Super Bowl Summaries

Super Bowl XXIII
San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
MVP: WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco

January 22, 1989
Miami, Florida; Joe Robbie Stadium
Attendance: 75,129

Super Bowl XXIII

Photograph by: Walter Iooss Jr.
Rice made a Super Bowl-record 11 catches.

In the most exciting finish since Super Bowl V, San Francisco's Joe Montana engineered a last-minute touchdown drive to give the Niners their third title. With just over three minutes to go, the Niners were trailing 16-13. They had the ball on their own 8. In their first 10 plays, Montana and the Niners drove 82 yards to the Cincinnati 10. On the 11th play of The Drive, Montana threw a 10-yard dart to John Taylor, whose touchdown catch gave San Francisco a 20-16 lead with just 34 seconds left. Rice was named the MVP for his record 11-reception, 215-yard day, which included five fourth-quarter catches for 109 yards.

Super Bowl XXIII Drive Charts and Play-by-Play

San Francisco won the coin toss and elected to receive.

First quarter
San Francisco (15:00)
Johnson kick to SF 16, Sydney 11 return (Parker).
SF 27 1–10 Rice 5 reverse left (Williams).
SF 322–5Craig run left, no gain (Buck).
SF 323–5Montana 10 pass to Craig right (Bussey).
SF 421–10Montana sacked, loss of 6 (Fulcher).
SF 362–16Craig 6 sweep left (Williams).
SF 423–10Montana recovered fumbled snap, loss of 2.
SF 404–12Helton 34 punt out of bounds at C 26.
Cincinnati (12:31)
C 261–10Esiason 17 pass to Brown right (McKyer).
C 431–10Woods 8 run left (Turner).
SF 492–2Brooks reverse right, loss of 1 (Fuller).
503–3Woods 6 run wide left (Lott).
SF 441–10Esiason pass to Holman right incomplete.
SF 442–10Woods 5 run left (Haley).
SF 393–5Esiason pass to McGee right incomplete.
SF 394–5Johnson 36 punt, downed at SF 3.
San Francisco (8:16)
SF 31–10Craig 8 run right (Krumrie).
SF 112–2Montana 2 run evading pass rush (Williams).
SF 131–10Montana 8 pass to Frank right (White).
SF 212–2Montana 12 pass to Rice left (E. Thomas).
SF 331–10Montana pass to Taylor incomplete. Play nullified and Cincinnati penalized 15 for roughing the passer (Grant).
SF 481–10Craig 9 run left (Wilcots).
C 432–1Rathman 3 run middle (Williams).
C 401–10Rathman run left, no gain (Grant).
C 402–10Montana pass to Taylor deep incomplete.
C 403–10Montana 16 pass to Rathman right (Bussey).
C 241–10Montana pass to Wilson right incomplete.
C 242–10Montana pass to Craig dropped, incomplete.
C 243–10Montana pass to Rice right incomplete.
C 244–10Cofer, 41–yard field goal (3:14).
 
