Team Spirit author Mark Stewart talks about the OVERTIME web page.

Mark picks his favorite 49ers.

What’s new with the San Francisco 49ers? That’s what this page is all about.

The Team Spirit OVERTIME website begins where the Team Spirit books end.

That’s because football never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!

Scroll down for team updates, player profiles, and stats you won’t find in the book. Click on the videos to the left to hear me talk about Team Spirit OVERTIME as well as my favorite players. And take a look below at some of the 49ers collectibles I have in my home—pretty cool, right?

Enjoy this site, check back whenever you like, and contact me with any questions or comments.

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Updates

2022 Season

2022 Season Roundup: The 49ers were 3–3 when they traded for Christian McCaffrey and, a week later, they went on a 10-game winning streak to finish 13–4. Injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo gave young quarterback Brock Purdy a chance and he was sensational until he too was injured, during the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles. A disappointing 31–7 loss ended a great season for the 49ers. McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel powered the offense, while Joey Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga had All-Pro seasons on defense. With three quality passers on their roster, the 49ers will have some tough decisions to make heading into 2023.

January 14, 2023: Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth TD in a playoff win over the Seahawks. Purdy, who turned 23 years old just 18 days earlier, became the youngest quarterback to make four touchdowns in a postseason game. The old record was held by Hall of Famer Dan Marino.

October 30, 2022: Christian McCaffrey became the 11th player in history to run, throw a pass and receive a pass for touchdowns in the same game during a victory over the Rams. Ten days earlier, the 49ers had outbid the Rams for McCaffrey, who was traded by the Carolina Panthers.

2022 Season Preview: The amazing talent the 49ers put on the field when they have the ball gives coach Kyle Shanahan a lot of options in 2022. That includes handing the starting quarterback job to Trey Lance, last year’s first-round draft pick. The San Francisco defense is excellent again, and has improved thanks to newly arrived defensive back Charvarius Ward. If the ’Niners show they can handle their division rivals, the Rams, there may not be anyone else in the NFC to keep them from making it to the Super Bowl.

2021 Season

2021 Season Roundup: The 49ers scored exciting wins over the Cowboys and Packers in the playoffs, but could not protect a 17–7 lead over the Rams in the NFC Championship Game—falling just short of a trip to the Super Bowl. San Francisco made big plays all season, thanks to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, receiver Deebo Samuel, receiver George Kittle, and pass rusher Nick Bosa.

October 31, 2021: Deebo Samuel caught an 83-yard pass in a win over the Bears and finished the game with 819 receiving yards through the team’s first 7 games. That broke the NFL record of 781, set by Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in Week 7 of the 1986 season.

2021 Season Preview: After injuries reduced the 49ers to a 6-win team in 2020, San Francisco fans are looking forward to a healthier season in 2021. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and sack specialist Nick Bosa are back in action, rejoining a talented core that includes George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk, and Fred Warner. Will the ’Niners return to the Super Bowl after a “year off?” They have the talent, they just need to stay on the field.

2020 Season

2020 Season Roundup: San Francisco fans were hoping for a return to the Super Bowl in 2020. Instead, they suffered through an up-and-down 6–10 season. Injuries limited quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to just six games and George Kittle to eight, forcing coach Kyle Shanahan to shuffle players in and out of the offense in search of a winning combination. The 49ers defense was better thanks to the play of linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Kerry Hyder.

2020 Season Preview: Few experts picked the 49ers to reach the Super Bowl in 2019. Now many experts are picking them to make a return trip. The team lost some important players but replaced them and, most importantly, the San Francisco pass defense still looks strong. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo should be better in 2020, with all kinds of weapons to choose from: Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert, and Kyle Juszczyk make up a great backfield, while George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are quality receiving targets. Young superstar Nick Bosa, veteran Richard Sherman, and rookie lineman Javon Kinlaw lead the defense.

2019 Season

January 19, 2020: Raheem Mostert ran for 220 yards and scored four touchdowns against the Packers in the NFC Championship. He broke the record for most rushing yards in a conference title game, which had stood for 55 years. Mostert had been cut by six NFL teams before winning a job with the 49ers.

2019 Season Roundup: San Francsico’s short passing game resulted in 479 points and 13 wins—not bad for a team that many picked to miss the playoffs. That was the beginning of a run to the Super Bowl, which they led 20–10 before falling to the Chiefs. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and receiver George Kittle were the stars of the offense, while Richard Sherman, DeForest Buckner, and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa led the defense.

