Storey suspected he had a good shot of The Catch, but he didn't know with certainty for several hours. [32] He stated that he believed he developed ALS as a result of playing football; he suffered three concussions during his playing career. Guys would take my job. In 2017, Clark shocked the sports world when he announced that he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs Disease or ALS. "The Catch" - January 10, 1982 Before "The Catch" and Al Cowlings", "49ers icon Dwight Clark: 'I need your prayers and thoughts', "Dwight Clark, 49ers great famous for 'The Catch,' dies at 61 from ALS", "NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers January 10th, 1982", "49ers legend Dwight Clark, 61, dies of ALS", "The 8th 49er to Have His Number Retired", "Former Browns GM Dwight Clark dies after battle with ALS", "CATCH THAT CHANGED 49ER HISTORY REVISITED", "Dwight Clark: Leaving Candlestick Park is "bittersweet" Niner Insider", "San Francisco's Top Receiver Dwight Clark, Thinks His Best Catch May Be His Wife, Ashley", "49ers legend Dwight Clark announces ALS diagnosis", "Dwight Clark stands by his statement that playing football gave him ALS", "Dwight Clark, former 49ers wide receiver, dead at 61", "Kelly Clark announces Dwight Clark has passed away", "Dwight Clark's death leaves a void in San Francisco's heart", "Promise of more game time lures defenseman to Devils", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dwight_Clark&oldid=1141634867, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:20. The 49ers were 214 in 1978 and had the same record in 1979. Clark caught it! Then 49ers running back Bill Ring lost a fumble on his own 29, leading to White's 26-yard touchdown pass to Tony Hill that put the Cowboys up 107. 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 Catch' at 40: 5 things to know about that 49ers-Cowboys game. [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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Touchdown, San Francisco, by Dwight Clark! Dallas managed to pick up a few first downs, but were forced to punt, and White's kick gave San Francisco the ball at their own 11 with 4:54 left in the game and three timeouts. [34][35] At the time of his death, Clark lived in Whitefish, Montana, with his wife Kelly. It's a madhouse at Candlestick! San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, American football player and executive (1957-2018). In fact, before his infamous part in The Catch, the Cowboys cornerback had recovered a fumble by the 49ers Walt Easley. Then he moved home to Charlotte, N.C., and began building luxury spec houses. This is also done with Derek Jeter's "flip play" going wide of home plate and Michael Jordan's famous buzzer-beater against Cleveland going off the rim. 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. The Examiner sold thousands of extra editions on Jan. 11, 1982, and even turned the photo into a modestly profitable poster. "I thought of throwing it away, Montana said. The 49ers made the playoffs eight out of the next ten seasons and won three more Super Bowls in the 1980s, becoming the NFLs best dynasty of the decade. John Taylor was better than I was, so I couldnt come out of the game. To honor his contribution to 49ers, the club retired his #87 in 1988. Getty Dwight Clark Dwight Clark, the beloved wide receiver for the the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s, died on Monday. 49ers: 30 years ago, photographer caught The Catch, SF 49ERS DWIGHT CLARK MAKING " THE CATCH " 49ERS VS. DALLAS COWBOYS, 10 JAN82, 1981 NFC championship game in San Francisco. The play saw Joe Montana find Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game played at Candlestick. The Niners unveil The Catch statue outside of Levis Stadium in memory of Dwight Clark ? The Catch symbolized the end of the Cowboys' domination in the NFC since the conference's inception in 1970, and the beginning of the 49ers' rise as an NFL dynasty in the 1980s. But the lingering image quickly became The Catch, partly because of Storey's shot and another famous photo by Sports Illustrated's Walter Iooss Jr. (which ran on the magazine's cover). Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. "The San Francisco 49ers family has suffered a tremendous loss today with the passing of Dwight Clark," the team announced in a statement. The team retired his jersey in 1988. The 49ers defeated the New York Giants in the divisional round and then hosted the Cowboys in a rematch with much more on the linea berth in Super Bowl XVI. "Everybody says they were there," Storey said of The Catch. 10 teams that could have interest, and how much cash he could get. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Solomon caught a quick sprintout pass from Montana for an 8-yard score. New offseason, old question: What will 49ers do at quarterback? "[18], Clark died of the disease on June 4, 2018. Caught! The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Some people claimed that Montana was trying to throw the ball away, leaving time for a fourth down. Yikes. So, Montana had to improvise. Dallas responded with Danny White's 20-yard pass to Butch Johnson setting up a 44-yard field goal by Rafael Septin. 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. Despite occurring over 40 years ago, the game-winning touchdown play remains one of the most impressive NFL moves in the history of the sport. "At least I have a picture to prove it.". But don't throw it low, don't throw an interception. The Cowboys did have a last chance for victory. 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. In 2002, Clark resigned from the Browns and returned to his roots in North Carolina where he operated a real estate business. The drive began with an incomplete pass to Lenvil Elliot. 