 San Francisco scoring drive: 73 yards, 12 plays, 5:02.
San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 0
Cincinnati (3:14)
Cofer kick into end zone, touchback.
C 201–10Brooks 3 run right (Roberts).
C 232–7Woods 8 run middle (Fuller).
C 311–10Woods 2 run left (Lott).
C 332–8Esiason pass to Riggs incomplete.
C 333–8Esiason pass to Brown broken up (Lott), incomplete.
C 334–8Johnson 48 punt, Taylor 11 return (Barker).
San Francisco (:23)
SF 301–10Montana 16 pass to Rice right sideline.
SF 461–10Montana 8 pass to Craig left (Fulcher).
 END OF FIRST QUARTER:
San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 0
Second Quarter
C 462–2Craig 5 run left (Wilcots).
C 411–10Montana 30 pass to Rice deep right sideline.
C 111–10Rathman 2 run middle (Williams).
C 92–8Montana pass to Frank overthrown, incomplete.
C 93–8Rathman 7 run middle (Horton). San Francisco–first time out (13:02).
C 24–1Cofer’s 19–yard field–goal attempt was wide left.
Cincinnati (12:59)
C 201–10Esiason pass to Brown broken up (Griffin), incomplete.
C 202–10Woods 1 run left (Carter).
C 213–9Esiason 7 pass to Brown left (Lott).
C 284–2Johnson 63 punt, Taylor 45 return (Horton).
San Francisco (11:06)
C 461–10Montana lateral recovered by Sydney, loss of 10.
SF 442–20Montana sacked, loss of 2 (Grant).
SF 423–22Craig 13 run left (Fulcher), fumbled, Skow recovered for Cincinnati at C 41.
Cincinnati (9:54)
C 411–10Esiason 6 pass to Collinsworth right flat.
C 472–4Brooks 11 run off right tackle (Fuller).
SF 421–10Esiason pass to McGee broken up (McKyer), incomplete.
SF 422–10Esiason pass incomplete out of bounds.
SF 423–10Esiason sacked, loss of 8 (Stubbs).
504–18Johnson 39 punt, Taylor fair catch.
San Francisco (7:52)
SF 111–10Craig run off right tackle, no gain (Fulcher).
SF 112–10Montana pass to Craig overthrown, incomplete.
SF 113–10Montana 10 pass to Craig (Barker).
SF 211–10Craig run wide left, no gain (Fulcher).
SF 212–10Montana 10 pass to Frank. Play nullified and San Francisco penalized 10 for holding (Cross).
SF 112–20Craig run right, loss of 3 (McClendon).
SF 83–23Montana 4 pass to Craig (E. Thomas). Illegal block downfield against San Francisco (Sapolu) is declined.
SF 124–19Helton 37 punt, Horton 5 return.
Cincinnati (4:04)
SF 441–10Woods 3 run right (Stubbs).
SF 412–7Esiason 18 pass to McGee left sideline (Lott).
SF 231–10Brooks 3 run left (Griffin). Two–Minute Warning.
SF 202–7Woods 4 run off right tackle (Haley).
SF 163–3Esiason pass to Brown overthrown, incomplete.
SF 164–3Breech, 34–yard field goal (1:15).
 Cincinnati scoring drive: 28 yards, 5 plays, 2:45.
San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 3
San Francisco (1:15)
Johnson kick to SF 3, Rodgers 22 return.
SF 251–10Craig 11 sweep left (Thomas, Horton).
SF 361–10Montana pass to Craig dropped, incomplete.
SF 362–10Montana sacked, loss of 5 (Buck). Cincinnati–first time out (:36).
SF 313–15Rathman 11 run middle (Bussey). Cincinnati–second time out (:28).
SF 424–4Helton 55 punt, downed at C 3.
Cincinnati (:13)
C 31–10Esiason run, no gain.
 END OF SECOND QUARTER:
San Francisco 3, Cincinnati 3
Third quarter
Cincinnati (15:00)
Cofer kick to goal line, Jennings 24 return (Holmoe). Cincinnati penalized 10 for holding (Bussey).
C 141–10Woods 5 run off right tackle (Walter).
C 192–5Woods 6 run right (Fahnhorst).
C 251–10Brooks 5 run wide left (Lott). Play nullified and San Francisco penalized 5 for offsides (Haley).
C 301–5Esiason 23 pass to Collinsworth (Griffin).
SF 471–10Woods run middle, loss of 1 (Fagan).
SF 482–11Esiason 6 run. Play nullified and Cincinnati penalized 10 for holding (Reimers).
C 422–21Esiason 20 pass to Brooks left flat (Griffin).
SF 383–1Woods 3 run off right tackle (Haley).
SF 351–10Woods 3 run right. Play nullified and Cincinnati penalized 5 for illegal procedure.
SF 401–15Esiason sacked, no gain (Fagan).
SF 402–15Brooks 7 run wide right (McKyer).
SF 333–8Esiason 11 pass to Collinsworth left (Griffin).
SF 221–10Woods 3 run left (Romanowski).
SF 192–7Cincinnati penalized 5 for false start (Kozerski).
SF 242–12Woods run middle, loss of 1 (Fagan).
SF 253–13Esiason pass to McGee incomplete. Illegal motion against Cincinnati declined.
SF 254–13Breech, 43–yard field goal (5:45).
 Cincinnati scoring drive: 61 yards, 12 plays, 9:15.
Cincinnati 6, San Francisco 3
San Francisco (5:45)
