Dwight Clark's Catch. In the final seconds of the National Football Conference (NFC) championship in 1982, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana lofted a pass to Dwight Clark in the end zone. Clark's spectacular catch ranks among the most memorable moments in the history of American football. . The Catch Late in the afternoon on a winter day in 1982, Joe Montana and Dwight Clark made football history. In the conference championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys with less than a minute remaining, Montana rolled right and spotted Clark sliding along the back of the end zone. Off balance and facing the Dallas defense, Montana delivered a pass that looked as if it was heading into the front row of San Francisco's Candlestick Park. Clark, however, unfurled his 6-ft 4-in (1.9-m) frame, leaped high, and stretched his arms to snare the ball with both hands. He fell into the end zone. The play, known simply as "The Catch," gave the 49ers a one-point victory and their first trip to the Super Bowl. It was the biggest moment of Clark's career. Throughout his career, Montana, one of the most successful quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL), made so many big plays that they were expected of him. Nevertheless, the throw to Clark is considered a defining moment of his career. For the first time, the football world at large glimpsed the magic Montana could create at the end of a game. "I feel fortunate to have made the play," Clark told Sport magazine years later, "but people who were around Joe Montana often had good things happen to them." In 1981 Montana was overlooked. When the 49ers climbed to the top of their division with a 6-2 win-loss record in late October 1981, Sports Illustrated said the team was led by defensive end Fred Dean. The article on the team barely mentioned Montana. A month later, however, the magazine said Montana "has become one of the canniest and most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL." In the same article 49ers coach Bill Walsh said, "Joe has greatness within him. His comprehension and mastery of the system is the key. He's got this resourcefulness, this something that's hard to put into words, that enables him to perform well under pressure." Walsh also told Sports Illustrated what all football fans would soon learn: "He's an excellent spontaneous thinker, a keen-witted athlete with a unique field of vision. And he will not choke." In the playoffs that year, the 49ers received a bye in the first round. They defeated the New York Giants 38-24 in the second round. That victory set up a showdown in the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game with the Dallas Cowboys, who were coming off a 38-0 defeat over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although San Francisco defeated the Cowboys 45-14 earlier in the season, Dallas had the more experienced team, with veteran stars such as Tony Dorsett, Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, and Ed "Too Tall" Jones. In addition, the Cowboys were an NFL powerhouse. In contrast, the 49ers were the league's doormat. The game, played on January 10, 1982, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, was a thriller. The lead changed hands six times. The 49ers took the first lead on a eight-yard touchdown pass from Montana to receiver Freddie Solomon. The Cowboys, however, ended the first quarter ahead 10-7 after a field goal and a touchdown pass from Danny White to Hill. Montana countered early in the second quarter with a drive that culminated in a 26-yard touchdown strike to Clark. Nevertheless, Dallas took a 17-14 advantage into halftime on a 5-yard touchdown by Dorsett. San Francisco came back with a third-quarter touchdown to take a 21-17 lead. Dallas scored 10 points early in the fourth quarter and held a 27-21 edge late in the contest. The 49ers began the final drive on their 11-yard line with 4 minutes and 54 seconds remaining. Although Montana and Clark received the glory for the win, an unsung running back named Lenvil Elliott plowed much of the yardage. Elliott, a journeyman NFL player who had joined San Francisco just before the playoffs, picked up 31 yards in six carries on the final drive. The Cowboys, expecting the 49ers to pass, lined up six defensive backs. San Francisco countered by running the ball, giving Elliott his chances. One of the biggest plays on the drive was a double reverse for Solomon, who took the handoff for 14 yards to the Dallas 35. On the next play Montana hit Solomon on a 12-yard pass to the Cowboys' 23. A 7-yard sweep by Elliott a few plays later put the 49ers on the Dallas 6-yard line. On third down and three, with 51 seconds left, and in need of a touchdown, San Francisco called time-out. Montana and Walsh discussed the play, which was designed to go to Solomon. But as Montana rolled to his right, he spotted Clark behind the defense. With Cowboys defensive linemen D. D. Lewis, Larry Bethea, and Jones closing, Montana threw a hurried jump pass that Clark reached up and gathered in. A final point by Ray Wersching gave the 49ers the victory, 28-27. "I hear all the time, especially from Dallas fans, that Joe was trying to throw the ball away and we got lucky when I caught it," Clark told Sport magazine. "That's not true. It was a play we had practiced in case the primary receiver was covered. [Dallas defensive back] Everson Walls was right beside me when I slid across the back of the end line, but then he stopped and just stood there. He must have thought the ball was going out of bounds." "Yeah, I did," Walls admitted to Sport. "To me, it looked way up there. I misjudged where it was going. I think Clark played a little over his head on that catch. He had to jump higher than he ever did before." Charlie Waters, the Dallas defensive back who retired after the game, called the 49ers' last drive "unstoppable," according to the New York Times. Waters credited Clark with a fine play. "We had double coverage on him in the end zone," Waters told the New York Times. "He made a great catch. I know because I had a great view." Two weeks later the 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21, to win Super Bowl XVI. Montana captured the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
