Editing Super Bowl XXIX (section)

===First quarter===
After 49ers running back [[Dexter Carter]] returned the opening kickoff 9 yards to the San Francisco 26-yard line, a face mask penalty on Chargers linebacker [[Doug Miller (American football)|Doug Miller]] allowed San Francisco to start at their own 41. On the third play of the drive, quarterback [[Steve Young (American football)|Steve Young]] threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver [[Jerry Rice]] to take an early 7–0 lead. The 49ers became the second team to take the opening kickoff and score a touchdown on that first drive (the first being the [[Miami Dolphins]] in [[Super Bowl VIII]]), and also set a new Super Bowl record for the fastest touchdown (later broken by the [[Chicago Bears]]' [[Devin Hester]] in [[Super Bowl XLI]]). After forcing the Chargers to punt after a three-and-out on their opening possession, the 49ers advanced 79 yards in four plays, with Young rushing for 21 yards and then throwing a 51-yard touchdown pass to running back [[Ricky Watters]] to give San Francisco a 14–0 lead less than 5 minutes into the first quarter and set a Super Bowl record for the fastest second touchdown scored by a team.

San Diego responded on their ensuing possession, marching 78 yards in 13 plays and taking more than 7 minutes off the clock. The drive featured two receptions and a run by running back [[Ronnie Harmon]] for 33 yards and six runs by running back [[Natrone Means]] for 22 yards, the last one being a 1-yard touchdown run, cutting the Chargers' deficit to 14–7. However, the 49ers quickly countered after the ensuing kickoff, driving 70 yards in 10 plays. Rice started off the drive with a 19-yard reception and 10-yard run on a reverse play, while Young added a 12-yard completion to wide receiver [[John Taylor (American football)|John Taylor]] and a 15-yard scramble.