2019 Season Preview: The ’Niners went into the off-season with a long shopping list of needs and mostly filled them. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo returns to the field after a knee injury and will be making use of speedy tight end George Kittle, who had a great season in 2018. Big things are expected from running back Dante Pettis, and from the team’s pass rushers, who did not get the job done last year.

2018 Season

2018 Season Roundup: The 49ers had a losing record for the fourth year in a row. Back-to-back wins in December got them to four for the season. A knee injury ended quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s season after a promising start and the offense never recovered. Tight end George Kittle had a breakout season and fullback Kyle Juszczyk made the Pro Bowl for the second time as a 49er. On defense, DeForest Buckner showed the ability to become an elite pass rusher.

2018 Season Preview: San Francisco fans are excited about quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who will be playing his first full season in the team’s complicated offense. One reason it’s complicated is the 49ers’ lack of star receivers. Running back Jerick McKinnon, signed as a free agent, should be one of Garoppolo’s favorite targets in 2018. The defense will be led by newcomer Richard Sherman and DeForest Buckner, who might be the best lineman in the NFC West.

2017 Season

2017 Season Roundup: The 49ers were a disaster in the first nine games of the season, going 0–9. Suddenly they turned into a great team, going 6–1 the rest of the way.  The fact is that five of those early losses came in close games. Coach Kyle Shanahan got solid seasons from a team that never gave up, which give San Francisco fans hope for an exciting 2018 season.

2017 Season Preview: San Francisco fans are still trying to figure out how their team won only two games last year. The offense is looking better for 2017, and there is plenty of young talent on the roster. If the team comes together and a few stars emerge, the ’Niners could triple their victory total from 2016.

2016 Season

2016 Season Roundup: The good news in 2016 for 49ers fans was that they beat their arch rivals, the Rams, twice. The bad news was that San Francisco lost its other 14 games. The team fired its coach and general manager and began looking toward 2017. It will build off of a handful of 2016 standouts, including Carlos Hyde, Jeremy Kerley, and DeForest Buckner.

2016 Season Preview: The big news for 49ers fans in 2016 was the hiring of head coach Chip Kelly. His offense-first approach would have been a big help in 2015, when the team had one of the league’s worst. He doesn’t have much to work with, but Kelly is known for getting the best from what he’s got. The defense should be good with several talented rookies joining a group led by linebacker NaVorro Bowman.

2015 Season

2015 Season Preview: Colin Kaepernick was asked to carry the 49ers last year and he paid the price with a ton of quarterback sacks. This year, he’ll have help from running back Carlos Hyde and a group of good young defensive players. They will have to fill in for Patrick Willis and other veterans who are no longer wearing the San Francisco uniform.

2014 Season

September 1, 2014: San Francisco fans feel that the 49ers offense never got to fire on all cylinders in 2013. If that is so, then Colin Kaeprnick could be ready to bust out in 2014 with an MVP year. Whatever, the offense does, the team will win or lose based on the performance of its defense, which is less than 100% heading into the season.

2013 Season

September 4, 2013: The 49ers changed the balance of power in the NFC West when they inserted Colin Kaepernick at quarterback midway through the 2012 season. San Francisco already had a tremendous defense, and still does. Will it be enough to hold off the constantly improving Seahawks? That may rely on contributions from other unexpected sources, like receiver Ricardo Lockette, who spent the off-season working out with—you guessed it—Colin Kaepernick.

2012 Roundup

February 4, 2013: The 49ers fell behind early in Super Bowl XLVII, but staged a breathtaking comeback against the Baltimore Ravens in the second half. Their effort fell short, as San Francisco lost 34–31. It marked the first time the 49ers lost in the Super Bowl.

January 20, 2013: The 49ers erased a 17-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship. Frank Gore scored the winning TD to send San Francisco to the Super Bowl.

January 12, 2013: Colin Kaepernick ran for 181 yards in a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. That set a record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback—no one had ever run for more in a regular-season or postseason game.

October 7, 2012: In a 45–3 blowout of the Buffalo Bills, the 49ers gained 303 yards passing and 318 yards rushing. No team had ever gained 300-plus yards on the ground and in the air in the same game before.

September 9, 2012: In a game against the Green Bay Packers, David Akers booted a 63-yard field goal. The kick hit the crossbar and bounced through to tie a record shared by Tom Dempsey, Sebastian Janikowski, and Jason Elam.

Summer, 2012: The great San Francisco defense is back for another try at the NFC Championship in 2012. With Alex Smith gaining confidence and Frank Gore playing injury-free, the only thing keeping the 49ers from another big year is a tough late-season schedule, beginning Thanksgiving Day.

