On the first play from scrimmage, White hit Drew Pearson for a 31-yard reception, bringing the Cowboys over the midfield line and leaving them only 10 to 15 yards to reach field goal range. Dwight's personality and his sense of humor endeared him to everyone he came into contact with, even during his most trying times. With less than one minute left in the game and facing the 6-yard line belonging to Dallas, Montana fired to Freddie Solomon who had scored on the same play earlier on in the game. Following this workout, Walsh selected Clark for the 49ers' first pick of the tenth round (249th overall pick) in the NFL draft of 1979. 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. To his credit, when he did catch the ball, he made it count and averaged 18.8 yards per catch. When the football gods decided to bestow everlasting glory on an athlete with a random moment of triumph, they picked the right guy in . Holmes survived the knockdown, as would the Niners against the Cowboys. [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. Two weeks later, they beat Cincinnati to win their first Super Bowl title and launch an incomparable stretch of five championships in 14 seasons. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. The play saw Joe Montana find Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game played at Candlestick. Earlier in that game, Solomon had scored on a similar play. Jets general manager Joe Douglas confirmed that Derek Carr will meet with the team a second time during the combine, but New York plans to look at every available option in the veteran quarterback market. 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. New general manager Ran Carthon pushed back against this notion Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 49ers and Cowboys meet again this weekend in the NFL playoffs, and youll likely see and hear a lot about the iconic play. [16] Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman named Clark his Player of the Year for 1982. [1], Montana started the drive with 89 yards to reach the end zone. 2 on the "NFL 100 Greatest" ranking of the top . Storey's photo filled nearly the entire front page of the next day's Examiner, accompanied by the headline, "Super!" The Buccaneers are planning to release RB Leonard Fournette when the new league year begins on March 15, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger explained what he loved about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's first NFL start and how the offense gelled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I would have been happy to be 8-8, team president Ed DeBartolo Jr. said on the eve of the NFC title game against the Cowboys. Wrote Gergen in The Sporting News: Solomon broke for the flag but was covered. Clark spiked the ball. [33] "I've been asked if playing football caused this," Clark wrote. Vin Scullys call, his last on footballfor CBS: "Of course for the upstart 49ers they are 6 yards from (the Super Bowl in) Pontiac (Mich.) Third and three. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Clark caught it! At Clemson, he wore #30, posting only 33 catches for 571 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 17.3-yard average (seventh in school history). The 49ers coach, Bill Walsh, assumed that it was a throw-away play and immediately began planning for the fourth down until he heard the cheers from the crowd. Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, American football player and executive (1957-2018). The play that afforded Watson the chance to throw or run for the score and sprung Renfrow with the pick/rub play had a striking resemblance to the play in which Montana found Clark. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Apr 14, 2015. Reddit . He left in 1998 to become the general manager of the expansion era Cleveland Browns. "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. "At least I have a picture to prove it.". Though the ball looked like it was heading out of bounds, Clark made a successful leaping grab and tied the game. This is championship football. With Brock Purdy and Trey Lance coming off injuries, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn't rule out adding a veteran signal-caller this offseason. I cannot put into words how special Dwight was to me and to everyone his life touched. Storey got $100 in a bonus from the paper. Returning from the stoppage, Solomon gained 14 yards on a wide receiver reverse play to bring the ball over midfield into Cowboys territory at the 35-yard line. Tuesday marks the 30th anniversary of the most famous single moment in Bay Area sports history. In his senior season in 1978, the Tigers were 111, won the Gator Bowl over Ohio State, and finished sixth in the final AP poll. 1 college football recruit. At 6ft 4in (1.93m), his first love was basketball, but he accepted a scholarship to play college football at Clemson University.[9][10]. He was Executive Vice President and Director of Football Operations from 1999 to 2001. Montana lines up at the five and on third down and three he rolls right, looking to throw looking to throw and he throws into the end zone Touchdown! [24] He would later return to North Carolina to run his real estate business. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. It came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard game-winning drive engineered by Montana. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The team retired his jersey in 1988. [17], In the 1981 NFC Championship game, on January 10, 1982, against the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers trailed 2721 with 58 seconds to play. 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. In the game, momentum shifted back and forth between the two teams. But Snipes? In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". With 58 seconds left in the game, the 49ers faced 3rd down and 3 yards to gain on the Cowboys' 6-yard line. 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. One of the most dramatic plays in NFL history took place 35 years ago. In 2018, he was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. 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Pearson would have scored had defensive back Eric Wright not made a one-handed horse-collar tackle. 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. And now we come to a catch that truly changed the game of football forever. Following the Gatorade logo, the real version was shown with Dwight Clark's completion. In the October 16, 2001 episode "My Old Lady" of the American television sitcom/medical drama Scrubs, when a dying patient David asks if anyone has ever heard of The Catch, Turk comes in and says, "Niners-Cowboys, Joe Montana to Dwight Clark deep in the end-zone, zero time left. Nine and a half yards deep in the end zone! In 2002, the NFL ran a series of advertisements promoting the playoffs, using famous plays as a uniting theme. Just before being chased out of bounds, and after a pump-fake caused the 6-foot 9-inch Ed 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 in the back right corner of the end zone to tie the game with 51 seconds left. He rolled right, pump-faked, then threw a high pass to the rear of the end zone. The Catch was the reason for a resurgence in visitors to the city after a tough couple of years caused by lots of negative press coverage. