If that doesnt work, then keep rolling, you can run in if it's open. He said he suspected numerous concussions during his playing days contributed to his disease. "I don't know for sure. Despite the hurried and improvised look of the play on the field, it had mostly run according to plan. 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. Although it didn't play out exactly how "The Catch" did, it was just another sweet victory in early January for Clark. Now, Gergen wrote of the play, Montana was throwing the most significant pass in 49er annals toward Clark. He retired after the 1987 season. Thirty years later, John Storey remains grateful it was Joe Montana scrambling to his right on that memorable January 1982 day. This meant Montana had to improvise. Future Hall of Fame DB Ronnie Lott was flagged twice for crucial pass interference calls that extended Cowboys drives. The Niners would go on to win Super Bowl XVI, the first professional sports championship the city of San Francisco had ever experienced. Your email address will not be published.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. 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. New offseason, old question: What will 49ers do at quarterback? The Examiner sold thousands of extra editions on Jan. 11, 1982, and even turned the photo into a modestly profitable poster. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . So you just kind of shake it off. After the workout was over, Walsh was impressed. He showed tremendous courage and dignity in his battle with ALS and we hope there will soon be a cure for this horrendous disease. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. "The Catch," 40 years ago this week, capped a magnificent 89-yard drive, a breathtaking 6-yard pass play, designed by coach Bill Walsh and executed spectacularly by quarterback Joe Montana and. That allowed the newspaper to fill its front page with the image of Clark reaching for the heavens to catch Montana's pass. It wasn't a John Elway pass - that might have been somewhere in the bleachers, he threw so damn hard.". The play kicked off an . Barnwell forecasts offseason moves for all 32 NFL teams, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore, Covered Rams for nine years for stlouisrams.com, Previously covered University of Missouri football, Member of Pro Football Writers of America. Clark stayed with Cleveland until 2001. On Monday night, he was in Tampa to see Clemson, his alma mater, win the college football national championship in thrilling fashion. [20] They moved to Santa Cruz. He rolled right, pump-faked, then threw a high pass to the rear of the end zone. 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. An All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion, Clark was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, in March of 2017. Their record improved, as did Montana and Clark, in 1980, going 6-10. 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. 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. Making matters worse, the pass rush of the Cowboys collapsed the 49ers' offensive line. 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. Despite occurring over 40 years ago, the game-winning touchdown play remains one of the most impressive NFL moves in the history of the sport. Even then, before the spate of titles, this was a transcendent moment in Bay Area sports - the 49ers had finally conquered the Cowboys. Two weeks later, they beat Cincinnati to win their first Super Bowl title and launch an incomparable stretch of five championships in 14 seasons. 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. A photograph of the catch by Walter Iooss, Jr., with Clark at the height of his leap and Everson Walls reaching out to try to block the ball, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated the following week.[5]. Following this workout, Walsh selected Clark for the 49ers' first pick of the tenth round (249th overall pick) in the NFL draft of 1979. He caught the winning touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Joe Montana in the NFC Championship Game on January 10th, 1982 against the Dallas Cowboys. [34][35] At the time of his death, Clark lived in Whitefish, Montana, with his wife Kelly. Required fields are marked *. It's a touchdown for the 49ers! I feel honored people are still talking about it, 25 years later. Dwight will always carry a special place in our hearts and his legacy will live on as we continue to battle this terrible disease.". Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. He left in 1998 to become the general manager of the expansion era Cleveland Browns. However, Solomon, as Montanas intended receiver, was covered by the Cowboys. Montana said, "We'd never thrown the ball to Dwight on that play, at all. What Clark displayed during the workout was something the 49ers and no other team had seen on tape. pic.twitter.com/k2cpWiUr42, Jimmy Garoppolo Cheated Death Immediately After Being Traded to the San Francisco 49ers, Who knows how many times you get your bell rung, Clark said on the 49ers Insider Podcast. Jim Stuckey recovered the dropped ball, giving the 49ers offense possession near midfield, and allowing Montana to kneel down twice and run out the clock. To honor his contribution to 49ers, the club retired his #87 in 1988. In 2021, Kroichick earned an Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 award for his feature on Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee conquering cancer. [25] Located in Redwood City, California, the restaurant was sold in 1993. [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. It also set in motion a series of events that established the Niners as one of the NFL's dominant franchises for the better part of the two decades that followed. Dwight Clark! Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. [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. In 2019, in celebration of the NFL's 100th season, NFL Films ranked The Catch second on its list of the 100 Greatest Plays.[9]. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. 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To his credit, when he did catch the ball, he made it count and averaged 18.8 yards per catch. Sep 20, 2019. After suffering through several losses early on in the 1981 season, the Montana-led 49ers cruised straight into the playoffs with an impressive record. [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. diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Then 49ers running back Bill Ring lost a fumble on his own 29, leading to White's 26-yard touchdown pass to Tony Hill that put the Cowboys up 107. The theme of Josh McDaniels' media session at the NFL Scouting Combine was consistently vague: After releasing Derek Carr, the Raiders are going to explore every avenue to address quarterback. The Catch and Ray Werschings ensuing PAT gave the 49ers a 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. He also earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1982 and won an additional Super Bowl in 1984. Later, in the locker room, he expressed his amazement at how high Clark had jumped. He later married Ashley Stone, whom he met during the summer of 1982. [32] He stated that he believed he developed ALS as a result of playing football; he suffered three concussions during his playing career. Third and three. 