By Darin “Well, you can sit at home with the rest of America and watch the Super Bowl.” ~Joe Montana to Ed “Too Tall” Jones
Oakland, California · Monday, January 11, 1982
49ers QB Joe Montana escapes Dallas linebacker Bob Breunig to throw the famous “Catch” pass to Dwight Clark.
Legendary Voice (Quote): The legendary quote from Joe Montana that followed the play, encapsulating the moment:
January 10: The End of an Empire
Focus: The Catch
- Factoid/Lore: On January 10, 1982, San Francisco 49ers receiver Dwight Clark made “The Catch”—a game-winning touchdown grab from Joe Montana with 58 seconds left in the NFC Championship against the Dallas Cowboys. The lore states that after the play, Cowboys defensive end “Too Tall” Jones told Montana, “You just beat America’s Team,” to which Montana reportedly replied, “Well, you can sit at home with the rest of America and watch the Super Bowl.” This play is widely regarded as symbolizing the end of the Cowboys’ dynasty and the birth of the 49ers’ dynasty.
- Segment Hook: “The dynasty died on this date. January 10th is the anniversary of ‘The Catch,’ the single play that shifted the power of the NFC for a generation.”