Johnson kick to goal line, Rodgers 16 return (Smith). Cincinnati penalized 15 for personal foul–facemask (Smith).
SF 311–10Montana pass to Rice underthrown, incomplete.
SF 312–10Montana 11 keeper wide right.
SF 421–10Craig 4 run middle (Zander).
SF 462–6Montana 12 pass to Rice left (Wilcots).
C 421–10Craig 4 run wide left (Grant).
C 382–6Montana sacked, loss of 3 (Williams).
C 413–9Montana pass to Craig broken up (Bussey), incomplete.
C 414–9Helton 22 punt, touched by Hillary, Horton recovered for Cincinnati at C 19.
Cincinnati (2:29)
C 191–10Esiason pass to McGee left intercepted at C 23, Romanowski no return (Holman).
San Francisco (2:22)
C 231–10Montana pass to Rice dropped, incomplete.
C 232–10Craig 3 run left (Williams).
C 203–7Montana 5 pass to Rice middle (Billups).
C 154–2Cofer, 32–yard field goal (:50).
 San Francisco scoring drive: 8 yards, 3 plays, 1:32.
Cincinnati 6, San Francisco 6
Cincinnati (:50)
Cofer kick to C 7, Jennings 93 return up middle, touchdown (:34). Breech kicked extra point.
 Cincinnati scoring drive: 93–yard kickoff return, :16.
Cincinnati 13, San Francisco 6
San Francisco (:34)
Johnson kick to SF 2, Taylor 13 return.
SF 151–10Montana 31 pass to Rice left (Wilcots).
 END OF THIRD QUARTER:
Cincinnati 13, San Francisco 6
Fourth Quarter
SF 461–10Montana 40 pass to Craig deep right (Billups).
C 141–10Montana pass to Taylor almost intercepted (Billups), incomplete.
C 142–10Montana 14 pass to Rice left, touchdown (14:03). Cofer kicked extra point.
 San Francisco scoring drive: 85 yards, 4 plays, 1:31.
Cincinnati 13, San Francisco 13
Cincinnati (14:03)
Cofer kick out of bounds. Cincinnati took possession at C 35.
C 351–10Esiason 8 pass to Brown right flat (McKyer).
C 432–2Woods 4 run off right tackle (Roberts).
C 471–10Woods 2 run right (Roberts).
C 492–8Esiason sacked, loss of 6 (Haley).
C 433–14Esiason pass to Collinsworth left overthrown, incomplete.
C 434–14Johnson 35 punt, Taylor no return, fumbled, Pollard recovered for San Francisco at SF 18.
San Francisco (11:05)
SF 181–10Montana 44 pass to Rice deep right (Billups).
C 381–10Craig 7 run wide right (Buck).
C 312–3Craig run wide left, loss of 1 (Williams).
C 323–4Montana pass to Taylor broken up (Fulcher), incomplete.
C 324–4Cofer’s 49–yard field–goal attempt was wide right.
Cincinnati (8:47)
C 321–10Woods run left side, no gain (Fagan).
C 322–10Esiason sacked, loss of 3 (Carter).
C 293–13Esiason 17 pass to Hillary right (McKyer).
C 461–10Brooks 1 run left (Carter).
C 472–9Woods 10 run left (Fagan).
SF 431–10Woods 7 run right (Haley).
SF 362–3Esiason 12 pass to Brooks right (McKyer).
SF 241–10Cincinnati penalized 5 for false start (Kozerski).
SF 291–15Woods 4 run off right tackle (Romanowski).
SF 252–11Esiason pass to Brooks incomplete.
SF 253–11Jennings 3 run left (Holt).
SF 224–8Breech, 40–yard field goal (3:20).
 Cincinnati scoring drive: 46 yards, 10 plays, 5:27.
Cincinnati 16, San Francisco 13
San Francisco (3:20)
Johnson kick to goal line, Rodgers 15 return. San Francisco penalized 7 (half the distance) for illegal block.
SF 81–10(3:10) Montana 8 pass to Craig middle (Zander).
SF 162–2Montana 7 pass to Frank middle (Zander).
SF 231–10Montana 7 pass to Rice right (Billups).
SF 302–3Craig 1 run right (Barker). Two–Minute Warning.
SF 313–2Craig 4 run off right tackle (McClendon). San Francisco–first time out (1:54).
SF 351–10Montana 17 pass to Rice left (out of bounds).
C 481–10(1:49) Montana 13 pass to Craig middle (Barker).
C 351–10Montana pass to Rice incomplete.
C 352–10Montana 5 pass to Craig. Play nullified and San Francisco penalized 10 for illegal man downfield (Cross).
C 452–20(1:17) Montana 27 pass to Rice middle (Dixon).
C 181–10Montana 8 pass to Craig middle (Horton). San Francisco–second time out (:39).
C 102–2Montana 10 pass to Taylor middle, touchdown (:34). Cofer kicked extra point.
 San Francisco scoring drive: 92 yards, 11 plays, 2:46.
San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
Cincinnati (:34)
Cofer kick to C 11, Brooks 15 return.
C 261–10Esiason 5 pass to McGee right sideline.
C 312–5Esiason sacked, loss of 4 (Haley). Cincinnati–first time out (:17).
C 273–9Esiason pass to Collinsworth at SF 40 overthrown, incomplete.
C 274–9Esiason pass to Collinsworth broken up at SF 25 (Wright), incomplete.
 FINAL SCORE:
San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16
 FINAL RECORDS:
San Francisco 13–6, Cincinnati 14–5