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. [11] Unheralded as a collegian playing alongside wide receiver Jerry Butler, Clark felt fortunate to get to the NFL.[12]. The 49ers went on to dominate the NFL throughout the remainder of the 1980s, winning four titles within the decade. 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. Former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and current Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was named the AP Assistant Coach of the Year award. Your email address will not be published. In 1988, he was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame. Clark's leap and fingertip grab remains one of the most famous plays in NFL history for not only its degree of difficulty, but also for how clutch it was in a big moment. He retired after the 1987 season. How did he die?. Elliot then set up a third-and-four with a six-yard run. The Catch is listed as #17. In retirement, Clark expressed remorse about the end of Candlestick Park, saying that "It was a dump [but] it was our dump, so we could talk bad about it, but we didn't want anybody else to talk bad about it. When Walsh called to arrange a workout for Fuller, Clark happened to answer the phone. Clark, while discussing The Catch in America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions documentary about the 1981 49ers, said: It's humbling, really. George Rose/Getty Images. Overseeing the entire operation was Hall of Fame owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who released his own statement on Clark's passing: "My heart is broken. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:31. Their record improved, as did Montana and Clark, in 1980, going 6-10. The Catch was the game-winning touchdown reception in the 1981 NFC Championship Game played between the Dallas Cowboys and the eventual Super Bowl XVI champion San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park on January 10, 1982, as part of the 1981-82 NFL playoffs. According to Clark, Jones reacted to the play by stating "You just beat America's Team" to Montana after the pass was caught, to which Montana replied, "Well, you can sit at home with the rest of America and watch the Super Bowl."[6]. Bill Walsh, the new 49ers coach, visited Clemson in 1979 to take a close look at Clarks roommate Steve Fuller. He was responsible for one of the most iconic plays in NFL history that began our run of Super Bowl championships, but to me, he will always be an extension of my family. 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. I don't know how I caught the ball. "Everybody says they were there," Storey said of The Catch. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw joined 'NFL Now' ahead of the 49ers Divisional Round game vs. the Dallas Cowboys to preview the playoff matchup. He said he suspected numerous concussions during his playing days contributed to his disease. He was 61. Clark had plans to play a round of golf and was headed out to play when he answered the phone. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Storey suspected he had a good shot of The Catch, but he didn't know with certainty for several hours. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. An offside penalty against the Cowboys on the next play gave Montana a fresh set of downs to work with, and Montana completed a 5-yard pass to Earl Cooper just before the 2-minute warning. All stats courtesy ofPro Football Reference. To honor his contribution to 49ers, the club retired his #87 in 1988. Kelly Clark. Extra Mustard. Caught by (Dwight) Clark! Lined up in the slot on the right side in the first quarter, 49ers receiver Freddie Solomon took off for the flag as Clark, lined up wide right, curled inside. After suffering through several losses early on in the 1981 season, the Montana-led 49ers cruised straight into the playoffs with an impressive record. I didn't want to take a loss in that situation. In 2017, Clark shocked the sports world when he announced that he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs Disease or ALS. Thirty years later, John Storey remains grateful it was Joe Montana scrambling to his right on that memorable January 1982 day. Despite having quite an unmemorable rookie season and catching only 18 passes, Clark managed to make his mark with his team. [37] Clark had a close friendship with former 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr.[2] DeBartolo sent Clark to Japan in 2017 to bring back a three-month supply of the drug Radicava before it became available in the United States. Watch Nick Bosa's performance at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. [3][4] That play, one of the most famous in the history of the NFL, has been immortalized as "The Catch". The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark died on Monday after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This dramatic win was the crown jewel of a memorable postseason in the NFL. Dwight Clarks The Catch is now immortalized in the sporting world. E-mail Ron Kroichick at rkroichick@sfchronicle.com. He scored a pair of touchdowns. Caught! San Francisco 49ers third round draft selection BYU linebacker Fred Warner goes through drills at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. Tag Lamar Jackson? So, Montana had to improvise. Storey quickly whirled to follow the pass - he didn't change cameras, given the distance - and snapped away as the ball settled into Clark's hands. One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. The play kicked off an . [7][8] Clark talked about how he was nervous playing quarterback in high school. Dwight Clark. In 2002, Clark resigned from the Browns and returned to his roots in North Carolina where he operated a real estate business. In the Sports Illustrated article, Montana explained that he never saw The Catch, since he had just been knocked to the ground by Jones, but "I saw Dwight's feet touch the ground. It wasn't a John Elway pass - that might have been somewhere in the bleachers, he threw so damn hard.". THIS CHANNEL IS NOT MONETIZED , FOR ENTERTAINMENT , PROMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY !!! And, in fact, it was the Cowboys who made the final, fatal mistake. [23] In the 2018 NFL Films' "Dwight Clark: A Football Life", he was quoted as saying that it was probably a mistake to have accepted the position. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. [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. Walsh invited the receiver to come along and catch passes for his roommate. "The way I remember it is, we had practiced it during practice maybe once, and then Bill [Walsh] kept Joe and I after practice during training camp, and he said, "This is what were going to do; were going to try to pick the defender thats covering Freddie, hit him, touchdown. However, Solomon slipped while running his route, thus ruining the timing of the play, as Clark was no longer in position to impede Solomon's defender. He joined Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in 2011 as an analyst for 49ers Postgame Live. This is because Clark was never a featured receiver at Clemson. I'll be at an autograph thing, there'll be a 10-year old kid saying, "You're The Catch. 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