The team retired his jersey in 1988. A photograph of the catch by Walter Iooss, Jr., with Clark at the height of his leap and Everson Walls reaching out to try to block the ball, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated the following week.[5]. In the second quarter, San Francisco reached the Cowboys' 27-yard line, only to lose the ball when Everson Walls intercepted a pass from Montana in the end zone. The NFL's highest-paid players at every position: Here's who makes the most money, from QB to punter, Trade for Aaron Rodgers? 1/10/1981 - This day in 1981 During the NFC Championship Game between The San Francisco 49ers and The Dallas Cowboys , with 58 seconds left in the game Dwight Clark makes the famous touchdown catch thrown from Joe Montana to give the Niners a 28-27 win and helping them advance to the superbowl . You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Clark curled into the end zone, braked at the end line and looked for his quarterback. The Catch and Ray Werschings ensuing PAT gave the 49ers a 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. He was unhappy and considered transferring to play basketball at Appalachian State University, until he was finally allowed to play offense. Following this workout, Walsh selected Clark for the 49ers first pick of the tenth round (249th overall pick) in the NFL draft of 1979. After forcing a Dallas punt, Montana threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Clark to retake the lead, 1410. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen spoke to the media on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, updating reporters on contract negotiations with Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. The 49ers went on to dominate the NFL throughout the remainder of the 1980s, winning four titles within the decade. In the Sports Illustrated article, Montana explained that he never saw The Catch, since he had just been knocked to the ground by Jones, but "I saw Dwight's feet touch the ground. To his credit, when he did catch the ball, he made it count and averaged 18.8 yards per catch. George Rose/Getty Images. Except this time Montana, sprinting right, away from dominant Cowboys pass rusher Harvey Martin, faced a decision. The game was not over, however, and the Cowboys quarterback Danny White had 51 seconds following a Wersching squib kick to move the ball 75 yards. Weeks later, the 49ers drafted Clark in the 10th of 12 rounds, pairing him with their third-round quarterback from Notre Dame. Some people claimed that Montana was trying to throw the ball away, leaving time for a fourth down. 'The Catch' at 40: 5 things to know about that 49ers-Cowboys game. Learn how your comment data is processed. The touchdown, of course, propelled the 49ers to a 28-27 victory over Dallas in the NFC Championship Game. One of the most dramatic plays in NFL history took place 35 years ago. As a freshman, he was moved to wide receiver, because the team had recruited four other quarterbacks. Clark caught it! The representative of the 49ers on the other end managed to convince Clark to serve as Fullers receiver during his workout instead of playing golf. Jim Stuckey recovered the dropped ball, giving the 49ers offense possession near midfield, and allowing Montana to kneel down twice and run out the clock. Kroichick writes features on the Warriors during the NBA season, and various other topics - ranging from the 49ers/NFL and major-league baseball to college football and basketball - the rest of the year. This included a 45-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys earlier on in the year. It's a madhouse at Candlestick! Jan. 8, 2022 Updated: Jan. 8, 2022 6:04 p.m. 5. At Clemson, he wore #30, posting only 33 catches for 571 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 17.3-yard average (seventh in school history). New general manager Ran Carthon pushed back against this notion Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. Your email address will not be published. Montana looking, looking, throwing in the end zone Clark caught it! Although it didn't play out exactly how "The Catch" did, it was just another sweet victory in early January for Clark. Despite the hurried and improvised look of the play on the field, it had mostly run according to plan. Since Clark was lined up near Solomon, he was supposed to position himself to get in the way of Solomon's defender (known as a "pick" or "rub" play), and then release and head for the end zone on his own pattern, providing Montana with a second option. The game was broadcast nationally in the United States by CBS. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. In 2002, Clark resigned from the Browns and returned to his roots in North Carolina where he operated a real estate business. This is also done with Derek Jeter's "flip play" going wide of home plate and Michael Jordan's famous buzzer-beater against Cleveland going off the rim. 49ers: 30 years ago, photographer caught The Catch, SF 49ERS DWIGHT CLARK MAKING " THE CATCH " 49ERS VS. DALLAS COWBOYS, 10 JAN82, 1981 NFC championship game in San Francisco. Bob Hille is a senior content consultant for The Sporting News. Here's NFL Network's list of everything you need to know for the 49ers Week 14 matchup vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Clark built his restaurant, Clark's By The Bay, the year he retired and decorated it with sports memorabilia including The Catch. On June 4, 2018, Dwight Clark died from the disease. Montana completed two quick passes to Clark and Solomon respectively and the 49ers called a timeout with the ball on the Dallas 12. Montana was was running out of room on the sideline. "The Catch" - January 10, 1982 Before "The Catch" The NFL has many notable moments. Montana confirmed that he could not see the end zone through the defenders, but