The Three Worst Seasons of the San Francisco 49ers Should Cheer Up Their Fans

When will the San Francisco 49ers strike gold again? After capturing five Super Bowl championships (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994), the 49ers have been striving to return to the "big show" again. Since their last NFL title, they have earned spots in the playoffs, during seven seasons. That has included three division titles and two NFC championship games. If you are disheartened about the 49ers current performance, remember that the situation must get worse before it gets better. Here are the 49ers' worst NFL seasons:

1978-1979 (2-14 record)

The season started with promise, but ended in a waterloo. Prior to the start of the season, the San Francisco 49ers had made some major trades. In particular, they had traded some of their draft picks, to acquire O.J. Simpson, star Running Back from the Buffalo Bills. During the 1973-1974 season, Simpson had earned an NFL record of 2,000 rushing yards. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury caused him to miss the majority of the season and to earn a meager 593 yards. Quarterback Steve De Berg compounded the problem, tossing nearly three interceptions for every touchdown thrown. Head Coach Pete McCullery earned a miserable 1-8 record. McCullery's replacement, Coach Fred O'Connor, then racked up an awful 1-6 record.

1979-1980 (2-14 record)

After the failures of Coach McCullery and Coach O'Connor, the 49ers changed their general once again, by hiring Bill Walsh. Eventually, Walsh would coach the 49ers to three Super Bowl victories (1981, 1984, 1988). However, his first season in San Fran resulted in a second consecutive 2-14 record. While O.J. Simpson's last year in the NFL would be disappointing, the 49ers' offense evolved into one of the best ones in the league. In particular, a rookie named Joe Montana was starting to warm up. During the 1979-1980 season, Montana tossed the pigskin 23 times, racking up 96 yards and one touchdown. The 49ers were indeed rebuilding their squad and were a work in progress.

2004-2005 (2-14)

A decade after their fifth and most recent Super Bowl title, the 49ers were a shell of their former selves. There was plenty of blame to go around, with the 49ers owner John York receiving much of it. How bad was the 2004-2005 season for the 49ers? Their victories included two wins over the same team--the Arizona Cardinals. To top it off, the 49ers needed overtime to beat the Cardinals. The first time, they edged them 31-28. Meanwhile, the second clash between the teams resulted in the same score: 31-28. Following the end of the season, the 49ers terminated Coach Dennis Erickson, and used Mike Nolan (son of ex 49ers coach Dick Nolan) to replace him.

Recently, the 49ers have found little gold on the gridiron. However, they continue to battle their way to the top of the NFL. By making the right moves on and off the field, the 49ers can return to the glory days of Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Ronnie Lott. Use San Francisco 49ers merchandise to cheer on the team to their sixth golden Super Bowl trophy!