Super Bowl XXIII Boxscore

                           SCORING
Cincinnati                                  0  3 10  3 -- 16
San Francisco                               3  0  3 14 -- 20

SF-  FG Cofer 41, 11:46 1st

CIN- FG Breech 34, 13:41 2nd

CIN- FG Breech 43,  9:15 3rd
SF-  FG Cofer 32, 14:10 3rd
CIN- Jennings 93 kick return  (Breech kick), 14:26 3rd

SF-  Rice 14 pass from Montana (Cofer kick),  0:57 4th
CIN- FG Breech 40, 11:40 4th
SF-  Taylor 10 pass from Montana (Cofer kick), 14:26 4th


TEAM STATISTICS                          Cin.           S.F.
Total First Downs                          13             23
  Rushing                                   7              6
  Passing                                   6             16
  Penalty                                   0              1
Total Net Yardage                         229            453
Total Offensive Plays                      58             67
  Average Gain per Offensive Play           3.9            6.8
Rushes                                     28             27
  Yards Gained Rushing (Net)              106            112
  Average Yards per Rush                    3.8            4.1
Passes Attempted                           25             36
  Passes Completed                         11             23
  Had Intercepted                           1              0
  Tackled Attempting to Pass                5              4
  Yards Lost Attempting to Pass            21             16
  Yards Gained Passing (Net)              123            341
Punts                                       5              4
  Average Distance                         44.2           37.0
Punt Returns                                2              3
  Punt Return Yardage                       5             56
Kickoff Returns                             3              5
  Kickoff Return Yardage                  132             77
Interception Return Yardage                 0              0
Fumbles                                     1              4
  Own Fumbles Recovered                     1              3
  Opponent Fumbles Recovered                1              0
Penalties                                   7              4
  Yards Penalized                          65             32
Total Points Scored                        16             20
Touchdowns                                  1              2
  Rushing                                   0              0
  Passing                                   0              2
  Returns                                   1              0
Extra Points                                1              2
Field Goals                                 3              2
  Field Goals Attempted                     3              4
Safeties                                    0              0
Third-Down Efficiency                    4/13           4/13
Fourth-Down Efficiency                    0/1            0/0
Time of Possession                      32:36          27:24

