San Francisco 49ers · Franchise era 2 of 7
Searching for the breakthrough: the San Francisco 49ers story
Franchise era
1958—1978
Searching for the breakthrough
San Francisco 49ers
The story in one sentence
Brodie's passing and Dick Nolan's defense won three straight division titles, but Dallas ended each postseason before a full teardown followed.
The Shotgun and three NFC title losses
John Brodie, Gene Washington and Dave Wilcox gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for walsh, montana and the dynasty.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1958
What came before
San Francisco joined the AAFC with a fast, integrated roster and carried its star-studded backfield into the NFL.
1970-12-27
Divisional Round: San Francisco 49ers vs Minnesota Vikings
1971-01-03
Conference Championship: Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers
1971-12-26
Divisional Round: Washington vs San Francisco 49ers
After 1978
What came next
Bill Walsh paired precise passing with a rebuilt defense, and Montana's calm produced four Super Bowl victories without a loss.
The core