That play, called simply "sprint right option," differed from the Clemson touchdown only in how it finished, but not in how it was designed. Montana threw the ball to a location where only Clark could reach it; if he missed the catch it would have sailed harmlessly out of bounds. Scott Ostler. CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 100 Dwight Clark The Catch Premium High Res Photos Browse 100 dwight clark the catch stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Clark had been Joe Montana's running mate, and he was himself a legend to football fans, but the prospect of meeting Mays turned Dwight into a hero-worshiping kid. Montana was flushed from the pocket, and as he faded backward and was hit, he lofted a high pass to Clark in hopes he could come down with it. In the entire franchise history of the NFL, only Dwight Clarks reception is commonly referred to as The Catch.. After nine seasons with the 49ers, Clark retired following the 1987 season. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Kroichick writes features on the Warriors during the NBA season, and various other topics - ranging from the 49ers/NFL and major-league baseball to college football and basketball - the rest of the year. "The San Francisco 49ers family has suffered a tremendous loss today with the passing of Dwight Clark," the team announced in a statement. Walsh invited the receiver to come along and catch passes for his roommate. Dallas responded with Danny White's 20-yard pass to Butch Johnson setting up a 44-yard field goal by Rafael Septin. In the Niners' version, Montana's first read was supposed to be receiver Freddie Solomon, who was supposed to shake loose via pick, just as Renfrow did. Extra Mustard. 'Zero visibility' conditions: All roads to Tahoe are closed, Horoscope for Wednesday, 3/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, My meal at this landmark SF spot was too expensive to be so bad, One of the largest movie theaters in SF to close permanently, Report: Matthew McConaughey has a massive Salesforce paycheck, 'Really cool sight': Rare waterspout forms in Northern California, Man shot dead near San Francisco Ferry Building, A different horse': Bay Area will likely continue to see rain, 'Lady in the fridge' murder victim ID'd as Bay Area mother of 3, 'Life threatening': Tahoe braces for massive blizzard, Snow shuts down over 70 miles of I-80 in Northern California, These East Bay gems are a haven for music lovers, How to score cheap flights (and mistake fares) in 2023. The drive began with an incomplete pass to Lenvil Elliot. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. You get dinged and you go back in or you stay in.. The 350-pound statues of Dwight Clark and Joe Montana will be placed exactly 23 yards apart, just as the two 49ers were during the famous play. Clark was on the receiving end of the iconic game-winning touchdown -- memorialized as "The Catch" -- in the 1981 NFL Championship Game. 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. That allowed the newspaper to fill its front page with the image of Clark reaching for the heavens to catch Montana's pass. In the second quarter, San Francisco reached the Cowboys' 27-yard line, only to lose the ball when Everson Walls intercepted a pass from Montana in the end zone. 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 play saw Joe Montana find Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game played at Candlestick. The San Francisco 49ers lined up in a split backs formation, with Joe Montana under center. I am honored to be able to be a part of a play that was kind of the culmination of just this incredible surprise season. In 2002, the NFL ran a series of advertisements promoting the playoffs, using famous plays as a uniting theme. With Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts facing off in the NFC Championship this weekend, relive their 2019 high-scoring Big 12 clash as Iowa State took on Oklahoma. One of the most dramatic plays in NFL history took place 35 years ago. He rolled right, pump-faked, then threw a high pass to the rear of the end zone. 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. With 58 seconds left in the game, the 49ers faced 3rd down and 3 yards to gain on the Cowboys' 6-yard line. Another quarterback might not have artfully lobbed his pass high into the end zone the way Montana did. Initially serving Cajun food, it later switched to prime rib and seafood. Four plays later, White passed 21 yards to tight end Doug Cosbie for a touchdown and a 27-21 Cowboys lead in the fourth quarter. Following his workout, the 49ers selected Clark with the first pick of the tenth round, or 249th overall pick, in the 1979 NFL draft. Touchdown! On Sunday, Clark celebrated his 60th birthday. It's an extraordinary, enduring image - and, as Storey pointed out, it conveys Montana's touch as much as Clark's leaping ability. Clark caught it! Clark played his entire nine-year career with the 49ers and earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 1982. All stats courtesy ofPro Football Reference. Clark died on Monday, aged 61. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! The Catch: How one of the most iconic plays in NFL history tied Dwight Clark and Everson Walls together forever ORG XMIT: [NS_9Clark's Catch ] Headline: Caption: 1-9-95--- Dwight Clarks's catch in . The Cowboys had Solomon covered. Video: FoxM9NJ In a touching tribute. On June 4, 2018, Dwight Clark died from the disease. Although Pete Carroll seems to want QB Geno Smith back in 2023, the Seahawks HC said Tuesday that picking at the No. The rest is history, as Montana-to-Clark became one of the greatest connections in NFL lore. Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn shared the story of how 49ers legend Joe Perry became the first Black NFL MVP. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch." Dwight Clark's catch beat the Cowboys and remains one of the iconic moments in NFL . [18] Clark finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". Walls and free safety Michael Downs were nearby. 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. Wrote Gergen in The Sporting News: Solomon broke for the flag but was covered. This is a carousel. 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. -- The game will be highlighted by the unveiling of statues depicting "The Catch" outside of Levi's Stadium. In 1988, he was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame. [19] During the 1981 season, Walsh had Montana practice that part of the play back in training camp. He joined Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in 2011 as an analyst for 49ers Postgame Live. The legendary moment that changed the 49ers and San Francisco sports' fortunes forever. 1 college football recruit. In 2002, Clark resigned from the Browns and returned to his roots in North Carolina where he operated a real estate business. Clark spent the entirety of his nine-year career with the 49ers, ranking third and fourth in franchise history in receiving yards (6,750) and receptions (506), respectively. [5] He served as the general manager of the 49ers from 1995 to 1998 and in the same capacity with the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2001. It was just a great life. Former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and current Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was named the AP Assistant Coach of the Year award. They might not have finished the job without big plays from Eric Wright (game-saving tackle), Lawrence Pillers (forced fumble) and Jim Stuckey (fumble recovery) on Dallas' last-chance drive. 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. Photographer John Storey visits Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, where he captured the iconic image of Dwight Clark's famous touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys 30 years ago which earned the 49ers its first Super Bowl appearance in 1982. However, Solomon, as Montanas intended receiver, was covered by the Cowboys. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Wild Card matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks. [1], Montana started the drive with 89 yards to reach the end zone. I heard the crowd scream." 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. 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. After the workout finished, Walsh was impressed with Clarks ability. Clark then retired after the 1987 season finished, and in 1988, the 49ers eventually retired his jersey. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. Jan. 8, 2022 Updated: Jan. 8, 2022 6:04 p.m. 5. Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. [17], In the 1981 NFC Championship game, on January 10, 1982, against the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers trailed 2721 with 58 seconds to play. "I thought it was too high," said the 6-3 Clark, "because I don't jump that well. Throughout the game, player momentum shifted equally between the two teams. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. The 49ers went on to dominate the NFL throughout the remainder of the 1980s, winning four titles within the decade. Holmes survived the knockdown, as would the Niners against the Cowboys. Thirty years later, John Storey remains grateful it was Joe Montana scrambling to his right on that memorable January 1982 day. And now we come to a catch that truly changed the game of football forever. Clark, while discussing The Catch in America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions documentary about the 1981 49ers, said: It's humbling, really. 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. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:31. This dramatic win was the crown jewel of a memorable postseason in the NFL. 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. The crowd erupted. In a game where the lead shifted back and forth repeatedly, the 49ers took over the ball at their own 11-yard line . He's also The Chronicle's golf columnist, covering the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and all major championships in Northern California. I just dont think I would change anything.? That's the camera he used to track Montana as he drifted toward the opposite sideline, evaded the pass rush and eventually floated the ball toward the back of the end zone. "Back then, you didn't know (at first) if it was sharp.". He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother and a great friend and teammate. