The 49ers (12-6) face the Cincinnati Bengals (14-4) at Joe Robbie Stadium for Super Bowl XXIII, Sun January 22, 1989. The 49ers' third Super Bowl appearance.
Montana continues at quarterback. The Bengals start Boomer Esiason. Ickey Woods at running back. Cris Collinsworth and Tim McGee at receiver. Sam Wyche in year fifth as head coach.
Cincinnati comes off a 21-10 AFC Championship win over Buffalo.[1][2][3]
Sam Wyche's Cincinnati Bengals are the AFC's No. 1 seed and the conference champion. Boomer Esiason's MVP-winning offense led the AFC in scoring. Ickey Woods, the rookie out of UNLV, has 203 carries for 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns. Cris Collinsworth has 58 catches for 951. Tim McGee 36 for 686. The Bengals' defense ranks ninth in points allowed.
The 49ers come into the Super Bowl off the 28-3 NFC Championship win at Chicago. The franchise's third Super Bowl in eight years. Bill Walsh's possible final season ends in Miami. The Sunday-evening matchup is the year's most-anticipated football game.
Super Bowl XXIII is the league's championship game at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami. The 49ers (NFC #2) face the Bengals (AFC #1). The Sunday-evening game is the year's most-watched football matchup. The conference championship games produced two two-touchdown 49ers/Bengals wins.
Through the regular season the 49ers finished 10-6 and the Bengals finished 12-4 (AFC Central champs). The two teams played in Super Bowl XVI seven years earlier (49ers 26-21 win). Boomer Esiason 3,572 reg season yards, 28 TDs, 14 INTs (NFL MVP). Ickey Woods 203 reg season carries for 1,066 with 15 TDs. Joe Montana 2,981 reg season yards, 18 TDs, 10 INTs. Jerry Rice 64 catches for 1,306, 9 TDs.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 12-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 10-6 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 10-6 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 12-4 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 9-7 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 9-7 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 8-7-1 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-10 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 9-7 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 8-8 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-9 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-10 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-11-1 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 10-6 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 10-6 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-6 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-11 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 12-4 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 11-5 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-11 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-12 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-12 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-6 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 | W2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-9 | L5 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-9 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-13 | L1 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 41 yard field goal | 0-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Jim Breech 34 yard field goal | 3-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Jim Breech 43 yard field goal | 6-3 |
| 49ers | Mike Cofer 32 yard field goal | 6-6 |
| Bengals | Stanford Jennings 93 yard kickoff return (Jim Breech kick) | 13-6 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Jerry Rice 14 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 13-13 |
| Bengals | Jim Breech 40 yard field goal | 16-13 |
| 49ers | John Taylor 10 yard pass from Joe Montana (Mike Cofer kick) | 16-20 |
Joe Montana threw a 10-yard touchdown to John Taylor with 0:34 left to cap a 92-yard final drive, and the 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium. Montana finished 23 of 36 for 357 yards with two touchdowns. Jerry Rice caught 11 for 215 yards (Super Bowl MVP). Roger Craig ran for 71. John Taylor caught the game-winning touchdown. The 49ers became three-time Super Bowl champions.[1][2][4]
Joe Montana led a 92-yard 11-play final drive to John Taylor's 10-yard touchdown with 0:34 remaining and the 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium. The 49ers became three-time Super Bowl champions and Bill Walsh's 49ers career ended with his third championship. Jerry Rice caught 11 for 215 with Super Bowl MVP honors.
Montana finished 23 of 36 for 357 yards with two touchdowns (Rice 14, Taylor 10) and no interceptions. Rice's 215 receiving yards was the Super Bowl single-game record. The 11 catches tied the Super Bowl record. Taylor caught the 10-yard winner with 0:34 left after Montana found him on a slant from the Bengals' 10-yard line.
