The Seahawks' 43-8 blasting of the Broncos in last Super Bowl was impressive, but it was nothing like how Jerry Rice and the 49ers hummed against the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.
Jan. 28, 2015 marks the silver anniversary of San Francisco's record blowout of the Broncos. The final was 55-10, and the 45-point margin of victory is what every other potentially dominant team is still chasing 25 years later.
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It also marked a Super Bowl repeat for the 49ers, and Rice could have easily won his second straight Super Bowl MVP. He caught seven catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns, setting the tone by scoring on San Francisco's first possession.
The Broncos had their own version of the "Legion of Boom" then with perennial Pro Bowl safeties Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith. Rice recalls how the 49ers' late Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh prepped the team to be fearless in facing Denver's secondary.
"We knew going into that game it was going to be a key matchup, against two of the biggest safeties that wanted to hit hard," Rice told Sporting News.
"Bill Walsh pointed out to us they would hit hard, but they didn’t wrap up. On the first drive, I remember, I was not the primary, but secondary option. Joe Montana came back to me over the middle. I caught the ball, took a hit and was able to bounce off and get into the end zone."
The 20-yard catch-and-run by Rice was the first of seven 49ers touchdowns. The 49ers blew past the 13-point spread with ease, as game MVP Montana quarterbacked at practical perfection: 22-of-29, 297 yards and 5 TD passes. The 49ers' defense was just as dominant to frustrate Denver's own Hall of Famer John Elway with six sacks in the game.
"That was a great game," Rice said. "To be working on all cylinders at all times, putting up 55 points to 10, is something I’ll never forget."
