NFL History: Ranking the 30 best wild card teams in NFL history

Ranking the 30 best wild card teams in NFL history: 23. ’98 San Francisco 49ers

It’s always hard to understand when it’s the end of a dynasty. When the dynasty lasts as long as the San Francisco 49ers’ dynasty lasts, then it’s near impossible to look at the team and know when it is time to move on. The 1998 San Francisco 49ers were the last attempt by this team to go for it all. It had Jerry Rice coming off a major knee injury. It was the last full season Steve Young would be under center (he would play the next season but only appeared in three games). Terrell Owens was a young stud looking to make an impact. Garrison Hearst was one of the best running backs in the league.

The 49ers were one of the best teams in the league still, but they played in a division with the Atlanta Falcons, who went 14-2. (Side note: what was wrong with NFL divisions that Atlanta and San Francisco are in the same one?) So, the 12-4 Niners went into the playoffs as a four seed (then a Wild Card slot with only three division winners).

The 49ers beat Brett Favre and the Packers in the first round, and they prepared to show the Falcons they were still the catalyst in the NFC West. It wasn’t going to be easy. The Falcons won 14 games for a reason. The funny thing is the Falcons showed by they were where they were. They forced Young to throw three interceptions and to fumble once. He did run for a touchdown with about four minutes left, so Young wasn’t letting his bad day take them completely out of it, but Hearst ended up breaking his ankle early in the year, so this was always an uphill battle.

This was the end of an era, and the 49ers then had to move on from everyone who made the dynasty what it was.