NFL’s 30 best teams that didn’t win the Super Bowl

4. 1987 San Francisco 49ers

In 1987, the NFL had one of the ugliest episodes in league history. For the second time in six seasons, the fans had to endure a strike. This time, the owners were not willing to lose weeks of games, thus hiring replacement players for four weeks. The result was many good teams falling by the wayside. Not the San Francisco 49ers, who cruised to a 13-2 record.

The season for San Francisco was amazing on many levels. Despite replacement players chewing up multiple games of the abbreviated 15-game schedule, Jerry Rice scored 22 touchdowns, a record held until Randy Moss broke it in 2008. Joe Montana was simply sublime, throwing for 3,054 yards and 31 touchdowns in 13 games, 11 of which he started. At season’s end, the NFC West champions had the top-ranked offense and defense.

In the final three weeks of the regular season, San Francisco won by all its games by a combined score of 124-7. In the Divisional playoffs, the 49ers were expected to hammer the Wade Wilson-led Minnesota Vikings at Candlestick Park. Somehow, the 49ers lost and Montana was benched midway through the disaster, losing 36-24. Head coach Bill Walsh would say it was the most traumatic loss of his career.

Next: 3. 1969 Minnesota Vikings