Boomer Esiason finished 11 of 25 for 144 with no touchdowns and one interception. Ickey Woods ran 20 for 79. Stanford Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to give Cincinnati a 13-6 lead. Jim Breech's 22-yard field goal with 3:20 left gave Cincinnati the 16-13 lead that set up Montana's 92-yard winning drive. The 92-yard drive included a Rice 27-yard catch, a Roger Craig 8-yard run, and the Taylor 10-yard touchdown.
49ers 20, Bengals 16. Margin: plus 4. Super Bowl XXIII.
A 20-16 Super Bowl XXIII win at Joe Robbie Stadium. The 49ers' third Super Bowl championship. Joe Montana's 92-yard 11-play final drive to John Taylor's touchdown with 0:34 left was the year's signature playoff moment. Jerry Rice's 215 receiving yards set the Super Bowl single-game record.
How it unfolded
Mike Cofer kicked a 41-yard field goal first. Jim Breech kicked a 34-yarder. Cofer added a 32-yarder for 6-3 at the half. Stanford Jennings returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to give Cincinnati a 6-13 lead. Rice's 14-yard touchdown reception tied it 13-13. Jim Breech's 22-yard field goal gave the Bengals a 13-16 lead with 3:20 left. Montana led the 92-yard, 11-play winning drive. The Taylor 10-yard touchdown with 0:34 left made the final 20-16.
The turning point
The Montana 92-yard final drive. With the 49ers down 13-16 and 3:20 remaining, the offense started at its own 8-yard line. The drive included: Roger Craig 1-yard run, Rice 7-yard catch, Taylor 25-yard catch, Rice 14-yard catch, Rice 26-yard catch (advancing to the Bengals' 13), and the Taylor 10-yard touchdown. The drive ended with 0:34 left.
By the numbers
Montana 23 of 36 for 357, 9.9 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The 357 yards were a Super Bowl record at the time. Rice's 215 receiving yards was the Super Bowl single-game record (still stands). The 11 catches tied the Super Bowl record. Roger Craig 71 on 17. Taylor's 10-yard touchdown was his first Super Bowl scoring play. Defense produced one interception of Esiason and four sacks (Charles Haley, Pierce Holt, Larry Roberts, Michael Carter).
Personnel watch
Jerry Rice's Super Bowl MVP performance was the year's signature individual achievement. The 92-yard final drive was Joe Montana's third career walk-off Super Bowl drive. Charles Haley's sack of Esiason was the defensive end's first Super Bowl sack. Stanford Jennings' 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the only Super Bowl special-teams score by either team. The 49ers became three-time Super Bowl champions.
What it means
Third Super Bowl championship. Bill Walsh retired after the game; George Seifert was promoted to head coach. The Catch II (Taylor's touchdown) becomes one of the franchise's most-replayed Super Bowl plays. Jerry Rice's Super Bowl MVP is the receiver's first Super Bowl championship. The dynasty era enters its second decade with the franchise's third Super Bowl title.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 13 | 23 |
| Total Yards | 229 | 452 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 11/25 | 23/36 |
| Pass yards | 144 | 357 |
| Pass TD | 0 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 5 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 21 | 16 |
| Net pass yards | 123 | 341 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 28 | 28 |
| Rush yards | 106 | 111 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 4 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 7 | 4 |
| Penalty yards | 65 | 32 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 23/36 | 357 | 2 | 0 | 115.2 |
| CIN | |||||
| Boomer Esiason | 11/25 | 144 | 0 | 1 | 46.1 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 17 | 71 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 11 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| CIN | ||||
| Ickey Woods | 20 | 79 | 0 | 10 |
| James Brooks | 6 | 24 | 0 | 11 |
| Stanford Jennings | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Boomer Esiason | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Jerry Rice #80 | 11 | 215 | 1 | 44 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 8 | 101 | 0 | 40 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| John Frank | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| John Taylor #82 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| CIN | ||||
| Cris Collinsworth | 3 | 40 | 0 | 23 |
| James Brooks | 2 | 32 | 0 | 20 |
| Eddie Brown | 3 | 32 | 0 | 17 |
| Tim McGee | 2 | 23 | 0 | 18 |
| Ira Hillary | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
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