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(Top) 1 Offseason 1.1 NFL draft 2 Personnel 2.1 Staff 2.2 Roster 3 Preseason 4 Regular season 4.1 Schedule 4.2 Game summaries 4.2.1 Week 8: vs. Atlanta Falcons 4.2.2 Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4.3 Standings 5 References 6 External links

1979 San Francisco 49ers season

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1979 San Francisco 49ers season
Owner	Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr.
General manager	Bill Walsh
Head coach	Bill Walsh
Defensive coordinator	Chuck Studley
Home field	Candlestick Park
Results
Record	2–14
Division place	4th NFC West
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	none
← 1978 49ers seasons 1980 →

The 1979 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 30th season in the National Football League and their 34th overall. The season is noted as running back O. J. Simpson's final year, quarterback Joe Montana's rookie season, and Bill Walsh's first year as head coach.

The 1979 49ers remain the only team in NFL history to lose twelve games in which they held a lead.^[1]

They are also the first team in NFL history to attempt 600 or more passes, attempting 602.

Offseason

[edit]

NFL draft

[edit]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1979 San Francisco 49ers draft
2	29	James Owens	Running back	UCLA
3	82	Joe Montana * ^†	Quarterback	Notre Dame
5	111	Tom Seabron	Linebacker	Michigan
5	119	Jerry Aldridge	Running back	Angelo State
6	138	Ruben Vaughan	Defensive tackle	Colorado
7	166	Phil Francis	Running back	Stanford
9	221	Steve Hamilton	Defensive tackle	Missouri
10	249	Dwight Clark *	Wide receiver	Clemson
10	252	Howard Ballage	Defensive back	Colorado
11	276	Billy McBride	Defensive back	Tennessee State
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[2]

Personnel

[edit]

Staff

[edit]

**1979 San Francisco 49ers staff**
	Front office Owner and president – Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. General manager – Bill Walsh Director of player personnel – John McVay Head coaches Head coach – Bill Walsh Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Sam Wyche Running Backs – Billie Matthews Receivers – Dennis Green Offensive Line – Bobb McKittrick Administrative Assistant/Offensive Line – Mike White			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Chuck Studley Linebackers – Bill McPherson Defensive Backs – Norb Hecker Special teams coaches Special Teams – Dennis Green Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Al Vermeil

Roster

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**1979 San Francisco 49ers roster**

	Quarterbacks 17 Steve DeBerg 16 Joe Montana Running backs 35 Lenvil Elliott 34 Phil Francis 38 Bob FerrellFB 36 Paul Hofer 32 O. J. Simpson Wide receivers 87 Dwight Clark 20 James Owens 84 Mike Shumann 88 Freddie Solomon Tight ends 82 Bob Bruer 81 Ken MacAfee 80 Eason Ramson 85 Paul Seal		Offensive linemen 68 John AyersG 77 Jean BarrettT 51 Randy CrossG 62 Walt DowningG 71 Keith FahnhorstT 56 Fred QuillanC 67 Ron SingletonT Defensive linemen 76 Dwaine BoardDE 79 Al CowlingsDT 86 Cedrick HardmanDE 78 Archie ReeseDE 74 Jimmy WebbDT 72 Ruben VaughanDT 66 Ted VincentDT		Linebackers 57 Dan Bunz MLB 58 Gordy Ceresino 55 Scott Hilton OLB 59 Willie Harper OLB 54 Bob Martin OLB 50 Dave Morton 53 Tom Seabron OLB 50 Ron Shumon MLB Defensive backs 29 John Bristor 28 Charles CorneliusCB 27 Tony DungyS 30 Tim GraySS 22 Dwight HicksCB 44 Charles JohnsonCB 29 Gerald Williams CB Special teams 11 Dan MelvilleP 14 Ray WerschingK		Reserve lists 47 Jerry AldridgeRB(IRTooltip Injured reserve) 52 Mike Baldassin OLB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 65 Ernie HughesG(IRTooltip Injured reserve) 24 Eric JohnsonS(IRTooltip Injured reserve) 60 Steve Knutson G/T (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Johnny MillerG(IRTooltip Injured reserve) 46 Melvin MorganCB(IRTooltip Injured reserve) 66 Bob Nelson MLB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Pete WoodsQB(IRTooltip Injured reserve) Practice squad Rookies in italics

Preseason

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Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	August 4	San Diego Chargers	W 13–10	1–0	Candlestick Park	32,275
2	August 11	atOakland Raiders	L 10–41	1–1	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum	53,503
3	August 19	Denver Broncos	L 0–21	1–2	Candlestick Park	34,133
4	August 24	atSeattle Seahawks	L 20–55	1–3	Kingdome	59,941

^[3]

Regular season

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Schedule

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Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 2	atMinnesota Vikings	L 22–28	0–1	Metropolitan Stadium	46,539
2	September 9	Dallas Cowboys	L 13–21	0–2	Candlestick Park	56,728
3	September 16	atLos Angeles Rams	L 24–27	0–3	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	44,303
4	September 23	New Orleans Saints	L 21–30	0–4	Candlestick Park	39,727
5	September 30	atSan Diego Chargers	L 9–31	0–5	San Diego Stadium	50,893
6	October 7	Seattle Seahawks	L 24–35	0–6	Candlestick Park	44,592
7	October 14	atNew York Giants	L 16–32	0–7	Giants Stadium	70,352
8	October 21	Atlanta Falcons	W 20–15	1–7	Candlestick Park	33,952
9	October 28	Chicago Bears	L 27–28	1–8	Candlestick Park	42,773
10	November 4	atOakland Raiders	L 10–23	1–9	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum	52,764
11	November 11	atNew Orleans Saints	L 20–31	1–10	Louisiana Superdome	65,551
12	November 18	Denver Broncos	L 28–38	1–11	Candlestick Park	42,910
13	November 25	Los Angeles Rams	L 20–26	1–12	Candlestick Park	49,282
14	December 2	atSt. Louis Cardinals	L 10–13	1–13	Busch Memorial Stadium	41,593
15	December 9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 23–7	2–13	Candlestick Park	44,506
16	December 16	atAtlanta Falcons	L 21–31	2–14	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium	37,211
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

