Beloved former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. attended a screening of AMC's docuseries "Rise of the 49ers" on Tuesday night, set to premiere this Sunday. His former team recently wrapped another season without reaching its ultimate goal: a sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy for the Bay Area.
When asked about the 49ers' 31-year championship drought, NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Matt Maiocco posed the question: how frustrating would it be as an owner to go so long without a Super Bowl?
DeBartolo's blunt response was caught by CBS Sports Bay Area's Matt Lively: "I wouldn't."
Eddie DeBartolo was asked how frustrating it would be to go 31 years without a championship as an owner?
"I wouldn't." #49ers | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/vylBDaG7Eb
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) January 28, 2026
DeBartolo was renowned for his passion to win and his willingness to invest whatever was necessary to do so. That dedication produced five Super Bowl championships during the 1980s and 1990s, cementing the 49ers as an NFL dynasty.
DeBartolo owned the 49ers from 1977 to 2000, transforming the franchise into a powerhouse. His tenure ended amid controversy when he was implicated in a Louisiana gambling investigation and accused of failing to report a felony, prompting the NFL to bar him from running the team for a year.
He could have returned to the 49ers. However, in 2000, ownership transferred to his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, and her husband, John York, in return for other parts of the family business. The York's son, Jed York, is the current owner of the 49ers, having previously served as the team's CEO.