We Were Champions: The 49ers' Dynasty In Their Own Words

For 15 NFL seasons, during which they won five Super Bowl titles, no team in pro sports captured the public’s fancy like the San Francisco 49ers. Thanks to a roster filled with superstars such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Ronnie Lott and an innovative coaching staff headed by the legendary Bill Walsh, the 49ers exuded an aura of invincibility in a sport in which every victory is hard fought. This is the story of the San Francisco dynasty in the players’ own words, reflections and insights shared with the perspective of time, as they analyze the elements that combined to create pro football magic. Beginning with a stunning victory over the Dallas Cowboys and a berth in Super Bowl XVI and continuing through a victory in Super Bowl XXIV, the vital figures in 49ers history recall the pivotal moments, the clutch plays, and the smooth transitions that pointed toward the top of the NFL mountain. "When people ask me how many Super Bowl rings I have," lineman Jesse Sapolu says, "I don’t mean to show a disappointed face, but I just say, ‘Four.’ And they say, ‘You don’t look very excited about it.’ And I tell people, ‘Well, I lost five NFC Championship Games. That’s a lot of big games to lose.’ When I look back on my career, I should be sitting here with at least six, maybe seven Super Bowl rings." We Were Champions features the rare behind-the-scenes photography of Michael Zagaris, the 49ers’ club photographer for more than two decades, in the definitive look at one of the most storied sports franchises.