NFL Power Rankings: 30 most dominant teams all-time
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2012 San Francisco 49ers
The pro football world became obsessed with the spread-option offense in 2012, and nobody ran it better than Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Niners were continuing their franchise rebound and were in the process of putting together another solid season under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh when fate for both of their quarterbacks hit hard.
Starter Alex Smith, who was seen more as a pariah than a bust in the Bay Area was injured in Week 10 against the St. Louis Rams, forcing Kaepernick into duty. Kaepernick would start the rest of the season, even after Smith was healthy again and used his mobility and rocket-arm to guide San Francisco to Super Bowl XLVII where, despite a furious second-half rally, they fell short on the final play of the game as Kaepernick’s pass to Michael Crabtree on a goal-line fade fell incomplete.
The Niners “Quest for Six” continues to this day.
Next: That team with the yellow towels