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Each NFL team's greatest play of all-time and why

There are those plays that bring families together — the moments in the NFL where something amazing happens. It's hard to quantify, but every team has its own "greatest play," and for those who saw it live or in the stadium, it's something they'll tell friends, family, and acquaintances forever.

By Nick Villano

Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints v Minnesota Vikings
Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints v Minnesota Vikings / Hannah Foslien/GettyImages
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San Francisco 49ers - The Catch
January 10, 1982

There are a lot of great catches in the history of the NFL. In fact, there are roughly 11,000 catches per NFL season. Every week, there are at least 10 absolutely insane ones that we can’t stop talking about. How good could a play be to be named “The Catch?” When Joe Montana hit Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone versus the Dallas Cowboys, it was pretty darn special.

The San Francisco 49ers were driving in the 1981 NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park. With 58 seconds left in the game and the 49ers on the Cowboys six yard line, Montana and the offense faced a 3rd and three. One expected him to make an easy pass to play it safe. This was four-down territory. 

Nope. Montana threw a ball that looked completely uncatchable, but Dwight Clark rose up over his defender and brought in the catch, giving the 49ers a one-point victory. That’s how a play called “Change Left Slot – Sprint Right Option” could forever be known as “The Catch.”

The play kickstarted the 49ers' dominance over the NFC, and it ended the Cowboys dynasty in its tracks. One catch flipped everything for this conference, and San Francisco became the home of dominant football. It also became home to two of the greats, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who grew up watching this dynasty. If it wasn’t for The Catch, both of them might have played baseball or something. It’s crazy how impactful one play could be.

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