The San Francisco 49ers are a professional
American football team. The team plays its home games in San Francisco,
California, while the club's headquarters and practice facility
are located in Santa Clara. The 49ers are currently members of
the Western Division of the National Football Conference (NFC)
in the National Football League (NFL).
The 49ers began play in 1946 as a charter
member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and joined
the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. The
team currently shares the record for most Super Bowl victories
(five) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, and
is the only team with multiple appearances in the Super Bowl that
is undefeated in the NFL title game, with a record of 5-0. The
49ers teams of the 1980s and early 1990s are considered by many
to be among the greatest teams in NFL history, particularly the
1984 and 1989 teams.
Three-time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana,
perennial Pro Bowler Ronnie Lott, all-time highest career quarterback
rating holder Steve Young, and career touchdown leader Jerry Rice
played for the 49ers during this period. Additionally, some of
the most memorable plays (including "The Catch") and
games (such as Super Bowl XXIII) were played by this team.