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. "[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]. The Philadelphia Eagles have promoted quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson to offensive coordinator and hired Sean Desai as defensive coordinator. The Cowboys fared no better as White was sacked twice on their next drive, once by Jim Stuckey and once by Lawrence Pillers, and the half ended soon after. Jan. 8, 2022 Updated: Jan. 8, 2022 6:04 p.m. 5. He later married Ashley Stone, whom he met during the summer of 1982. Thanks For Watching and bless uP !Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the copyright act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, scholarship, and research. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 17 matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. The ensuing extra point by kicker Ray Wersching gave the 49ers a 2827 lead. Dwight Clark leaves a Dallas defender in his dust after making. So you just kind of shake it off. "You can see from the picture that Dwight is much taller than the defensive back," Storey, now 56 , said recently. You get dinged and you go back in or you stay in.. Reddit . The NFL's 2023 Hall of Fame Game will feature the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, the Hall announced Tuesday. The image, forever frozen in the minds eye, is the ball in the late Dwight Clarks fingertips, as he stretches above Everson Walls, who can only reach futilely with his right arm. I may sit and think about that moment couple of times a year, and how awesome it was to be a part of that play and to be a part of the 49ers in the '80s. After retiring Dwight Clark remained a part of the 49ers organization working as an executive in the front office. "Theres all kinds of versions of how we had practiced it, where we practiced it, when -- everybody remembers it a little bit different," Clark told the 49ers website in 2013. That would be Renaldo Snipes, who in November 1981 gave Holmes a surprisingly tough bout in Pittsburgh, including, by one account, a perfectly timed overhand right (that) connected cleanly with Holmes chin and caused the champions legs to fold up like a defective lawn chair collapsing under an unsuspecting party guest.. Two weeks later, they beat Cincinnati to win their first Super Bowl title and launch an incomparable stretch of five championships in 14 seasons. While the 49ers had begun the 1970s winning three consecutive NFC West titles (19701972) and losing two NFC Championship Games (1970-1971 seasons) to the Cowboys, they had spent the remainder of the decade as a losing team. 1/10/1981 - This day in 1981 During the NFC Championship Game between The San Francisco 49ers and The Dallas Cowboys , with 58 seconds left in the game Dwight Clark makes the famous touchdown catch thrown from Joe Montana to give the Niners a 28-27 win and helping them advance to the superbowl . 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark delivers a go-ahead touchdown in the 1981 NFL Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, ranks No. Turk later joins David in watching the game. [21] He served as a team executive for the 49ers until 1998, when he resigned to become the first General Manager in the expansion era of the Cleveland Browns, after following Carmen Policy who would run the team under the ownership of Al Lerner. Clark played college football at Clemson University and was selected by the 49ers in the tenth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. The third option would be to roll to the right and throw it high enough where it goes out of bounds or Dwight can jump up and catch it. It was supposed to be a pass to Freddie Solomon, who scored on the play earlier in the game. With the ball in 49ers territory after a long pass to Drew Pearson, Danny White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled. "We extend our condolences and prayers to Dwight's wife, Kelly, his family, friends and fans, as we join together to mourn the death of one the most beloved figures in 49ers history. In 2018, he was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. "I thought it was too high," said the 6-3 Clark, "because I don't jump that well. Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark passed away Monday after his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He scored a pair of touchdowns. [8] Clark's catch was a popular photo location among Clemson Tigers fans during their 4416 win over Alabama in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship held at Levi's Stadium. The crowd erupted. The 1990s, however, saw a renewal of the Cowboys-49ers rivalry fueled by "The Catch" game. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Montana was was running out of room on the sideline. Today, I lost my little brother and one of my best friends. Clark's got a touchdown! And I was real tired. It's a touchdown for the 49ers! It came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard game-winning drive engineered by Montana. [11] Unheralded as a collegian playing alongside wide receiver Jerry Butler, Clark felt fortunate to get to the NFL.[12]. 5 overall spot is a 'rare opportunity.'. 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. He returned to the Examiner office, processed his film, scanned the negatives - and, yes, he had a clear and dramatic shot of Clark snatching the ball out of the air. Pearson would have scored had defensive back Eric Wright not made a one-handed horse-collar tackle. Although Pete Carroll seems to want QB Geno Smith back in 2023, the Seahawks HC said Tuesday that picking at the No. 49ers quarterback Joe Montana went on to gain a reputation for his last-minute heroics, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility. 