9781422284223

GREATEST MOMENTS

The Catch

The legend of Joe Montana began on January 10, 1982. The San Francisco 49er QB was playing in his second playoff game, facing the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game. The score was 27-21 Dallas when San Francisco got the ball with less than five minutes left in the game. Montana drove to the Cowboy 6-yard line. It was third and three with 58 seconds to play. After the snap, Montana threw high to the back of the end zone. Tight end (TE) Dwight Clark was under the sailing ball, and he outleapt cornerback (CB) Everson Walls with a full-extension stretch to make a fingertip catch, now known as The Catch. The touchdown gave San Francisco the 28-27 lead with 51 seconds left. The Niners held on to win. Perhaps the most significant impact of The Catch occurred off the field that day. Sitting in the stands at Candlestick Park watching that game and cheering for his hero Montana was four-year-old Tom Brady.

10