Poll: 1980s 49ers or 1990s Cowboys, Which Was The Superior Dynasty? We’ve Analyzed Both And…

Feb. 2, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA: San Francisco 49ers former quarterback Joe Montana walks the red carpet prior to the Super Bowl XLVII NFL Honors award show at Mahalia Jackson Theater. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The 1980s San Francisco 49ers versus the 1990s Dallas Cowboys; a heavyweight battle taking place within the NFL history books.

Imagine these two legendary squads colliding in the flesh, both in their prime. The skill position players these two teams possessed are legendary.

I can see Joe Montana dropping back to pass and heaving one up with Deion Sanders breaking toward the ball meeting an elevated Jerry Rice as two of the all-time greats battle to see which will come down with the ball. On the next drive I could see Emmitt Smith break through the first line of defenders, following the block of Larry Allen, as Ronnie Lott closes in on him; the crack of their pads resounding, fabled. Bill Walsh watching from the sideline, designing the next play, while the 49ers are on defense. Meanwhile Fred Dean is busting around the line, chasing Troy Aikman from the pocket as he heaves a ball toward Michael Irvin on the sideline for a first down. Ah, if only.

Witnessing these two storied teams play would have been a treat for all NFL fanatics. But time travel isn’t viable, thus these two squads never got to go to battle out on the field — and never will. So all we can do is compare their accomplishments and speculate. Often times people let their emotions get the best of them when comparing dynasties, rather than allowing the raw numbers to speak for themselves. So we have laid out these accomplishments for you, the fans, to diagnose. Which was the better dynasty? Which would have won a head-to-head matchup? Lets take a peak.

1980s 49ers Dynasty (10 Year Stretch Between 1981-1990):

Championships: Four (1981, 1983, 1988, 1989)
Playoff Appearances: Nine (1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)
Winning Percentage: 0.736 (112-39-1)
Playoff Winning Percentage: .736 (14-5)
Hall of Fame Inductees: Five
AP MVPs: Two
Best Seasons: 1984 (15-1), 1989 (14-2)

1990s Cowboys Dynasty (6 Year Stretch Between 1991-1996):

Championships: Three (1992, 1993, 1995)
Playoff Appearances: Six (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996)
Winning Percentage: .720 (70-26)
Playoff Winning Percentage: 0.800 (12-3)
Hall of Fame Inductees: Five
AP MVPs: One
Best Seasons: 1992 (13-3), 1993 (12-4)

It’s quite clear that both dynasties racked up a ton of success and boasted some of the greatest players in NFL history. But which was truly the better dynasty? Which team will win the poll?

Click Next To See Our Analysis And To Take The Poll!