Faithful Flashbacks #14: Three-Peat Denied

Faithful Flashbacks No. 14 revisits the 49ers beating Dallas in the NFC Championship Game and ending the Cowboys’ three-peat bid.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Aug 21, 2026, 8:00 AM Updated: 1:03 pm

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In honor of the San Francisco 49ers celebrating their 80th anniversary, Sactown Sports is kicking off a countdown of the 80 greatest moments in the franchise’s illustrious history in reverse order called Faithful Flashbacks.

From Super Bowl-winning plays to overperforming teams that had minimal expectations, there’s plenty to choose from on the team with five titles under its belt.

The voting was conducted by a handful of Sactown Sports’ staffers before results were compiled into a full list that will count down to the 49ers’ 2026 NFL regular season debut against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th.

Faithful Flashbacks -- San Francisco 49ers 80 Best Moments

Coming in at No. 14 on our ‘Faithful Flashbacks’ countdown of the 80 best moments in franchise history is the 49ers finally getting past the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game.

By the mid-1990s, the San Francisco-Dallas matchup had defined the NFC. The 49ers were one of the league’s best teams, but Dallas was standing in their way. The Cowboys had beaten San Francisco in the 1992 and 1993 NFC Championship Games and went on to win the Super Bowl both times.

A three-peat of the same matchup lined up in the 1994 NFC title game. The 49ers were built around Steve Young, Jerry Rice and a roster with championship expectations, but they had also added Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders. The 49ers had been a competitive team for seasons, but they still needed to beat the Cowboys to reach the final dance.

Candlestick Park hosted the highly anticipated matchup, and San Francisco jumped out to an early lead. Three early Cowboys turnovers helped the 49ers build a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. For a team trying to overcome the opponent that sent them home the two years prior, it was close to the perfect opening.

Dallas still had enough talent to make the game uncomfortable. Between Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, they were not going away quietly. They cut into the lead as the game went on, but the 49ers had given themselves enough room. San Francisco answered back just enough to maintain their advantage and take down Dallas.

The 38-28 win sent San Francisco back to the Super Bowl and ended the Cowboys’ chance at a third straight championship. For Young, it also cleared the biggest obstacle to his first Super Bowl title since he took over for Joe Montana.

San Francisco finished the job two weeks later against the Chargers, winning the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl. The biggest hurdle seemed to have been Dallas. The win at Candlestick was the game that changed the rivalry’s dynamic, gave the 49ers their breakthrough and stopped the Cowboys from turning their run into a three-peat.

More Faithful Flashbacks from Sactown Sports

Upcoming San Francisco 49ers Schedule

Late July 2026 – NFL Training Camps open
Thursday, September 10th – vs. Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Season Opener) – 5:35 pm PT
Sunday, September 20th – vs. Miami Dolphins – 1:25 pm PT
Sunday, September 27th – vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PT
Sunday, October 4th – vs. Denver Broncos – 1:25 pm PT

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