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. He said he suspected numerous concussions during his playing days contributed to his disease. Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. Montana, looking looking throwing in the end zone. It wasn't a John Elway pass - that might have been somewhere in the bleachers, he threw so damn hard.". One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. After forcing a Dallas punt, Montana threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Clark to retake the lead, 1410. [7][8] Clark talked about how he was nervous playing quarterback in high school. This included a 45-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys earlier on in the year. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle shared his most memorable moments of the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. One of the most dramatic plays in NFL history took place 35 years ago. The sideline was crowded with people, as usual, but he found a desirable spot along one side of the north end zone - across the field from where Montana scrambled. Local San Francisco radio station KCBS also provided their own broadcast, as they did for all 49ers games, with Don Klein and Wayne Walker providing the play-by-play and color respectively. When Montana took the snap, the play, officially named in the 49ers playbook "Change Left Slot Sprint Right Option",[3] was intended to set up quick pass to Solomon; earlier in the game, Solomon had scored a touchdown on the same play. At 6ft 4in (1.93m), his first love was basketball, but he accepted a scholarship to play college football at Clemson University.[9][10]. [1], Montana started the drive with 89 yards to reach the end zone. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 2 on the "NFL 100 Greatest" ranking of the top 100 plays of all time. Clark had plans to play a round of golf and was headed out to play when he answered the phone. 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. The 49ers defeated the New York Giants in the divisional round and then went on to verse the Cowboys in a tense rematch with lots more on the line a link directly to the Superbowl XVI. [3][4] That play, one of the most famous in the history of the NFL, has been immortalized as "The Catch". The twin statues feature an airborne Clark leaping high into the air for a fingertip catch, just as he did for "The Catch" against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 10, 1982. He showed tremendous courage and dignity in his battle with ALS and we hope there will soon be a cure for this horrendous disease. The 49ers and Cowboys meet again this weekend in the NFL playoffs, and youll likely see and hear a lot about the iconic play. Dwight Clarks The Catch is now immortalized in the sporting world. It's like a championship fight, like Snipes knocking down Holmes. San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone to complete a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Montana, enabling the 49ers to defeat the Cowboys, 2827. Throughout the game, player momentum shifted equally between the two teams. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, Source: Purdy surgery delayed due to swelling, Answering key offseason questions for every NFL team: Intel on Tua, Lamar and the No. On Sunday, Clark celebrated his 60th birthday. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. [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. The Bengals, who were 6-10 in 1980 and beat them to the honor by about four hours, defeating San Diego Chargers, 27-7, in the AFC Championship. Clark finished the game with 8 catches for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. The first? NFL Network broke down why WR Brandon Aiyuk and LB Dre Greenlaw are under-the-radar players to watch for in the NFC Championship Game. Dwight will always carry a special place in our hearts and his legacy will live on as we continue to battle this terrible disease.". SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- For former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark, there's something about ringing in the new year that brings good fortune. Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn shared the story of how 49ers legend Joe Perry became the first Black NFL MVP. Though the ball looked like it was heading out of bounds, Clark made a successful leaping grab and tied the game. In 2005, a commercial for the Gatorade sports drink, known as "The Winning Formula", portrayed an alternate version of The Catch, in which the ball bounced out of Clark's fingertips. Clark died on Monday, aged 61. At Clemson, he wore #30, posting only 33 catches for 571 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 17.3-yard average (seventh in school history). "What I love about it the most is that it's connected me with 49ers fans for the rest of time," Clark said in 2013. Photo by John Storey/ San Francisco Examiner/Bancroft Library. A 22-year-old rookie free agent, Walls had led the NFL in interceptions that season with 11 a mark that went unmatched for 40 years until Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs did it this season. The argument could be made that Walls was an indispensable piece of a Cowboys defense that helped the team reach the NFC Championship that year. Clark was on the receiving end of the iconic game-winning touchdown -- memorialized as "The Catch" -- in the 1981 NFL Championship Game. Since Clark was lined up near Solomon, he was supposed to position himself to get in the way of Solomon's defender (known as a "pick" or "rub" play), and then release and head for the end zone on his own pattern, providing Montana with a second option.

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