The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history
By Ian Cummings
42. . Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice. San Francisco 49ers. Greatness in Gold Country . 2. player
The San Francisco 49ers were one of the original AAFC franchises, founded in 1946. And yet, they experienced minimal success throughout the entire first generation of their existence. From 1946 to 1980, the 49ers were essentially a historical footnote, as they made the playoffs just five times in those 35 years.
Things changed when “Joe Cool” came in. And San Francisco finally struck gold.
It wasn’t just the arrival of Joe Montana that sparked a new age in San Francisco. Bill Walsh, a product of Don Coryell’s coaching tree, came to San Francisco with championships in mind. In 1985, after Montana and Walsh had already won two Super Bowls, Jerry Rice came into the fold and made football straight unfair.
In 1988, Montana and Rice helped Walsh to his third Super Bowl title. Then in 1989, the duo was almost unbeatable. Montana completed 70 percent of his passes in the regular season, passing for 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, while Rice caught 17 scores from Montana.
In the playoffs that year, Montana was infallible, throwing for 11 touchdowns and not a single pick. On the way to his fourth Super Bowl title, he simply would not be denied.
Montana’s ability to win, amidst any adversity, set him apart in the world of quarterbacks. With Bill Walsh and Jerry Rice, he helped build one of the most dominant dynasties the NFL has ever known. The 49ers won four Super Bowls in eight seasons from 1981 to 1989. They essentially monopolized the ring.
But while this 49ers trio was the embodiment of gold in football, there are greater things than gold. And that’s why the top spot goes to a trio on the other side of the nation, where gold isn’t quite enough.