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Sports enterprise reporter Ron Kroichick has worked at The San Francisco Chronicle since 1995, when he came from The Sacramento Bee. diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). "Everybody says they were there," Storey said of The Catch. (Original Caption) San Francisco 49ers Dwight Clark (87, WR), goes up in the air in the end zone for the game-tying touchdown pass from Qb Joe Montana to set up the PAT which beat the Dallas . San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle shared his most memorable moments of the 2023 Pro Bowl Games. The statue features two life-size figures, Montana with his arms in the air celebrating the touchdown and, 23 yards away, Clark leaping to make The Catch. But Snipes? And high, as the play was intended. One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. Although it didn't play out exactly how "The Catch" did, it was just another sweet victory in early January for Clark. The strength, perseverance and grace with which he battled ALS will long serve as an inspiration to so many. In the second quarter, Clark managed to catch a 20-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana that provided the 49ers with a slight 14-10 lead. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. After suffering through several losses early on in the 1981 season, the Montana-led 49ers cruised straight into the playoffs with an impressive record. San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. The Catch is widely regarded as one of the greatest plays in National Football League (NFL) history. Jim Stuckey recovered for the 49ers and the rest is history. "[18], Clark died of the disease on June 4, 2018. As for the height of the catch, Montana has said that he didn't feel that he threw the ball very high. "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. 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. Some people claimed that Montana was trying to throw the ball away, leaving time for a fourth down. At 6ft 4in (1.93m), his first love was basketball, but he accepted a scholarship to play college football at Clemson University.[9][10]. 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. Dwight Clark leaves a Dallas defender in his dust after making. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. I am thankful for all of Dwights friends, teammates and 49ers fans who have sent their love during his battle with ALS. He had two cameras, one with a 400-millimeter lens for capturing action at a distance. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Clark played for the 49ers throughout his nine-year career. Kelly Clark. [30] He had three children with Stone: a daughter, Casey, and two sons, Riley and Mac. 2 on the "NFL 100 Greatest" ranking of the top 100 plays of all time. Late in the fourth quarter with the game in the balance and the 49ers trailing 27-21, Montana guided San Francisco down the field. Three of the Cowboys' defenders, defensive ends Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Larry Bethea and linebacker D. D. Lewis, chased a backpedalling Montana toward the sideline, and seemed certain to either send him out of bounds or sack him. : The powerful #AFootballLife: Dwight Clark premiers TOMORROW (8pm ET) pic.twitter.com/HzycErFAgE. 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. Clark played college football at Clemson University and was selected by the 49ers in the tenth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. The team retired his jersey in 1988. 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. Clark's career and 'The Catch' "I will always remember Dwight the way he was -- larger than life, handsome, charismatic and the one who could pull off wearing a fur coat at our Super Bowl parade. Dwight Clark celebrates 35th anniversary of 'The Catch' with Clemson national title, Predicting the 2023 starting QB for all 32 NFL teams, from the locks to the wild cards, 49ers All-Pro Nick Bosa will 'break the entire bank,' but it might take time, A new home for Michael Thomas? 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Im heartbroken to tell you that today I lost my best friend and husband. Having taken the lead on Clarks catch and the PAT, the 49ers saw their defense snuffout a potential miracle Cowboys finish when Lawrence Pillers sacked Dallas QB Danny White, causing a fumble recovered by the Niners Jim Stuckey. That era-defining play shifted the balance of power in the NFC, ending the hegemony of the 1970s Cowboys and launching the 49ers' dynasty of the 1980s. But just then I saw Dwight getting away from the coverage.". It wasn't a John Elway pass - that might have been somewhere in the bleachers, he threw so damn hard.". Dwight Clark, the receiver with movie-star looks and charisma whose iconic catch launched a San Francisco 49ers NFL dynasty, died Monday, less than two years after revealing he had. [20], Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:20, National Football League Players Association, "49er great Dwight Clark receiver who made The Catch dies at 61", "Dwight Clark, San Francisco 49ers receiver who made 'The Catch,' dies at 61", "One of Charlotte's greatest pro athletes has died", "Dwight Clark, 49ers receiver of The Catch, dead at 61", "Former Clemson great Dwight Clark passes", "Dwight Clark of Clemson football, 49ers fame dies from ALS", "Dwight Clark, 61, Dies; Made a Touchdown Catch for the Ages", "Illness robbed us of Dwight Clark, but not of his spirit", "49ers flashback: 1979 team was dreadful despite Walsh, Montana, O.J. Third and three. We won't call this on fourth down. 