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. He went on to become Director of Football Operations for the reconstituted Cleveland Browns from 1999-2002. [3][4] The play, immortalized as "The Catch", propelled the 49ers to their first Super Bowl championship. After San Francisco forced Dallas to punt on the opening drive, quarterback Joe Montana completed a 17-yard pass to Charle Young and a 24-yarder to Lenvil Elliott before throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon. [19] During the 1981 season, Walsh had Montana practice that part of the play back in training camp. Before that, Walls had intercepted Montana twice. And, in fact, it was the Cowboys who made the final, fatal mistake. Im heartbroken to tell you that today I lost my best friend and husband. His wife, Kelly, announced his passing on. Montana looking, looking, throwing in the end zone Clark caught it! [33] "I've been asked if playing football caused this," Clark wrote. Dwight Clark leaves a Dallas defender in his dust after making. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. The representative of the 49ers on the other end managed to convince Clark to serve as Fullers receiver during his workout instead of playing golf. San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead talked about earning his third-consecutive Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination. The team retired his jersey in 1988. Jan. 8, 2022 Updated: Jan. 8, 2022 6:04 p.m. 5. Dwight Edward Clark (January 8, 1957 June 4, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 to 1987. Popular Mobile Games You Must Play In 2023, American football player and executive (1957-2018). Suffice it to say, expectations werent exactly high ahead of the 1981 season. 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. 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]. AP Photo/Dallas Morning News, Phil Huber). In October 2018, the 49ers unveiled a statue outside of Levis Stadium featuring Clark making his famous catch. Three plays later, running back Tony Dorsett scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give Dallas a 1714 lead. In 1988, he was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame. In 2016, Kroichick and photographer Michael Macor earned "Best Sports Feature" from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, for their series on Antioch High running back Najee Harris, the nation's No. "I'm sure the Dallas defense is saying, We forced six errors. And they'd be right. Elliot then set up a third-and-four with a six-yard run. Dallas responded with Danny White's 20-yard pass to Butch Johnson setting up a 44-yard field goal by Rafael Septin. He was 61. Clarks discovery was a complete accident, so the fact he was drafted and then made the roster of a respected team was seen to be quite surprising. He was Executive Vice President and Director of Football Operations from 1999 to 2001. 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. Dwight's personality and his sense of humor endeared him to everyone he came into contact with, even during his most trying times. Touchdown, San Francisco, by Dwight Clark! The Cowboys had Solomon covered. However, Clark leaped as high as he could only to get his fingertips on the ball. Montana, looking looking throwing in the end zone. 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! In the Eastern time zone, Renfrow scored his touchdown on Jan. 10, exactly 35 years after Clark made "The Catch.". Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Wild Card matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers went on to dominate the NFL throughout the remainder of the 1980s, winning four titles within the decade. Clark then retired after the 1987 season finished, and in 1988, the 49ers eventually retired his jersey. Dwight Clark, the former 49ers star best known for his leaping TD catch that won the NFC Championship Game in 1982, says he has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. 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. 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. The play saw Joe Montana find Dwight Clark for the game-winning touchdown in the NFC Championship Game played at Candlestick Park. I didn't want to take a loss in that situation. [36] He was the father-in-law of former NHL defenseman Peter Harrold. The Catch happened when Montana called Change Left Slot Sprint Right Option.. The NFL's highest-paid players at every position: Here's who makes the most money, from QB to punter, Trade for Aaron Rodgers? 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. 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. Then he moved home to Charlotte, N.C., and began building luxury spec houses. 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. Clark was not the intended receiver on the play call. In the entire franchise history of the NFL, only Dwight Clarks reception is commonly referred to as The Catch.. 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. [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. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen spoke to the media on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, updating reporters on contract negotiations with Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Meanwhile, the Cowboys, one of the most successful NFC teams in the 1970s with five Super Bowl appearances and two wins, never made it back to the Super Bowl in the 1980s. [11] After returning to the team, he was a backup wide receiver and finished with five receptions for 99 yards and a 19.8-yard average. The 49ers had another chance to score before halftime when they recovered a fumbled punt on the Dallas 42. How did he die?. Watch Deebo Samuel's performance at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Vin Scully described the play on CBS Television: Meanwhile, Jack Buck had the call over on CBS Radio: Meanwhile, Don Klein called the play locally for the 49ers on KCBS: Finally, Verne Lundquist called the play locally for the Cowboys on KRLD: This game was a watershed in the historic fortunes of both the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. Storey recalled jostling for position as the 49ers moved toward their go-ahead touchdown. Former San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark died on Monday after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). After a couple of early-season losses in 1981, San Francisco, with Montana in charge, cruised into the playoffs with a 13-3 record, which included a 45-14 thumping of the Dallas Cowboys earlier in the year. Performance at the time of his death, Clark worked his way through San 49ers... Dallas defense is saying, We forced six errors as he could only get..., We forced six errors, `` We 'd never thrown the ball, made... Lb Dre Greenlaw are under-the-radar players to watch for in the entire franchise history of the play saw Montana... That part of the 1981 season, Walsh had Montana practice that part of 1981! Amazement at how high Clark had jumped came into contact with, even during his playing contributed! Francisco 's front office, ultimately rising to general manager ahead of the expansion era Cleveland Browns from.... 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Monday after a long battle with ALS and We hope there will soon be a cure for this horrendous.! Game played at Candlestick Park high as he could only to get fingertips.

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