Editing San Francisco 49ers (section)

===== Super Bowl XXIII champions (1988) =====
During the off-season, a quarterback controversy between Joe Montana and Steve Young had begun after Montana's poor performance in the playoffs the previous year. Many speculated that the 1988 season would be his last year with the team. In the [[1988 NFL season]], the 49ers struggled to start the season; Walsh would constantly switch QBs between Montana (who suffered an elbow injury week 1 that would linger for most of the season) and Young. At one point, they were 6–5 and the team was in danger of missing the playoffs. Before week 11, [[Ronnie Lott]] called a players-only meeting; after the meeting, the team came together and defeated the defending Super Bowl champion [[1988 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] in a Monday night game, Montana had fully recovered from his injury and retook the starting quarterback job as the team eventually finished the season at 10–6.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1988 San Francisco 49ers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/1988.htm |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> They gained a measure of revenge by routing the [[1988 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]] 34–9 in the divisional playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers - January 1st, 1989 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198901010sfo.htm |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The 49ers then traveled to Chicago's [[Soldier Field]] for the NFC championship against the [[Chicago Bears]], where the wind chill factor at game time was −26°.<ref name="h206">{{cite web | last=Hawley | first=Larry | title=A look at memorable Bears' cold weather games in Chicago | website=WGN-TV | date=2022-12-23 | url=https://wgntv.com/sports/bears-report/a-look-at-memorable-bears-cold-weather-games-in-chicago/ | access-date=2024-08-30}}</ref> However, despite the weather, Joe Montana picked apart the Bears' top-rated defense by scoring three touchdowns as the 49ers dominated the Bears with a 28–3 victory, earning the team's third trip to the Super Bowl, to go against the [[Cincinnati Bengals]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears - January 8th, 1989 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198901080chi.htm |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> In [[Super Bowl XXIII]], despite numerous trips deep into Cincinnati territory by the 49ers, the game was tied 3–3 at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, Montana tied the score at 13; however, Cincinnati regained the lead on a [[Jim Breech]] field goal to put the Bengals ahead 16–13 with just over three minutes left on the clock. Following the kickoff, and a holding penalty, the 49ers took over on their 8-yard line with 3:08 left on the clock. Joe Montana began the final drive by stepping into the huddle and remarking to offensive tackle [[Harris Barton]], during a television timeout, "hey, there's [[John Candy]]", as he pointed to the stands on the other side of the field.<ref name=comeback>{{cite web | url=http://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016306.html | title=Montana was comeback king | work=[[ESPN.com]] | last=Schwartz | first=Larry | access-date=August 12, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809043825/http://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016306.html | archive-date=August 9, 2017 | url-status=live}}</ref> His calm demeanor reassured the 49ers, and he then engineered what some consider the greatest drive in Super Bowl history, as he drove the team 92 yards for the winning touchdown on a pass to [[John Taylor (American football)|John Taylor]] with only 34 seconds left, as they captured their third Super Bowl championship with a score of 20–16.<ref name="l618">{{cite web | last=Reid | first=Ron | title=TAYLOR MAKES AMENDS WITH THE WINNING CATCH | website=Inquirer.com | date=2008-01-25 | url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/online_extras/20080125_TAYLOR_MAKES_AMENDS_WITH_THE_WINNING_CATCH.html | access-date=2024-08-30}}</ref> Jerry Rice was named Super Bowl MVP.<ref name=comeback/>