The 1983 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League and their 38th overall. The team attempted to improve on its 3–6 record from 1982. The 49ers started the season with a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, 22–17. However, the 49ers throttled the Vikings the next week 48–17 and then the Cardinals the following week 42–27. They ended the first half of the season 6–2 before splitting their last eight games to finish the season 10–6 and clinching the NFC West and the #2 seed in the playoffs. In the divisional round of the playoffs, the 49ers came back to beat the Lions 24–23 after Joe Montana found Freddie Solomon in the end zone with 1:23 remaining, and Lions kicker Eddie Murray missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired. However, in the NFC Championship game, the 49ers were not able to outlast the top-seeded Redskins, as after coming back to tie a game in which they trailed 21–0 at the start of the 4th quarter, they lost 24–21 after Washington took the lead on a field goal with 40 seconds left in the game.
Offseason
NFL draft
Personnel
Staff / Coaches
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 at Los Angeles Raiders L 23–26 0–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 41,337 2 August 14 New England Patriots W 17–15 1–1 Candlestick Park 50,043 3 at San Diego Chargers L 7–24 1–2 Jack Murphy Stadium 43,939 4 Seattle Seahawks L 6–20 1–3 Candlestick Park 47,074
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 Philadelphia Eagles L 17–22 0–1 Candlestick Park 55,775 2 at Minnesota Vikings W 48–17 1–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,167 3 September 18 at St. Louis Cardinals W 42–27 2–1 Busch Memorial Stadium 38,132 4 September 25 Atlanta Falcons W 24–20 3–1 Candlestick Park 57,814 5 October 2 at New England Patriots W 33–13 4–1 Sullivan Stadium 54,293 6 October 9 Los Angeles Rams L 7–10 4–2 Candlestick Park 59,118 7 October 16 at New Orleans Saints W 32–13 5–2 Louisiana Superdome 68,154 8 October 23 at Los Angeles Rams W 45–35 6–2 Anaheim Stadium 66,070 9 October 30 New York Jets L 13–27 6–3 Candlestick Park 54,796 10 November 6 Miami Dolphins L 17–20 6–4 Candlestick Park 57,832 11 November 13 New Orleans Saints W 27–0 7–4 Candlestick Park 40,022 12 November 20 at Atlanta Falcons L 24–28 7–5 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 39,782 13 November 27 at Chicago Bears L 3–13 7–6 Soldier Field 40,483 14 December 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 35–21 8–6 Candlestick Park 49,773 15 December 11 at Buffalo Bills W 23–10 9–6 Rich Stadium 38,039 16 Dallas Cowboys W 42–17 10–6 Candlestick Park 59,957 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings
Standings
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Venue Divisional Detroit Lions (3) W 24–23 Candlestick Park NFC Championship January 8, 1984 at Washington Redskins (1) L 21–24 RFK Stadium
NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (3) Detroit Lions
Quarterback Joe Montana hit Freddie Solomon with a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:23 left in the game as the 49ers held off the Lions 24–23. Lions kicker Eddie Murray missed a 43-yard field goal with 5 seconds left in the game, one of his two misses in the 4th quarter. Five interceptions of Lions quarterback Gary Danielson played a major role in the 49ers' win.
NFC Championship: at (1) Washington Redskins
The 49ers overcame a 21-point 4th-quarter deficit to tie the game. But two controversial calls against the 49ers set up a 25-yard field goal by Mark Moseley with 40 seconds remaining. Joe Montana was then intercepted on the last play of the game to seal the win for Washington.
Awards and records Ray Wersching, Franchise Record, Most Field Goals in One Game, 6 Field Goals (October 16, 1983)NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, , p. 142
References
External links 1983 49ers on Pro Football Reference 49ers Schedule on jt-sw.com