usual self in the Super Bowl, having 10 receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns.

However, Steve Young would be named the Most Valuable Player for Super Bowl XXIX as the 49ers defeated the Chargers 49-26. Young completed 24 of 36 pass attempts for 325 yards and 6 touchdowns while also having 49 yards off 5 rushing attempts. Young had finally won a Lombardi Trophy that he could call his own, getting the monkey off his back.