More Go-To Guys

Isn’t it strange to see the gold helmet without the 49ers logo? A lot of teams had plain helmets until the late 1950s and early 1960s. (Topps, Inc.)

For a few years in the 1980s, there wasn’t a better all-around back in football than Roger Craig. (Author’s Collection)

Trying to keep Charles Haley away from the quarterback was like trying to stop waves from hitting the beach. (Topps, Inc.)

A friend sent me this signed card when she heard I was working on this OVERTIME page. Cool, right? (Panini America)

  • Frankie Albert — Quarterback
    Born: 1/27/1920
    Died: 9/5/2002
    Played for Team: 1946 to 1952
    Although Frankie Albert played more than 60 years ago, most experts still consider him one of the Top 50 quarterbacks in football history. He was named the top player in the All-American Football Conference in 1948. His exciting running and passing skills helped the 49ers become very popular during their days in the AAFC. Without Albert, the 49ers might never have been invited to join the NFL.

  • Y.A. Tittle — Quarterback
    Born: 10/24/1926
    Played for Team: 1951 to 1960
    The 49ers had so many talented running backs in the 1950s that Y.A. Tittle didn’t always get to show what a talented passer he was. Still, he loved playing in San Francisco and had a great career there. Tittle led the NFL with 17 touchdown passes in 1955 and had the highest completion percentage in 1957. He was named an All-Pro that season for the first time.

  • Billy Wilson — Receiver
    Born: 2/3/1927
    Died: 1/27/2009
    Played for Team: 1951 to 1960
    During the 1950s, Billy Wilson was the star of the 49ers passing attack. He led the league in receiving touchdowns in 1953 and in catches in 1954, 1956, and 1957.

  • Dwight Clark — Receiver
    Born: 1/8/1957
    Played for Team: 1979 to 1987
    Prior to the 1979 draft, the 49ers worked out Joe Montana to see what kind of arm he had. They had him throw to a college receiver named Dwight Clark. Montana told the team that if they drafted him, to go ahead and draft Clark, too. Clark helped the 49ers win two Super Bowls. In return, the team retired his number 87.

  • Roger Craig — Running Back
    Born: 7/10/1960
    Played for Team: 1983 to 1990
    Roger Craig could really do it all. In 1985, he became the first running back to gain 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. That year he was also the first back to lead the NFL in catches, with 92. In 1988, he led the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage. Craig was one of the team’s most important weapons in Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII.

  • Charles Haley — Defensive Lineman
    Born: 1/6/1964
    Played for Team: 1986 to 1991 & 1998 to 1999
    Few players were better at rushing the quarterback than Charles Haley. He had more than 100 sacks for his career and earned five Super Bowl rings—two with the 49ers and three with the Dallas Cowboys. Haley played in three Pro Bowls as a member of the 49ers.

  • Terrell Owens — Receiver
    Born: 12/7/1973
    Played for Team: 1996 to 2003
    Terrell Owens played five years with Jerry Rice as a member of the 49ers. In Rice’s last home game with San Francisco, “T.O.” stole the show by catching 20 passes to set a new league record. Owens led the NFL in touchdown catches in 2001 and 2002.

  • NaVorro Bowman — Linebacker
    Born:5/28/1988
    First Year with Team: 2010
    After veteran Takeo Spikes left the 49ers, NaVorro Bowman took his spot at inside linebacker. Playing with Patrick Willis, Bowman led the team with 143 tackles and was named All-Pro. The two linebackers were a big reason why the 49ers did not allow a rushing touchdown for a record 14 games in a row in 2011.

More Fun Facts

Doesn’t Charlie Krueger look relaxed and happy in this photo? It must have been a light workout on a cool day in training camp. (49ers/NFL)

  • PLAY TIME
    The 49ers first touchdown came on a trick play against the New York Giants. Frankie Albert ran toward the sideline and then threw a short pass to John Strzykalski. Just before a gang of New York players tackled him, he pitched the ball backwards to Len Eshmont, who ran 66 yards for a score.

  • WIN ONE FOR TONY
    During a 1957 against the Chicago Bears, the 49ers learned that their beloved owner, Tony Morabito, had died of a heart attack moments earlier. They played like wildmen in the second half and turned a 17–7 deficit into a 21–17 victory in his honor.

  • TOUGH GUY
    By the 1970s, almost every NFL lineman wore a cage-style facemask for protection. One of the last holdouts was Charlie Kruger. He played until 1973 with the same two-bar facemask used by quarterbacks and kickers.

