| 1994 San Francisco 49ers season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Owner | Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. |
| General manager | John McVay and Carmen Policy |
| Head coach | George Seifert |
| Offensive coordinator | Mike Shanahan |
| Defensive coordinator | Ray Rhodes |
| Home field | Candlestick Park |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC West |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Bears) 44–15 Won NFC Championship (vs. Cowboys) 38–28 Won Super Bowl XXIX (vs. Chargers) 49–26 |
| Pro Bowlers | 10[1] |
| AP All-Pros | 5[2] |
The 1994 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 45th in the National Football League (NFL), their 49th overall, and their sixth under head coach George Seifert. This season was highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XXIX. The championship made San Francisco the first team to win five Super Bowls. After losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the previous two conference championship games, the 49ers made significant acquisitions in the 1994 free agent market. This included the signing of two-sport star Deion Sanders and Cowboys linebacker Ken Norton, Jr. Sanders had a major impact on the team's success, winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and recording six interceptions. The 49ers won their division, the NFC West, for the eighth time in nine seasons.
Quarterback Steve Young had his best NFL season and won his second MVP award. Young set what was, at the time, the NFL record for highest passer rating in a season – 112.8.[3] Cold Hard Football Facts states that Young's 1994 season is the second greatest passing season in NFL history,[4] behind only Joe Montana's 1989 season. The team also set a franchise record for most points scored in the regular season with 505 total. The team also set the NFL playoff record for most points scored in a postseason with 131.
For the third consecutive season, the 49ers met the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. From the mid-1980s until the latter 1990s, the AFC was widely regarded as the NFL's weaker conference. At the time of this conference championship game, AFC teams had lost the previous 10 Super Bowls in a row, starting with Super Bowl XIX after the 1984 season. All but two of those losses were by at least 10 points; five of them were by more than 20 points. As a result, the NFC Championship meeting between the Niners and Cowboys was dubbed by many as "the real Super Bowl."[5][6] The contest was one of the highest rated non-Super Bowl games in NFL history.
The 49ers beat the two time defending champion Cowboys, ending their hopes of becoming the first NFL team to three-peat and went on to defeat the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Young was named the game's MVP after throwing a record six touchdown passes. The game also set the record for most points scored by both teams in a Super Bowl with 75 total, a record that stands to this day.
The 1994 49ers ranked #19 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[7][8] As of the 2023 NFL season, this is the last Super Bowl the 49ers have won.
- ^ "1994 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "1994 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ The record was eclipsed by Peyton Manning in 2004.
- ^ "The Dandy Dozen: 12 best passing seasons in history". Cold Hard Football Facts. June 28, 2010. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012.
- ^ "The Real Super Bowl". Sports Illustrated cover, January 16, 1995 issue. The magazine cover shows a blown-up image of a ticket to the 1994 NFC Championship game, and photos of 49ers quarterback Steve Young and Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, all beneath the caption "The Real Super Bowl".
- ^ Carucci, Vic (January 15, 1995). "Today's Winner Will Earn Title, But Not Respect". The Buffalo News. Buffalo, New York. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100–1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.