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Cincinnati                        No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Woods                             20        79      10     0
Brooks                             6        24      11     0
Jennings                           1         3       3     0
Esiason                            1         0       0     0
San Francisco                     No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Craig                             17        71      13     0
Rathman                            5        23      11     0
Montana                            4        13      11     0
Rice                               1         5       5     0

Passing
Cincinnati                   Att.   Comp.    Yds.   TD   Int.
Esiason                       25      11     144     0     1
San Francisco                Att.   Comp.    Yds.   TD   Int.
Montana                       36      23     357     2     0

Receiving
Cincinnati                        No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Collinsworth                       3        40      23     0
Brown                              3        32      17     0
Brooks                             2        32      20     0
McGee                              2        23      18     0
Hillary                            1        17      17     0
San Francisco                     No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Rice                              11       215      44     1
Craig                              8       101      40     0
Frank                              2        15       8     0
Rathman                            1        16      16     0
Taylor                             1        10      10t    1

Interceptions
Cincinnati                        No.      Yds.     LG    TD
None                              --        --      --    --
San Francisco                     No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Romanowski                         1         0       0     0

Punting
Cincinnati                        No.      Avg.     LG   Blk.
Johnson                            5        44.2    63     0
San Francisco                     No.      Avg.     LG   Blk.
Helton                             4        37.0    55     0

Punt Returns
Cincinnati                       No.   FC     Yds.   LG   TD
Horton                            1     0       5     5    0
Hillary                           1     0       0     0    0
San Francisco                    No.   FC     Yds.   LG   TD
Taylor                            3     1      56    45    0

Kickoff Returns
Cincinnati                        No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Jennings                           2       117      93t    1
Brooks                             1        15      15     0
San Francisco                     No.      Yds.     LG    TD
Rodgers                            3        53      22     0
Taylor                             1        13      13     0
Sydney                             1        11      11     0


   Cincinnati Bengals          San Francisco 49ers
  
                   ==  Offense  ==                     
Kozerski, Bruce         C    Cross, Randy            C 
Montoya, Max            G    McIntyre, Guy           G 
Reimers, Bruce          G    Sapolu, Jesse           G 
Blados, Brian           T    Barton, Harris          T 
Munoz, Anthony          T    Wallace, Steve          T 
Holman, Rodney          TE   Frank, John             TE
Brown, Eddie            WR   Rice, Jerry             WR
McGee, Tim              WR   Taylor, John            WR
Brooks, James           RB   Craig, Roger            RB
Woods, Ickey            RB   Rathman, Tom            RB
Esiason, Boomer         QB   Montana, Joe            QB

                   ==  Defense  ==                      
Krumrie, Tim            NT   Carter, Michael         NT 
Buck, Jason             DE   Fagan, Kevin            DE 
Skow, Jim               DE   Roberts, Larry          DE 
White, Leon             OLB  Haley, Charles          OLB
Williams, Reggie        OLB  Turner, Keena           OLB
Kelly, Joe              ILB  Fahnhorst, Jim          ILB
Zander, Carl            ILB  Walter, Michael         ILB
Billups, Lewis          CB   Griffin, Don            CB 
Thomas, Eric            CB   McKyer, Tim             CB 
Wilcots, Solomon        FS   Lott, Ronnie            FS 
Fulcher, David          SS   Fuller, Jeff            SS 

