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San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl history: Appearances, Wins, MVPs

The San Francisco 49ers finished this season as the top seed in the NFC and will now face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday in Las Vegas. The 49ers will be looking for revenge in this Super Bowl rematch, with the Chiefs having beaten San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV in the 2019 season.

How many Super Bowls have the 49ers played in?

This year marks the 49ers eighth Super Bowl appearance, which is tied for the 2nd-most by any team in NFL history. San Francisco will join the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos with eight Super Bowl appearances, while only the Patriots have played in more (11).

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How many Super Bowls have the 49ers won?

San Francisco has won five Super Bowls, tied for the third-most Super Bowl wins of any franchise. The Cowboys have also won five Super Bowls, while only the Patriots and Steelers (6 each) have won more.

The 49ers won each of their first five Super Bowl appearances, which came in a 14-season span from 1981 to 1994. In nine seasons from 1981 to 1989, Joe Montana led the 49ers to four Super Bowl titles, first beating the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI (1981 season) and then beating the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX (1984 season).

The 49ers then won back-to-back titles in the 1988 and 1989 season, beating the Bengals again in Super Bowl XXIII before beating the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. When Steve Young took over as the starting QB, he led San Francisco to another Super Bowl title in the 1994 season, beating the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX.

When was the last time the 49ers played in the Super Bowl?

The 49ers’ last Super Bowl appearance came against a familiar foe: the Kansas City Chiefs, in Super Bowl LIV to decide the 2019 season. That game did not go San Francisco’s way, as the Chiefs handed them a 31-20 loss to mark Patrick Mahomes’ first Super Bowl title.

Four years later it’s a rematch that the Niners are hoping will go a different way. Across the current rosters of both the 49ers and the Chiefs, only 12 players remain from that last Super Bowl meeting, including Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce on the Kansas City side and TE George Kittle and DE Nick Bosa for San Francisco.

RELATED: Four years later, only 12 starters remain for 49ers and Chiefs

How many Super Bowls have the 49ers lost?

After winning in each of their first five Super Bowl appearances, the 49ers have now lost in each of their last two Super Bowl apps. In the 2012 season, San Francisco lost against the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Four years ago, the 49ers lost against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, which was played in Miami in February 2020.

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How many 49ers have been named Super Bowl MVP?

Three different 49ers have been named Super Bowl MVP. QB Joe Montana was named MVP in three of San Francisco’s first four Super Bowl wins, becoming the first player in NFL history to win three Super Bowl MVPs. Montana’s three Super Bowl MVPs are now the 2nd-most of any player (Tom Brady won five). WR Jerry Rice was named MVP of the 49ers Super Bowl XXIII win over the Bengals, when he grabbed 11 catches for 215 yards and a touchdown. QB Steve Young was named MVP of the 49ers’ Super Bowl XXIX win over the Chargers, throwing a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes in the win.

NBC Sports has you covered through the rest of the NFL postseason, with PFT Live, Simms Unbuttoned, Fantasy Football Happy Hour, Rotoworld Football Show, Bet the Edge and Brother from Another breaking down the latest news and top storylines from all angles. Tune in to Peacock, the NFL on NBC Sports YouTube channel, or wherever you get your podcasts for all the coverage through Super Bowl LVIII and beyond.