[edit]

Week 8: vs. Atlanta Falcons

[edit]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	0	9	0	6	15
• 49ers	7	0	7	6	20

Date: October 21
Location: Candlestick Park
Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: 57 °F or 13.9 °C; wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and Paul Hornung

Scoring summary

Q1	SF	Solomon 56 yard run (Wersching kick)	SF 7–0

Q2	ATL	Mazzetti 23 yard field goal	SF 7–3

Q2	ATL	Jenkins 7 yard pass from Bartkowski (kick failed)	ATL 9–7

Q3	SF	Hofer 2 yard run (Wersching kick)	SF 14–9

Q4	ATL	Lawrence 41 yard blocked punt return (kick failed)	ATL 15–14

Q4	SF	Hofer 3 yard run (kick failed)	SF 20–15

^[4]

Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Week Fifteen: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9–5) at San Francisco 49ers (1–13)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Buccaneers	0	7	0	0	7
49ers	10	3	0	10	23

atCandlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Date: December 9, 1979
Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C)
Game attendance: 44,506
Box Score

Game information

First quarter

SF – Mike Shumann 19-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 7–0.
SF – Ray Wersching 39-yard field goal. 49ers 10–0.

Second quarter

TB – Jimmie Giles 19-yard pass from Doug Williams (Neil O'Donoghue kick). 49ers 10–7.
SF – Ray Wersching 27-yard field goal. 49ers 13–7.

Third quarter

No scoring

Fourth quarter

SF – Lenvil Elliott 1-yard run (Ray Wersching kick). 49ers 20–7.
SF – Ray Wersching 45-yard field goal. 49ers 27–7.

Top passers

TB – Doug Williams – 10/24, 167 yards, TD, 5 INT
SF – Steve DeBerg – 22/30, 186 yards, TD

Top rushers

TB – Ricky Bell – 10 rushes, 36 yards
SF – Wilbur Jackson – 10 rushes, 35 yards

Top receivers

TB – Isaac Hagins – 3 receptions, 90 yards
SF – Mike Shumann – 4 receptions, 61 yards, TD

49ers' players carried Bill Walsh off the field and fans tore down the goal posts.

Standings

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NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Los Angeles Rams⁽³⁾	9	7	0	.563	5–1	7–5	323	309	L1
New Orleans Saints	8	8	0	.500	4–2	8–4	370	360	W1
Atlanta Falcons	6	10	0	.375	2–4	5–7	300	388	W1
San Francisco 49ers	2	14	0	.125	1–5	2–10	308	416	L1

References

[edit]

^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the NFL, in the regular season, team lost game, team had a lead at some point in the game, sorted by most games in season matching criteria.

^ "1979 San Francisco 49ers Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2018.

^ "1979 San Francisco 49ers (NFL)". Retrieved November 2, 2023.

^ "Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers - October 21st, 1979". Pro-Football-Reference.com.

External links

[edit]

1979 San Francisco 49ersatPro-Football-Reference.com

v t e San Francisco 49ers
Founded in 1946 Based and headquartered in Santa Clara, California
Franchise	Franchise Team history Coaches Players Seasons Logo and uniform history Starting quarterbacks Draft history (First-round draft picks) Broadcasters Retired numbers
Stadiums	Kezar Stadium Candlestick Park Levi's Stadium State Farm Stadium Three games played due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Culture	49er Faithful Sourdough Sam San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush West Coast offense The Pigskin Priest KGO KNBR
Lore	The Catch (II) Joe Cool Million Dollar Backfield Snowball Game No Punt Game Fútbol Americano Harbaugh Bowl The Tip Jet Chip Wasp
Rivalries	Arizona Cardinals Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers Oakland Raiders (former) Los Angeles Rams New York Giants Seattle Seahawks
Key figures	Eddie DeBartolo Denise DeBartolo York Jed York John York Gideon Yu
Division championships (22)	1970 1971 1972 1981 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 2002 2011 2012 2019 2022 2023
Conference championships (8)	1981 1984 1988 1989 1994 2012 2019 2023
League championships (5)	1981 (XVI) 1984 (XIX) 1988 (XXIII) 1989 (XXIV) 1994 (XXIX)
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League (1950–present) Conference: National Football Conference Division: West Division
Former league affiliation	All-America Football Conference (1946–1949)

1979 NFL season

East	Central	West	East	Central	West
Baltimore	Cincinnati	Denver	Dallas	Chicago	Atlanta
Buffalo	Cleveland	Kansas City	NY Giants	Detroit	Los Angeles
Miami	Houston	Oakland	Philadelphia	Green Bay	New Orleans
New England	Pittsburgh	San Diego	St. Louis	Minnesota	San Francisco
NY Jets		Seattle	Washington	Tampa Bay

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