                  ==  Substitute  ==                    
Barker, Leo                  Cofer, Mike                
Brady, Ed                    Collie, Bruce              
Breech, Jim                  Cox, Greg                  
Bussey, Barney               Ellison, Riki              
Collinsworth, Cris           Greer, Terry               
Dixon, Rickey                Heller, Ron                
Douglas, David               Helton, Barry              
Edwards, Eddie               Holmoe, Tom                
Grant, David                 Holt, Pierce               
Hillary, Ira                 Jones, Brent               
Horton, Ray                  Kennedy, Sam               
Jennings, Stanford           Kugler, Pete               
Johnson, Lee                 Paris, Bubba               
King, Emanuel                Pollard, Darryl            
Logan, Marc                  Rodgers, Del               
McClendon, Skip              Romanowski, Bill           
Parker, Carl                 Stover, Jeff               
Riggs, Jim                   Stubbs, Danny              
Rourke, Jim                  Sydney, Harry              
Schonert, Turk               Thomas, Chuck              
Smith, Daryl                 Wilson, Mike R.            
Smith, David A.              Wright, Eric C.            

                  ==  Did Not Play  ==                   
Norseth, Mike                 Young, Steve

Super Bowl XXIII Recap

NFC champion San Francisco captured its third Super Bowl of the 1980s by defeating AFC champion Cincinnati 20-16.

The 49ers, who also won Super Bowls XVI and XIX, are the first NFC team to win three Super Bowls.

Joe Montana
Joe Montana threw for a Super Bowl-record 357 yards. (AP)

Pittsburgh, with four Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII, and XIV), and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, with three (Xl, XV, and XVIII), lead AFC franchises.

Even though San Francisco held an advantage in total net yards (453 to 229), the 49ers found themselves trailing the Bengals late in the game.

WITH THE SCORE 13-13, Cincinnati took a 16-13 lead on Jim Breech's 40-yard field goal with 3:20 remaining.

It was Breech's third field goal of the day, following earlier successes from 34 and 43 yards.

The 49ers started their winning drive at their 8-yard line.

Over the next 11 plays, San Francisco covered 92 yards with the decisive score coming on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining.

At halftime, the score was 3-3, the first time in Super Bowl history the game was tied at intermission.

After the teams traded third-period field goals, the Bengals jumped ahead 13-6 on Stanford Jennings's 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in the quarter. The 49ers didn't waste any time coming back as they covered 85 yards in four plays, concluding with Montana's 14-yard scoring pass to Jerry Rice 57 seconds into the final stanza.

Rice was named the game's most valuable player after compiling 11 catches for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards.

Montana completed 23 of 36 passes for a Super Bowl-record 357 yards and two touchdowns.

San Francisco's Game Winning Drive

Photographs: John McDonough, John Biever

Super Bowl XXIII

   Joe Robbie Stadium; Miami, Florida;  January 22, 1989; Attendance: 75,129

           San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

           Key story: 3:10 left in the game, Cincinnati leading 16 - 13, 49ers ball at own 8 yard line.

                1-10 at 49ers  8: Montana pass to Craig for 8 yards.
                2- 2 at 49ers 16: Montana pass to Frank for 7 yards.
                1-10 at 49ers 23: Montana pass to Rice for 7 yards.
                2- 3 at 49ers 30: Craig run for 1 yard.
                3- 2 at 49ers 31: Craig run for 4 yards.
                     49ers time out, 1:54 remaining.
                1-10 at 49ers 35: Montana pass to Rice for 17 yards.
                1-10 at Bengals 48: Montana pass to Craig for 13 yards.
                1-10 at Bengals 35: Montana pass incomplete.
                2-10 at Bengals 35: Montana pass to Craig, Cross penalized 10 yards for being illegally downfield.
                2-20 at Bengals 45: Montana pass to Rice for 27 yards.
                1-10 at Bengals 18: Montana pass to Craig for 8 yards.
                     49ers time out, 39 seconds left.
                2- 2 at Bengals 10: "Montana at quarterback, back to throw Montana. Steps up, throws. TOUCHDOWN 49ers,
                     Taylor out there for the touchdown. A ten yard pass, the 49ers have scored." 

   MVP: Jerry Rice, 11 receptions for 215 yards, 1 td, San Francisco 49ers.

