This article is a list of seasons completed by the San Francisco 49ers, an American football franchise representing the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers are members of the West division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The list documents the season-by-season records of the 49ers' franchise from 1946 to present, including postseason records, and league awards for individual players or head coaches. The San Francisco 49ers began play in 1946 as charter members of the All-America Football Conference. When the 49ers joined the NFL after the AAFC-NFL merger in 1950, they never won a division or conference title, and only finished as high as second once from 1950 to 1969. After winning three consecutive division titles from 1970 to 1972, they would return to losing in 1973 and achieved only one winning season for the rest of the decade. From 1981 to 1998, the 49ers had one of the most successful stretches of dominance in NFL history. Armed with Bill Walsh's innovative West Coast offense, Hall of Fame level quarterback play in Joe Montana and later Steve Young, and a dominant defense, the 49ers would win five Super Bowls in 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, and 1994, and made the playoffs every year but 1982 and 1991 during their run of dominance.
Another playoff drought lasted from 2003–2010, a stretch of eight non-winning seasons. This drought came to end under rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh when the 49ers won their division with a 13–3 record in 2011. From 2011 to 2013, they earned three straight berths in the NFC Championship Game, which included a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. They would have another stretch of non-winning seasons from 2014–2018 before a 13–3 turnaround season in 2019 saw them win the NFC, but lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Since losing Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers have been to two NFC Conference Championship Games and another Super Bowl in the last three seasons, losing both NFCCGs on the road and Super Bowl LVIII once again to the Chiefs.
NFL champions (1920–1969)§ | Super Bowl champions (1966–present)† | Conference champions * | Division champions ^ | Wild Card berth # | One-game playoff berth + |
Statistics above are current as of February 11, 2024.
Statistic | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|
All-America Football Conference regular season record | 38 | 14 | 2 | .722 |
AAFC postseason record | 1 | 1 | — | .500 |
National Football League regular season record | 586 | 500 | 14 | .539 |
NFL postseason record | 38 | 24 | — | .613 |
AAFC and NFL regular and postseason record | 663 | 539 | 16 | .551 |
1 Due to a strike-shortened season in 1982, all teams were ranked by conference instead of division.
The Super Bowl is the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game has been played on the second Sunday in February. Prior Super Bowls were played on Sundays in early to mid-January from 1967 to 1978, late January from 1979 to 2003, and the first Sunday of February from 2004 to 2021. Winning teams are awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the eponymous coach who won the first two Super Bowls. Because the NFL restricts the use of its "Super Bowl" trademark, it is frequently referred to as the "big game" or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations. The day the game is held is commonly referred to as "Super Bowl Sunday" or simply "Super Sunday".
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "the Comeback Kid", Montana is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. After winning a national championship with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Montana began his NFL career in 1979 at San Francisco, where he played for the next 14 seasons. With the 49ers, Montana started and won four Super Bowls and was the first player to be named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times. He also holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception and the all-time highest passer rating of 127.8. In 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played for his last two seasons and led the franchise to its first AFC Championship Game. Montana was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Jerry Lee Rice is an American former football wide receiver who played for 20 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers before two shorter stints at the end of his career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. Nicknamed "World" because of his superb catching ability, his accomplishments and numerous records, Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in NFL history. His biography on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website names him "the most prolific wide receiver in NFL history with staggering career totals". In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players". In 2010, he was chosen by NFL Network's NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players as the greatest player in NFL history.
Kyle Michael Shanahan is an American football coach who is the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, whose offense in 2016 led the league in points scored and helped the team reach Super Bowl LI. Shanahan became the head coach of the 49ers the following season, whom he has led to three division titles, four postseason appearances, four NFC Championship Game appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances.
Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Thomas developed into an all-around threat as a runner, pass catcher, blocker, and special teams player. He led the Saints in rushing yards in 2008 and 2009 and again in 2013, when he also led all NFL running backs in receiving yards. He became known for his excellence in executing the screen pass; it was a screen pass on which he scored the Saints' first touchdown in their 31–17 win in Super Bowl XLIV, two weeks after he had scored two touchdowns in the Saints' 2009 NFC Championship game victory.
Sean McVay is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Rams. He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was hired by the Rams in 2017 at the age of 30. McVay is also the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl and be named NFL Coach of the Year. Prior to becoming Rams head coach, he served as a tight ends coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins.
Bobby Joseph Wagner is an American football linebacker for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah State Aggies and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. Wagner also played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Kendrick L. Bourne is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Washington. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers.
Ke'Aundre J'Quan "Dre" Greenlaw is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arkansas and was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Ji'Ayir A'Veon Brown is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Lackawanna and Penn State.