League Leaders

This was one of the first sports books I wrote with an athlete. Jerry was a good storyteller. (Grolier, Inc.)

When I was a kid, John Brodie was just about the best quarterback there was. For a couple of years there, it looked like they would be playing in the Super Bowl, but the Dallas Cowboys knocked the 49ers out of the playoffs. (Topps, Inc.)

I met Joe Montana in the early 1990s when he was playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. I was amazed how average-sized he was. If you met him on the street, you would never pick him out to be a football player. (Beckett Publishing)

This Dave Baker card came off a cereal box. Baker was a college quarterback who used his knowledge of the passing game to become a good pass defender in the NFL. (Post Holdings, Inc.)

  • RUSHING YARDS
    1953 — Joe Perry — 1,018
    1954 — Joe Perry — 1,049

  • RECEIVING YARDS
    1965 — Dave Parks — 1,344
    1970 — Gene Washington — 1,100
    1986 — Jerry Rice — 1,570
    1989 — Jerry Rice — 1,483
    1990 — Jerry Rice — 1,502
    1993 — Jerry Rice — 1,503
    1994 — Jerry Rice — 1,499
    1995 — Jerry Rice — 1,848

  • PASSING YARDS
    1965 — John Brodie — 3,112
    1968 — John Brodie — 3,020
    1970 — John Brodie — 2,941

  • RUSHING TDs
    1948 — Joe Perry — 10 (tied for NFL lead)
    1953 — Joe Perry — 10

  • RECEIVING TDs
    1946 — Alyn Beals — 10
    1948 — Alyn Beals — 14 (tied for NFL lead)
    1949 — Alyn Beals — 12
    1953 — Billy Wilson — 10 (tied for NFL lead)
    1965 — Dave Parks — 12 (tied for NFL lead)
    1972 — Gene Washington — 12
    1986 — Jerry Rice — 15
    1987 — Jerry Rice — 22
    1989 — Jerry Rice — 17
    1990 — Jerry Rice — 13
    1991 — Jerry Rice — 14
    1993 — Jerry Rice — 15 (tied for NFL lead)
    2001 — Terrell Owens — 16
    2002 — Terrell Owens — 13

  • PASSING TDs
    1948 — Frankie Albert — 29
    1949 — Frankie Albert—  27
    1955 — Y.A. Tittle — 17 (tied for NFL lead)
    1965 — John Brodie — 30
    1970 — John Brodie — 24
    1982 — Joe Montana — 17 (tied for NFL lead)
    1987 — Joe Montana — 31
    1992 — Steve Young — 25
    1993 — Steve Young — 29
    1994 — Steve Young — 35

  • POINTS
    1952 — Gordy Soltau — 94
    1953 — Gordy Soltau — 114
    1984 — Ray Wersching — 131
    1987 — Jerry Rice — 138
    1989 — Mike Cofer — 136
    2011 — David Akers — 166

  • INTERCEPTIONS
    1960 — Dave Baker — 10 (tied for NFL lead)
    1986 — Ronnie Lott — 10
    2003 — Tony Parrish — 9 (tied for NFL lead)

  • SACKS
    2022 – Nick Bosa – 18.5

Playing for the Championship

SEASON GAME OPPONENT SCORE
1949 AAFC Championship Cleveland Browns Lost 21–7
1970 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Lost 17–10
1971 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Lost 14–3
1981 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Won 28–27
1981 Super Bowl XVI Cincinnati Bengals Won 26–21
1983 NFC Championship Washington Redskins Lost 24–21
1984 NFC Championship Chicago Bears Won 23–0
1984 Super Bowl XIX Miami Dolphins Won 38–16
1988 NFC Championship Chicago Bears Won 28–3
1988 Super Bowl XXIII Cincinnati Bengals Won 20–16
1989 NFC Championship Los Angeles Rams Won 30–3
1989 Super Bowl XXIV Denver Broncos Won 55–10
1990 NFC Championship New York Giants Lost 15–13
1992 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Lost 30–20
1993 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Lost 38–21
1994 NFC Championship Dallas Cowboys Won 38–28
1994 Super Bowl XXIX San Diego Chargers Won 49–26
1997 NFC Championship Green Bay Packers Lost 23–10
2011 NFC Championship New York Giants Lost 20–17 (OT)
2012 NFC Championship Atlanta Falcons Won 28–24
2012 Super Bowl XLVII Baltimore Ravens Lost 34–31
2019 NFC Championship Green Bay Packers Won 37–20
2019 Super Bowl LIV Kansas City Chiefs Lost 31–20

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