Sam Wyche, the Cincinnati Bengals' head coach, should have known what was coming. Wyche's Bengals held a 16-13 lead with 3:20 remaining in Super Bowl XXIII, and the San Francisco 49ers were backed up on their own eight-yard line. Wyche, who had been a Niners assistant back in 1982, who had radioed down plays from the booth during the team's epic 89-yard march against the Dallas Cowboys--the one that had culminated in Dwight Clark's touchdown grab sending San Francisco to the Super Bowl against, of all teams, the Bengals--should have known that his defense did not stand a chance.

"Somebody came up to me on the sideline and said, 'We got them now'," recalled Cincinnati wide receiver Cris Collinsworth. "I said, 'Have you taken a look at who's quarterbacking the San Francisco 49ers?'"

Giving a huddle pep talk no longer than four words in duration ("Let's go, be tough"), quarterback Joe Montana commenced an 11-play drive that included nine passes, eight of which he completed.

For the record: eight yards to running back Roger Craig, seven to tight end John Frank, seven to wide receiver Jerry Rice, followed by two Craig runs that gained four yards and another first down. Seventeen yards to Rice, then 13 more to Craig. The guys holding the first-down marker were beginning to suck wind as the ball was spotted at the Cincinnati 35-yard line with 1:54 remaining.

Then the machine burped. An incomplete pass was followed by a completion to Craig in which 13-year veteran center Randy Cross, playing in his final pro game, was whistled for being an ineligible player downfield. Second-and-20 from the Cincy 45, and now, Montana admits, "I was just thinking about getting the field goal that would put the game into overtime.'

What followed was perhaps the most dangerous pass that Montana, who would never be intercepted in his four Super Bowl appearances, ever threw in the league's showcase event. With Rice bracketed on either side by Cincy defensive backs Lewis Billups and Ray Horton, and with All-Pro safety David Fulcher backing that pair up, Montana rifled a 13-yard square-in to the gifted wideout. Rice not only made the catch but also broke free for an additional 14 yards. An eight-yard pass to Craig put the ball on the 10 with just under a minute remaining, setting the stage for 20 Halfback Curl X-Up.

In the huddle during a timeout before this play Montana belied the tension of the moment. Scanning the crowd, the 10-year vet suddenly became, for him, garrulous, and he remarked to his teammates, "Hey, look, there's John Candy!'

The touchdown play was designed to go to Craig, but the fullback, Tom Rathman, lined up in his spot on the left side of the backfield. Noting later that "there wasn't time to argue," Craig took Rathman's spot on the right side and attempted to run his route. He became entangled in coverage, however, so Montana simply found the secondary receiver, John Taylor, who had not caught a pass all afternoon.

"All I could think was, Catch the ball," said Taylor, who did just that with 0:46 left on the clock. The Niners would win 20-16, as the Super Bowl enjoyed its first truly super finish and Montana cemented his reputation as the best crunch-time QB the game has ever seen.

Super Bowl XXIII Photos

Super Bowl XXIII

Joe Montana

(Allsport Photo/Rick Stewart)

Super Bowl XXIII

Joe Montana

(Allsport Photo/Mike Powell)

Super Bowl XXIII

Joe Montana

(Associated Press Photo)

Super Bowl XXIII

Joe Montana

(Associated Press Photo)

Super Bowl XXIII

Joe Montana

(Associated Press Photo)

Super Bowl XXIII

John Taylor catches the winning touchdown from Joe Montana during Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium, January 23, 1989.

(Bob Rosato Photo)

Super Bowl XXIII

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice (80) is surrounded by Cincinnati Bengals defenders, cornerback Lewis Billups, left, and safety Ray Horton, as he pulls in a long pass during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Fla., in this Jan. 22, 1989 photo.

Unwilling to be a bit player with the Denver Broncos, Jerry Rice retired Monday, Sept. 5, 2005 closing a 20-year career for the most productive receiver in NFL history.

(Associated Press Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Super Bowl XXIII

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason during 'Media Day'.

(Associated Press Photo)

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