The Catch (January 10, 1982)
Source: https://www.nydailynews.com
With 58 seconds remaining and the San Francisco 49ers down 27-21 against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship Game and facing third-and-3, 49ers quarterback Joe Montana ran the “Sprint Right Option.” Originally intended for wide receiver Freddie Solomon, who slipped, and with three Cowboys defenders chasing him, including defensive end Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Montana made a pump-fake which made the 6’9” Jones to jump, then threw a pass to the back of the end zone so high it seemed he was throwing the ball away. But receiver Dwight Clark soared through the air to catch the ball and completed a touchdown to tie the game at 28. The extra point made by kicker Ray Wersching would win the game for the 49ers to mark the start of their dynasty in the 80s.
