The Joe Montana versus Tom Brady debate may never end, but it's always interesting to hear the perspective of players – especially one like former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark, who a young Brady watched from the stands at Candlestick Park as he leaped up to haul in the Montana thrown football and send the 49ers to their first Super Bowl. It doesn't hurt that Clark is not a fan of Brady's team, the New England Patriots, and is rooting for the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Is Clark a little bit bias in the debate? Probably. But that doesn't necessarily make him wrong.
On Monday, Clark
joined "Murph & Mac" on KNBR to discuss a number of 49ers related topics. The first of which was the Super Bowl LI matchup between the Patriots and Falcons. "[The Patriots] cheat from top to bottom, any chance they get," Clark said. "I just can't believe they're in the Super Bowl again, so, guess who I'm pulling for?"
Clark was then asked about his thoughts on the never ending Montana versus Brady debate. He was asked if the talk among the media that Brady might be the best quarterback of all time rubs him the wrong way. "Hell yeah, it rubs me the wrong way," Clark answered. "I've been in the huddle with Joe Montana and they always say that Brady wins with receivers you've never heard of. I was an 11th-round pick. Joe Montana won a Super Bowl with me. I mean, come on!"
Other than Clark's response being pretty humorous, it was also a point that most making an argument for Brady forget. The media and fans are quick to point out that Montana had wide receiver Jerry Rice, which contributed to his greatness. The problem with that argument is that Montana and the 49ers had already won two Super Bowls before Rice was even drafted in 1985.
Clark did go on to acknowledge that Brady is good and he works well within the Patriots system, making them tough to stop. "They're well-coached," he said. "They are kind of like the 49ers of the 80s. They've just been doing it for so long. It's amazing that they've been able to do it year after year after year."
Both Montana and Brady have won four Super Bowl championships. While Brady has been to seven Super Bowls, three more than Montana, the former 49ers quarterback never lost one and was a perfect 4-0. Both were named Super Bowl MVP three times as well. A victory by Brady on February 5 would put him past Montana for the most Super Bowl victories by a quarterback.
Clark also shared his thoughts on Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons offensive coordinator who is very likely to be named the 49ers' newest head coach following the Super Bowl. Clark is excited about the presumptive hire. "I'm very excited for him to be the head coach," he said. "I don't know if he can be the head coach because he's never done it, but he seems to have something going there in Atlanta that is very innovative. It's like Mike Shanahan took the West Coast offense to another level. It's like [Mike] Holmgren took it up a notch, Shanahan took it up a notch, and it looks like his son has taken it up a notch.
"Those guys yesterday – sometimes they were wide open by three yards and that's the way the West Coast offense is supposed to work – find the open guy. And there were open guys all over the field yesterday. His innovation or whatever he's doing to that West Coast offense makes me excited because it took Bill [Walsh] a couple of years to build us up to where we could win a Super Bowl and the 49ers got a long way to go, but if you have a guy that you believe in and you're getting better every year, I think the 49er fans will be patient for a couple of years."
You can
listen to the entire interview on
KNBR.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch spoke to the media on Tuesday as the team opens its 2021 training camp. Here is everything they had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Opening comments:
General Manager John Lynch: "We want to welcome [vice president of football communications] Corry Rush. I think you guys have all met Corry and I also want to thank [senior manager of football communications] Mike Chasanoff for doing an unbelievable job along with [coordinator of football communications] Tessa [Giammona] and [manager of football communications] Pete [Volmut] as we were filling that role. I'm excited to get on with camp. A couple of
Kyle Juszczyk spent his first four NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before signing with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. The best fullback in the league re-signed with the team in March, ensuring he remains in the Bay Area through the 2025 season.
It sounds like Juszczyk has no regrets about the decision to remain with head coach Kyle Shanahan. It's an offensive scheme that suits him and takes advantage of his unique versatility. Juszczyk may not have had the same opportunities with another organization.
"I definitely have had the most fun in San Francisco because I am a little more featured," Juszczyk said this week on The Ross Tucker Football Podcast. "'Featured' is different as a fullback. I'm not the featured halfback or the No. 1 receiver. ...
The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their first practice of training camp today. Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters after the players came off the field. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Opening comments:
"The guys just doing individual only right now, waiting to be safe before we allow in team stuff is [WR Jalen] Hurd, [DL Nick] Bosa, [DL Dee] Ford and [DL Javon] Kinlaw. Go ahead."
The guys you mentioned going on COVID, does that have a positive impact in the weeks ahead? As far as counting toward the vaccinated players you have on your team?
"What do you mean by positive
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced the following names of individuals who will be part of the team's 2021 Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
Saleh is the cousin of former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
The program's objective is to use the experience to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, and gain experience in coaching with a goal of landing a full-time NFL position. The program was designed as a vocational tool to