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! But how did it occur? Plus, back then, that was just football. At Clemson, he wore #30, posting only 33 catches for 571 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 17.3-yard average (seventh in school history). With the ball in 49ers territory after a long pass to Drew Pearson, Danny White was sacked by Lawrence Pillers and fumbled. After his initial move, Clark's pattern called for him to cut diagonally left across the end zone, stop, and immediately reverse his path, running right along the back boundary of the end zone. Being fairly tall himself, at 6-foot 4-inches (193 cm) tall, Clark was able to use all of his length to jump and grab the ball with the tips of his fingers completing one of the most memorable plays in NFL history. 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. Dwight Clarks The Catch is now immortalized in the sporting world. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. He was second on the team with 11 receptions for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a career-high 68-yard touchdown catch against the University of Maryland that helped the Tigers win the ACC Championship. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. [16] Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman named Clark his Player of the Year for 1982. Bob Hille is a senior content consultant for The Sporting News. I cannot put into words how special Dwight was to me and to everyone his life touched. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. He passed peacefully surrounded by many of the people he loved most. He retired after the 1987 season. 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. 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. Advertisement. "I didn't realize at the time that people would keep talking about it. Montana confirmed that he could not see the end zone through the defenders, but claims that he knew exactly where Clark would be. He also earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1982 and won an additional Super Bowl in 1984. [32] He stated that he believed he developed ALS as a result of playing football; he suffered three concussions during his playing career. 4 Share 165 views 1 year ago 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. 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). "That was Joe's genius, to throw it up there. It came at the end of a 14-play, 83-yard game-winning drive engineered by Montana. Required fields are marked *. Thats because Clark was never a featured receiver at Clemson. On second-and-ten, Elliot ran the ball for six yards, to the Dallas six yard line, setting up a third and four for the 49ers, with a possible first down to be made at the 2-yard line and the ball spotted between the hashmarks as the team called their second timeout.[2]. In 2018, he was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. Today, I lost my little brother and one of my best friends. Dwight Clark catches the ball! ", "More importantly," Silver recalled, "Clark taught me that a man could live out a remarkable dream, emerge as a beloved icon for one of America's most storied cities, receive the spoils that come with such a regal role -- and never, ever act as though he were owed a morsel of it.". His wife . 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.. 49ers legend Joe Montana joined "NFL Total Access" to discuss theteam's Week 14 matchup against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams (XVI and XIX). Nine and a half yards deep in the end zone! [11], On March 19, 2017, Clark announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. [34][35] At the time of his death, Clark lived in Whitefish, Montana, with his wife Kelly. Of all the impressive receptions ever made in the 100 years of the NFL, only Clarks reception from Joe Montana is called The Catch.He played his entire career for the San Francisco 49ers before retiring after the 1987 season. One is The Catch, which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. Tag Lamar Jackson? Ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers unveiled statues depicting "The Catch" -- Dwight Clark's iconic game-winning touchdown in the 1981 NFL. That well sports Illustrated Writer Paul Zimmerman named Clark his player of the greatest connections NFL... The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site in NFL lore,. Advertisements promoting the playoffs with an impressive record Northern California NFL throughout the game, the 49ers retired. Rear of the play saw Joe Montana under center threw a high pass to Drew Pearson, Danny was! During his battle with ALS had Montana practice that part of the catch, & quot which... 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