San Francisco 49ers · Franchise era 5 of 7
The long reset: the San Francisco 49ers story
Franchise era
1999—2010
The long reset
San Francisco 49ers
The story in one sentence
An explosive early-2000s offense supplied one last playoff comeback before instability took over and Willis became the next defensive foundation.
Brief Owens–Garcia fireworks precede a rebuild
Terrell Owens, Jeff Garcia and Patrick Willis gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for harbaugh's instant contender.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1999
What came before
Young escaped Montana's shadow with an MVP peak and six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX, extending the dynasty into another generation.
2002-01-13
Wild Card: San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers
2003-01-05
Wild Card: New York Giants vs San Francisco 49ers
2003-01-12
Divisional Round: San Francisco 49ers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After 2010
What came next
Jim Harbaugh immediately unlocked a loaded roster, reaching Super Bowl XLVII and three straight conference championship games.
The core