claims that he knew exactly where Clark would be. The skills Clark displayed throughout the workout were something that the 49ers had never seen on tape before. How did he die?. With Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts facing off in the NFC Championship this weekend, relive their 2019 high-scoring Big 12 clash as Iowa State took on Oklahoma. Clark was on the receiving end of the iconic game-winning touchdown -- memorialized as "The Catch" -- in the 1981 NFL Championship Game. He was 61. As a sophomore, he was named the starter at strong safety, but he disliked the position and left school to go back to his hometown in Charlotte instead. It wasn't a John Elway pass - that might have been somewhere in the bleachers, he threw so damn hard.". The Catch is widely regarded as one of the greatest plays in National Football League (NFL) history. Following his workout, the 49ers selected Clark with the first pick of the tenth round, or 249th overall pick, in the 1979 NFL draft. But I certainly suspect it did. I'll be at an autograph thing, there'll be a 10-year old kid saying, "You're The Catch. Five seasons after The Catch, Clark took a job in the 49ers' front office, where he won three more rings. Born on January 8, 1957, in Kinston, North Carolina,[6] Clark graduated from Garinger High School in Charlotte, where he played quarterback. The Cowboys fared no better as White was sacked twice on their next drive, once by Jim Stuckey and once by Lawrence Pillers, and the half ended soon after. The Cowboys had Solomon covered. And as if all of that wasn't enough, the play call that ended with Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson hitting wide receiver Hunter Renfrow for the game-winning 2-yard touchdown against Alabama on Monday looked awfully familiar. On Tuesday, he celebrated the 35th anniversary of "The Catch," the game-tying 6-yard touchdown he caught from Joe Montana in the 1982 NFC Championship Game that set up the game-winning extra point to send the Niners to the Super Bowl. When Walsh called to arrange a workout for Fuller, Clark happened to answer the phone. In 2021, Kroichick earned an Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 award for his feature on Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee conquering cancer. That would be Renaldo Snipes, who in November 1981 gave Holmes a surprisingly tough bout in Pittsburgh, including, by one account, a perfectly timed overhand right (that) connected cleanly with Holmes chin and caused the champions legs to fold up like a defective lawn chair collapsing under an unsuspecting party guest.. Clark's leap and fingertip grab remains one of the most famous plays in NFL history for not only its degree of difficulty, but also for how clutch it was in a big moment. On television, Vin Scully called the play-by-play and Hank Stram did the color commentary. Wide receiver Freddie Solomon was lined up in the right slot, while Dwight Clark was outside of Solomon, wide to the right. Dwight Clarks The Catch is now immortalized in the sporting world. "I will always remember Dwight the way he was -- larger than life, handsome, charismatic and the one who could pull off wearing a fur coat at our Super Bowl parade. The 49ers were 214 in 1978 and had the same record in 1979. Following his sterling career on the field, Clark worked his way through San Francisco's front office, ultimately rising to general manager. If you want to bet on teams currently competing in the championship, you can check out these up-to-date NFL betting odds. The rest is history, as Montana-to-Clark became one of the greatest connections in NFL lore. "What I love about it the most is that it's connected me with 49ers fans for the rest of time," Clark said in 2013. After the workout was over, Walsh was impressed. All stats courtesy ofPro Football Reference. Around the NFL Writer San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark passed away Monday at the age of 61, his family confirmed. The Catch. I cannot put into words how special Dwight was to me and to everyone his life touched. Storey suspected he had a good shot of The Catch, but he didn't know with certainty for several hours. Montana completed a 6-yard pass to Freddie Solomon to get the first down, then handed off twice to Elliot who gained eleven and seven yards respectively, but dropped a second incomplete pass on second-and-three from their own 41-yard line. In retirement, Clark expressed remorse about the end of Candlestick Park, saying that "It was a dump [but] it was our dump, so we could talk bad about it, but we didn't want anybody else to talk bad about it. Here are five things you might not know about the teams, the players, the game and, yes, The Catch, from the pages of The Sporting News: TSN ARCHIVES: Swing right option dooms Dallas. Dwight Clark, a receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, is best known for making what is now seen as one of the most iconic catches during the 1981 NFC Championship. The Niners unveil The Catch statue outside of Levis Stadium in memory of Dwight Clark ? The Catch: How one of the most iconic plays in NFL history tied Dwight Clark and Everson Walls together forever ORG XMIT: [NS_9Clark's Catch ] Headline: Caption: 1-9-95--- Dwight Clarks's catch in . 64: 2011 NFC Divisional Playoff - Saints vs. 49ers "The Catch III" (Jan. 14, 2012) #NFL100 @49ers @VernonDavis85 Television: NFL 100 Greatest Games on @NFLNetwork, "TD could become 'The Catch III' in 49ers lore", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Catch_(American_football)&oldid=1142103148. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass . Returning from the stoppage, Solomon gained 14 yards on a wide receiver reverse play to bring the ball over midfield into Cowboys territory at the 35-yard line. After retiring Dwight Clark remained a part of the 49ers organization working as an executive in the front office. In fact, before his infamous part in The Catch, the Cowboys cornerback had recovered a fumble by the 49ers Walt Easley. However, Solomon slipped while running his route, thus ruining the timing of the play, as Clark was no longer in position to impede Solomon's defender. In 2005, a commercial for the Gatorade sports drink, known as "The Winning Formula", portrayed an alternate version of The Catch, in which the ball bounced out of Clark's fingertips. This dramatic win was the crown jewel of a memorable postseason in the NFL. And then Dwight Clark might not have made The Catch. The Buccaneers are planning to release RB Leonard Fournette when the new league year begins on March 15, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday. Its the same play Niners QB coach Sam Wyche called from the coaches booth on third and 3 from the Cowboys 6 with 58 seconds to play. Montana rolls out of the pocket, backpedals, pump fakes, spots Clark, throws the ball and a 49ers dynasty is born. One is "The Catch," which happened 40 years ago on Jan. 10, 1982. "I cocked my arm to do that when I saw Dwight covered. Clark and Montana re-enacted The Catch in observance of the 25th anniversary of the play as part of San Francisco alumni day activities at halftime of the Minnesota game November 5, 2006, at Candlestick Park. I just dont think I would change anything.? How's this for an autograph gem: San Francisco 49ers legend Dwight Clark drawing up the play that was called on the famous "The Catch" in the 1981 playoffs. He joined Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in 2011 as an analyst for 49ers Postgame Live. Though the ball looked like it was heading out of bounds, Clark made a successful leaping grab and tied the game. It's a touchdown for the 49ers! Clark had been Joe Montana's running mate, and he was himself a legend to football fans, but the prospect of meeting Mays turned Dwight into a hero-worshiping kid. "We extend our condolences and prayers to Dwight's wife, Kelly, his family, friends and fans, as we join together to mourn the death of one the most beloved figures in 49ers history. Dwight Clark was never destined to be a star in the NFL, let alone make one of the greatest catches in NFL history. Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn shared the story of how 49ers legend Joe Perry became the first Black NFL MVP. [18] Clark finished the game with eight receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He also won another Super Bowl in 1984. "I didn't realize at the time that people would keep talking about it. Touchdown! The 49ers defeated the New York Giants in the divisional round and then hosted the Cowboys in a rematch with much more on the linea berth in Super Bowl XVI. Following this workout, Walsh selected Clark for the 49ers' first pick of the tenth round (249th overall pick) in the NFL draft of 1979. New San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh visited Clemson in 1979 to take a look at quarterback Steve Fuller, Clarks roommate. [37] Clark had a close friendship with former 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr.[2] DeBartolo sent Clark to Japan in 2017 to bring back a three-month supply of the drug Radicava before it became available in the United States. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. "You can see from the picture that Dwight is much taller than the defensive back," Storey, now 56 , said recently. Caught by (Dwight) Clark! Kelly Clark. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. However, the Cowboys soon returned the favor with Danny White's interception to linebacker Bobby Leopold, and this time the 49ers converted, regaining the lead at 2117 with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Johnny Davis. Whenever he caught the ball, he made it count and managed to average an impressive 18.8 yards per catch. Despite occurring over 40 years ago, the game-winning touchdown play remains one of the most impressive NFL moves in the history of the sport. This would be the final professional football game that Vin Scully would call the play by play as well as the final game that Pat Summerall did color commentary before moving to play-by-play announcer for the rest of his broadcast career (Summerall had moved from color commentator to play-by-play midway through the 1974 season; working color commentary here as a substitute for Jack Buck's regular radio partner Hank Stram; who was also Scully's main television broadcast partner during the 1981 season). All the TV and radio calls you can handle from Harper, Stott clutch homers on Sunday, Shooters Radio: ECW One Night Stand 05 deep dive. [34][35] At the time of his death, Clark lived in Whitefish, Montana, with his wife Kelly. ", On Monday night, after watching Renfrow haul in the national-title-winning catch while playing the role of Solomon, Clark told CSN Bay Area that the player in his position never had a chance -- much like Solomon didn't -- in 1982 because the player running his route "got pushed to the ground.". [26], Clark was the lead role in the 1993 direct-to-video comedy Kindergarten Ninja. The crowd erupted. San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark hauls in a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana with 51 seconds left in the 1982 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys. Jets general manager Joe Douglas confirmed that Derek Carr will meet with the team a second time during the combine, but New York plans to look at every available option in the veteran quarterback market. The theme of Josh McDaniels' media session at the NFL Scouting Combine was consistently vague: After releasing Derek Carr, the Raiders are going to explore every avenue to address quarterback. 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