Faithful Flashbacks #54: The First Division Title

Faithful Flashbacks revisits the 1970 season that gave the 49ers their first division title and eventually their first NFL playoff win.

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Long before San Francisco had secured their Super Bowls and earned their status as one of the premier franchises, the 1970 team provided a necessary milestone. The 49ers had been competitive, but that season accomplished a feat they had yet to reach.

Led by head coach Dick Nolan and quarterback John Brodie, San Francisco put together one of the best seasons in their early history. It was right after the NFL and AFL had officially merged, creating a new structure, challenges, and opponents. Winning the NFC West gave the franchise its first divisional championship and a chance in the postseason.

The clinching moment came in the regular-season finale against the Oakland Raiders. Playing at the Oakland Coliseum, the 49ers beat their Bay Area rivals 38-7 to secure the divison title. It was the first regular-season meeting between the two teams, beginning what ended up being an exciting Northern California battle for years to come.

San Francisco carried that momentum into the playoffs, where it earned the first postseason win in franchise history by beating the Minnesota Vikings. The run eventually ended against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game, leaving the 49ers one win short of their first Super Bowl appearance.

Still, there’s only one ‘first’ for these kinds of moments, and that 1970 team gave the franchise its first division title, first NFL playoff win, and its first appearance in the NFC Championship.

The dynasty years, most notably the ones now affiliated with the organization, would come later, but this was one of the seasons that helped the 49ers trend towards that direction.