SN 140 Moments: No. 36 - Dwight Clark makes 'The Catch' from Joe Montana to lift 49ers to Super Bowl

Walking through the plaza near Gate A of Levi’s Stadium, the current Santa Clara home of the San Francisco 49ers, fans cannot miss statues of Clark making a leaping catch 11 feet high and Montana raising his arms in celebration with 23 yards in between them. That was the exact height and distance of Montana’s clutch touchdown pass to the clutch wide receiver that rallied the 49ers past the Cowboys, 28-27, in the 1981 NFC championship game.

With San Francisco facing a third-and-four at Dallas’ 6-yard-line, Montana scrambled back to the 13, looking for a target to come open and saw Clark streaking toward the back right corner of the end zone. The play capped off a brilliant 14-play, 89-yard scoring drive by Montana, establishing himself as the NFL’s best clutch QB. The moment put an end to the Cowboys’ NFC dominance from the previous decade and also launched the 49ers’ own 1980s dynasty with Montana and coach Bill Walsh.

44 years ago today, Joe Montana and Dwight Clark sent Candlestick into a frenzy, sparking the flames of a dynasty with the most iconic play in franchise history. #TheCatch ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MXctzUMzQz

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