Editing Super Bowl XVI (section)

===San Francisco 49ers===
{{main|1981 San Francisco 49ers season}}

San Francisco finished the regular season with a league-best 13–3 record. The 49ers' success surprised many because they finished with a 6–10 record during the [[1980 San Francisco 49ers season|previous season]] and a 2–14 record in [[1979 San Francisco 49ers season|1979]] (they even still had home blackouts early on in the 1981 season, the last blackouts for the 49ers to date). A major reason for the team's improvement was the emergence of their young quarterback, [[Joe Montana]]. In his third professional season, Montana completed 311 out of 488 passes (a league-leading 63.7 completion percentage) for 3,565 yards and 19 touchdowns (he also threw 12 interceptions). His favorite target was third-year wide receiver [[Dwight Clark]], who had the best season of his career with 85 receptions for 1,104 yards and four touchdowns. Fellow wide receiver [[Freddie Solomon]] was also a reliable target with 59 receptions, 969 yards, and eight touchdowns, while tight end [[Charle Young]] caught 37 passes for 400 yards and five touchdowns. Running back [[Ricky Patton]] was the top rusher on the team with 543 yards and four touchdowns, while also catching 27 passes for 195 yards. Multi-talented running back [[Earl Cooper (NFL)|Earl Cooper]] also provided the team with a rushing and receiving threat, going for 330 yards on the ground and 477 receiving yards on 51 catches. Much of San Francisco's success was aided by its offensive line of [[Dan Audick]] (LT), [[John Ayers]] (LG), [[Fred Quillan]] (C), [[Randy Cross]] (RG), and [[Keith Fahnhorst]] (RT).

Although the 49ers had three rookies starting as defensive backs, all three were major threats to opposing offsenses. [[Carlton Williamson]] recorded four interceptions, [[Eric C. Wright|Eric Wright]] had three and [[Ronnie Lott]], who had the best statistical season of his career, recorded seven interceptions and tied an NFL record by returning three of them for touchdowns. Three-year veteran defensive back [[Dwight Hicks]] led the team with nine interceptions, which he returned for 239 yards and a touchdown, giving the secondary a total of 23 picks. Defensive end [[Fred Dean]] and linebacker [[Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds]] made it difficult for opposing teams to rush the ball; Dean became a 49er after an in-season trade with the San Diego Chargers and piled up 12 sacks for San Francisco.

The 49ers' defense ranked second in the NFL with 250 points allowed for the season (up from their 27th ranking in [[1980 San Francisco 49ers season|1980]]). Only the [[ 1981 Philadelphia Eagles season|Eagles]] had a better defense in the league that year, allowing just 221 points.