Montana-to-Clark, "The Catch"
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If Joe Montana had turned out to be a merely decent quarterback and the 49ers just another team, "The Catch" would not have been permanently burned into our memories by countless replays. But since Montana-to-Clark introduced us to the Greatest Quarterback of All Time and sent the Niners on their way to the first of five Super Bowl titles, it will live forever as one of the signature plays in the illustrious history of the greatest sports league ever.
[edit] The Play
In a game where the lead shifted back and forth repeatedly, the 49ers took over the ball trailing 27-21 and marched down to the 6-yard line with 58 seconds left on the clock. When Joe Montana took the snap, the play, known as Sprint Right Option, was intended to be a pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon; earlier in the game, Solomon scored a touchdown on that exact play. However, the Cowboys covered Solomon perfectly. Making matters worse, the pass rush of the Cowboys collapsed the 49ers offensive line. Three Cowboys -- defensive ends Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Larry Bethea, plus linebacker D. D. Lewis -- chased a backpedalling Montana to the sideline and were certain to send him out of bounds or make a sack. At the last moment, Montana threw a very high pass to the back of the endzone. 49ers receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping grab from the back of the end zone for the winning touchdown with 51 seconds left in the game. He finished the game with 8 catches for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The play, remembered in 49er lore as "Red Right Tight--Sprint Right Option" had called for both the primary receiver, Freddie Solomon, and Clark to line up on the right. Montana was supposed to roll to his right and find Solomon. Clark's pattern called for him to cut left across the end zone, stop, and immediately reverse his path to the right. If Solomon were covered, it would be up to Montana to find Clark. Due to the pressure, Montana's pass was high, but Clark was in position to make his memorable grab.
A photograph of the catch, with Clark at the height of his leap and Everson Walls reaching out to try and block the ball, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Clark and Montana re-enacted The Catch in observance of the 25th anniversary of the play as part of San Francisco alumni day activities at halftime of the Minnesota game Nov. 5, 2006 at Candlestick Park.
