Season opener on the road at Tampa Stadium on Sun September 7, 1986. The 49ers (0-0) travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0).
Joe Montana enters year eight under Walsh. Roger Craig anchors the backfield. Jerry Rice begins his second season. Steve DeBerg, the former 49ers starter (1979-1980), is Tampa's quarterback.
The 49ers come off a 10-6 season and Wild Card loss to the Giants.[1][2][3]
Opening on the road against DeBerg is a symmetry the schedule occasionally produces. DeBerg started for the 49ers in 1979-1980 before Montana took the job; Walsh dealt him to Denver in 1981. The reunion is in Tampa, where his franchise went 2-14 last year.
Rice enters 1986 as a second-year receiver after 49 catches and 927 rookie yards. The passing game's ceiling in year two is the opener's question. Montana and Rice have one training camp together. The season's first game is the measurement.
The NFL's opening weekend sets the 1986 conference map. The 49ers enter as the NFC's marquee franchise after Super Bowl wins in 1981 and 1984. Tampa Bay went 2-14 in 1985 — the week's clearest mismatch. The NFC East's Giants and Cowboys are the conference's other early headlines. The 49ers' road opener at Tampa Stadium is the West's first result and the benchmark for Walsh's year-eight team beginning the defense of recent conference dominance.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to 0-0. The 49ers went 10-6 in 1985 and lost to the Giants 3-17 in the Wild Card round. Montana threw for 3,653 yards in 1985. Rice caught 49 passes for 927 yards as a rookie. Craig rushed for 1,050 yards and caught 1,016. Tampa Bay went 2-14 in 1985 with DeBerg at quarterback. The 49ers have won their last three regular season games against the Buccaneers.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Houston Oilers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Los Angeles Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
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Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 7-0 |
| 49ers | Mike Wilson 4 yard pass from Joe Montana (Ray Wersching kick) | 14-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| No scoring this quarter. | ||
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | Gerald Carter 31 yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Donald Igwebuike kick) | 14-7 |
| 49ers | Ray Wersching 30 yard field goal | 17-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Roger Craig 1 yard rush (Ray Wersching kick) | 24-7 |
| 49ers | John Frank 10 yard pass from Jeff Kemp (Ray Wersching kick) | 31-7 |
Joe Montana threw two touchdowns on 33 of 48 for 366 yards before exiting with a back injury as the 49ers beat Tampa Bay 31-7 at Tampa Stadium. Jeff Kemp came in relief and threw a touchdown to John Frank. Roger Craig rushed for two touchdowns. The defense intercepted Steve DeBerg seven times. The 49ers moved to 1-0.[1][2][3]
The 49ers opened 1986 with a 31-7 blowout at Tampa, but the game's lasting consequence was Montana's back injury requiring spinal disc surgery, sidelining him through Week 8. Montana started and had 366 passing yards before leaving; Jeff Kemp finished cleanly, throwing a 10-yard touchdown to John Frank.
The defense's seven DeBerg interceptions were the statistical headline. The 49ers converted the turnover margin into field position advantages throughout. Craig's two rushing touchdowns reflected the run game's control when the defense generates turnovers at that rate.
The 31-7 final was the year's most dominant opener margin — but the news after the final whistle was Montana's exit. The back surgery timeline put his return at six to eight weeks.
49ers 31, Buccaneers 7. Margin: plus 24. Record: 1-0.
A 31-7 road opener win at Tampa Stadium. Montana exits with the back injury that defines the year's first half.
How it unfolded
Craig's first rushing touchdown opened the scoring. Montana's two touchdown passes built the 21-7 halftime lead. DeBerg's seven interceptions disrupted every Tampa drive. Kemp finished the game and threw the final touchdown to Frank.
The turning point
Montana's back injury exit. The 49ers won comfortably, but the post-game news about spinal surgery changed the year's first-half picture. Jeff Kemp inherits the starting role for at least six weeks.
By the numbers
Montana plus Kemp: 33 of 48 combined, 366 yards. Defense: 7 interceptions. Craig: 2 rushing touchdowns on 30 carries for 108 yards.
Personnel watch
Montana's disc surgery means Jeff Kemp starts W2 at Anaheim against the Rams. Kemp's first NFL start in the 49ers' system comes in a division game on the road. The run game and Rice's emerging role carry the offense until Montana returns.
What it means
1-0 with the first division game at Anaheim next Sunday. Kemp takes over.
| SF | Opp | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 28 | 17 |
| Total Yards | 453 | 286 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 7 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 33/48 | 18/40 |
| Pass yards | 366 | 214 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 1 | 7 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 3 |
| Sack yards lost | 21 | 19 |
| Net pass yards | 345 | 195 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 30 | 20 |
| Rush yards | 108 | 91 |
| Rush TD | 2 | 0 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 2 | 2 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Penalties | 9 | 5 |
| Penalty yards | 55 | 38 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Joe Montana #16 | 32/46 | 356 | 1 | 1 | 90.5 |
| Jeff Kemp | 1/2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 104.2 |
| TAM | |||||
| Steve DeBerg | 18/40 | 214 | 1 | 7 | 30.6 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Roger Craig #33 | 14 | 42 | 2 | 9 |
| Joe Cribbs | 10 | 38 | 0 | 8 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| Derrick Harmon | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Jeff Kemp | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Joe Montana #16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TAM | ||||
| James Wilder | 18 | 81 | 0 | 21 |
| Ron Springs | 2 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Dwight Clark #87 | 7 | 100 | 0 | 19 |
| Russ Francis #81 | 6 | 91 | 0 | 23 |
| Roger Craig #33 | 9 | 76 | 0 | 19 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 5 | 54 | 0 | 14 |
| Mike Wilson #85 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 12 |
| John Frank | 1 | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Tom Rathman #44 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Derrick Harmon | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Joe Cribbs | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| TAM | ||||
| Gerald Carter | 4 | 67 | 1 | 31 |
| Jimmie Giles | 4 | 51 | 0 | 20 |
| James Wilder | 5 | 50 | 0 | 25 |
| Phil Freeman | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| Kevin House | 2 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Nathan Wonsley | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Calvin Magee | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1986 W1 - 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Game Thread