1972 San Francisco 49ers season

Last updated

1972 San Francisco 49ers season
OwnerJosephine Morabito
Jane Morabito
General manager Louis Spadia
Head coach Dick Nolan
Home stadium Candlestick Park
Results
Record8–5–1
Division place1st NFC West
PlayoffsLost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Cowboys) 28–30
Pro Bowlers C Forrest Blue
G Woody Peoples
WR Gene Washington
TE Ted Kwalick
OLB Dave Wilcox
CB Jimmy Johnson

The 1972 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 23rd season in the National Football League and their 27th overall. The 49ers appeared in the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

Contents

After an ankle injury to quarterback John Brodie in a loss to the Giants to fall to 2–3, [1] Steve Spurrier stepped in and turned things around with brilliant performances to get the 49ers back in the playoff picture by going 5–2–1 in the next eight games. In the regular season finale, Brodie returned late in the third quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the fourth to rally the 49ers to a 20–17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings for an 8–5–1 record and third straight division title. [2] [3]

In the divisional playoffs at Candlestick Park, the 49ers looked poised for a return to the NFC Championship game, leading the Dallas Cowboys 28–13 at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys scored seventeen unanswered points to win by two. [4] [5]

This was the third consecutive season that San Francisco lost to Dallas in the playoffs, and the 49ers' last postseason appearance for nine years.

Offseason

NFL draft

1972 San Francisco 49ers draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
1 19 Terry Beasley   Wide receiver Auburn
228 Ralph McGill   Defensive back Tulsa
244 Jean Barrett   Tackle Tulsastarted playing for the 49ers in 1973
371 Jubilee Dunbar  Wide receiver Southern
496 Windlan Hall  Defensive back Arizona State
5123Mike Greene  Linebacker Georgia
6148 Jackie Walker  Defensive back Tennessee
7175 Ed Hardy   Guard Jackson State started playing for the 49ers in 1973
8200 Tom Wittum *  Punter Northern Illinois started playing for the 49ers in 1973
9227Jerry Brown Defensive back Northwestern
10252Steve Williams  Defensive end Western Carolina
11279 Tom Laputka  Defensive end Southern Illinois
12304Steve Setzler Defensive end Saint John's (MN)
13331Leon Pettigrew Tackle Cal State Northridge
14356 Eric Guthrie   Quarterback Boise State
15383 Bob Maddox  Defensive end Frostburg State was ineligible to be drafted.
16408Ron Davis Guard Virginia State
17435Ted Alexander  Running back Langston
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
Source: [6]

Personnel

Staff / Coaches

1972 San Francisco 49ers staff

Front office

  • Team Owner(s) - Josephine Morabito & Jane Morabito
  • General manager / Team President – Louis Spadia
  • Personnel Scout - Dick Gallagher

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches


Roster

1972 San Francisco 49ers roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

 Practice squad

Reserve


Rookies in italics

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1August 5vs. New York Jets L 10–170–1 Gator Bowl 41,920
2August 13 Cleveland Browns W 20–131–1 Candlestick Park 58,364
3August 19at San Diego Chargers L 16–171–2 San Diego Stadium 47,308
4August 27 Denver Broncos L 24–271–3Candlestick Park58,115
5September 3 Oakland Raiders W 34–212–3Candlestick Park61,237
6September 8at Los Angeles Rams W 17–143–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 60,807

[7]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 17 San Diego Chargers W 34–31–0 Candlestick Park 59,438
2September 24at Buffalo Bills L 20–271–1 War Memorial Stadium 45,845
3October 1at New Orleans Saints W 37–22–1 Tulane Stadium 69,840
4October 8at Los Angeles Rams L 7–312–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 77,382
5October 15 New York Giants L 17–232–3Candlestick Park58,606
6October 22New Orleans SaintsT 20–202–3–1Candlestick Park59,167
7October 29at Atlanta Falcons W 49–143–3–1 Atlanta Stadium 58,850
8November 5at Green Bay Packers L 24–343–4–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 47,897
9November 12 Baltimore Colts W 24–214–4–1Candlestick Park61,214
10November 19at Chicago Bears W 34–215–4–1 Soldier Field 55,701
11 November 23 at Dallas Cowboys W 31–106–4–1 Texas Stadium 65,124
12December 4Los Angeles RamsL 16–266–5–1Candlestick Park61,214
13December 10Atlanta FalconsW 20–07–5–1Candlestick Park61,214
14December 16 Minnesota Vikings W 20–178–5–1Candlestick Park61,214
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

NFC West
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
San Francisco 49ers 851.6073–2–16–4–1353249W2
Atlanta Falcons 770.5003–35–5269274L2
Los Angeles Rams 671.4644–25–5–1291286L2
New Orleans Saints 2111.1791–4–12–8–1215361L3

Postseason

Schedule

RoundDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
DivisionalDecember 23 Dallas Cowboys L 28–300–1 Candlestick Park 61,214

Awards and records

Milestones

References

  1. ↑ "'no comment' on possible Brodie trade". Lodi News-Sentinel. UPI. October 18, 1972. p. 16.
  2. ↑ "Brodie guides 49ers to title". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. December 17, 1972. p. D1.
  3. ↑ "49ers edge Minnesota, 20-17, to take title". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. (South Carolina). Associated Press. December 17, 1972. p. B1.
  4. ↑ "Staubach ends bid by 49ers with late TDs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 24, 1972. p. 1B.
  5. ↑ "Incredible Cowboys do it again". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. December 24, 1972. p. 1B.
  6. ↑ "1972 San Francisco 49ers Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ "1972 San Francisco 49ers (NFL)". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
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