Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 49ers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 16 - MVP 49ers WR Jerry Rice
Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20 Bengals 16- MVP 49ers WR Jerry Rice

San Francisco became the first NFC team to win three Super Bowls in this epic come-from-behind win (20-16) over the Bengals. MVP Jerry Rice was unstoppable, reeling in 11 catches for a Super Bowl-best 215 yards.

The San Francisco 49ers -- who also won Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX -- became the first NFC team to win three Super Bowls in this epic come-from-behind win (20-16) over the Bengals.

At that time, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with four Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII, and XIV), and the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders, with three (XI, XV, and XVIII), lead AFC franchises.

49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice was unstoppable, reeling in 11 catches for a Super Bowl-best 215 yards. Though Joe Montana racked up more than 300 yards passing and directed the most memorable touchdown drive in Super Bowl history (92 yards in 11 plays), Rice's dominant performance was the difference in this game.

In addition to being the owner of every significant receiving record in NFL regular-season history, Rice still holds five Super Bowl records, including most career receiving yards and touchdowns.

Even though San Francisco held an advantage in total net yards (453 to 229), the 49ers found themselves trailing the Bengals late in the game. With the score 13-13, Cincinnati took a 16-13 lead on Jim Breech's 40-yard field goal with 3:20 remaining. It was Breech's third field goal of the day, following earlier successes from 34 and 43 yards.

The 49ers started their winning drive at their 8-yard line. Over the next 11 plays, San Francisco covered 92 yards with the decisive score coming on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Joe Montana to wide receiver John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining.

At halftime, the score was 3-3, the first time in Super Bowl history the game was tied at intermission.

After the teams traded third-period field goals, the Bengals jumped ahead 13-6 on Stanford Jennings's 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in the quarter.

The 49ers didn't waste any time coming back as they covered 85 yards in four plays, concluding with Montana's 14-yard scoring pass to Jerry Rice 57 seconds into the final stanza.

Rice was named the game's most valuable player after compiling 11 catches for a Super Bowl-record 215 yards. Montana completed 23 of 36 passes for a Super Bowl-record 357 yards and two touchdowns.

Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 49ers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 16 - MVP 49ers WR Jerry Rice
Super Bowl XXIII Logo

Super Bowl XXIII MVP: 49ers WR Jerry Rice

Super Bowl XXIII MVP: 49ers WR Jerry Rice
Super Bowl XXIII MVP: 49ers WR Jerry Rice

Even though Joe Montana racked up more than 300 yards passing and directed the most memorable touchdown drive in Super Bowl history (92 yards in 11 plays), Rice's dominant performance was the difference in Super Bowl XXIII.

Jerry Rice holds almost every career receiving record. It is only right that he also holds an important Super Bowl record.

His 215 receiving yards, on 11 catches, were a single-game best. Using Rice's talents and the most famous drive in Super Bowl history, the 49ers became the first NFC team to win three Super Bowls with their 20-16 victory over Cincinnati.

Following Stanford Jennings' kickoff-return touchdown that gave the Bengals the lead, Rice's 14-yard touchdown catch from Joe Montana tied the score at 13-13. A Jim Breech field goal with less than four minutes remaining gave Cincinnati the lead, but the 49ers one more shot. Moving 92 yards in 11 plays, including several key catches by Rice, the 49ers drove to the winning touchdown, a 10-yard pass from Montana to John Taylor.

Super Bowl XXIII Scoring

Teams Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Source: NFL
Cincinnati Bengals0310316
San Francisco 49ers3031420

 

1st Quarter

49ers: Cofer 41-yard field goal, 11:46

2nd Quarter

Bengals: Breech 34-yard field goal, 13:41

3rd Quarter

Bengals: Breech 43-yard field goal, 9:15

49ers: Cofer 32-yard field goal, 14:10

Bengals: Jennings 93-yard TD kick return (Breech PAT), 14:26

4th Quarter

49ers: Rice 14-yard TD pass from Montana (Cofer PAT), 0:57

Bengals: Breech 40-yard field goal, 11:40

49ers: Taylor 10-yard TD pass from Montana (Cofer PAT), 14:26

 

Super Bowl XXIII: Cincinnati Bengals Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs13
Rushing First Downs7
Passing First Downs6
Penalty First Downs0
Total Net Yardage229
Total Offensive Plays58
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play3.9
Rushes28
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)106
Average Yards per Rush3.8
Passes Attempted25
Passes Completed11
Had Intercepted1
Tackled Attempting to Pass5
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass21
Yards Gained Passing (Net)123
Punts5
Average Distance44.2
Punt Returns2
Punt Return Yardage5
Kickoff Returns3
Kickoff Return Yardage132
Interception Return Yardage0
Fumbles1
Own Fumbles Recovered1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered1
Penalties7
Yards Penalized65
Total Points Scored16
Touchdowns1
Rushing0
Passing0
Returns1
Extra Points1
Field Goals3
Fields Goals Attempted3
Safeties0
Third-Down Efficiency4/13
Fourth-Down Efficiency0/1
Time of Possession32:36

 

Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 49ers Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs23
Rushing First Downs6
Passing First Downs16
Penalty First Downs1
Total Net Yardage453
Total Offensive Plays67
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play6.8
Rushes27
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)112
Average Yards per Rush4.1
Passes Attempted36
Passes Completed23
Had Intercepted0
Tackled Attempting to Pass4
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass16
Yards Gained Passing (Net)341
Punts4
Average Distance37
Punt Returns3
Punt Return Yardage56
Kickoff Returns5
Kickoff Return Yardage77
Interception Return Yardage0
Fumbles4
Own Fumbles Recovered3
Opponent Fumbles Recovered0
Penalties4
Yards Penalized32
Total Points Scored20
Touchdowns2
Rushing0
Passing2
Returns0
Extra Points2
Field Goals2
Fields Goals Attempted4
Safeties0
Third-Down Efficiency4/13
Fourth-Down Efficiency0/0
Time of Possession27:24

 

Super Bowl XXIII: Cincinnati Bengals Player Stats

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Esiason11/2514401
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Woods2079010
Brooks624011
Jennings1303
Esiason1000
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Collinsworth340023
Brown332017
Brooks232020
McGee223018
Hillary 117017
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
None
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
Johnson 544.2630
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Horton1/0550
Hillary1/0000
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
Jennings211793t1
Brooks115150

 

Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 49ers Player Stats

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Montana 23/3635720
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Craig 1771013
Rathman523011
Montana413011
Rice1505
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Rice11215144
Craig8101040
Frank21508
Rathman116016
Taylor110110t
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
Romanowski1000
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
Helton437550
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Taylor 3/156450
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
Rodgers353220
Taylor113130
Sydney111110

January 22, 1989

Joe Robbie Stadium (Miami, Florida)

Attendance: 75,129

National Anthem: Billy Joel

Coin Toss: Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese, and Larry Little

Halftime Show: "Be Bop Bamboozled" -- South Florida-area dancers and performers including Elvis Presto, and 3-D effects

Network: NBC

Announcers: Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

Nielsen ratings: 43.5 (est. 81.6 million viewers)

Cost of 30-second commercial: $675,000

Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers vs Bengals Highlights

 

Super Bowl XXIII: Ticket & Championship Ring

Super Bowl XXIII Championship Ring and Game Ticket

NFL Football: "Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 49ers 20 Cincinnati Bengals 16 - MVP 49ers WR Jerry Rice"

 

 

 

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