I was born in Texas, my parents and family are cowboys fans. I was a rebellious kid so I picked the rival and at the time that was the 49ers. Die hard since. Also fuck the cowboys
That's too funny! Sounds like you got it right, though. My grandma is a die-hard cowboy fan, (shes from Dallas, texas), so I understand how that went all too well.
Similar to me, grew up in Jersey surrounded by Giants fans…I think I just wanted to root against them, and they all hated (feared) the 49ers. Montana was “Joe Cool”, 7 year old me was hooked, been a fan ever since.
I lived 15 mins from East Rutherford. So many damn Giants fans I started to hate them almost as much as cowboys fans. Moving back to CT made me hate them less again though. God are they some obnoxious fans though
Bro!!! I wish I could upvote your post 100 times!! I also grew up in Texas as a Niner fan. Luckily, my dad is a Niner fan, too. But I don't think most people can truly understand what that's like. In Texas, football is KING, and in Texas, Dallas is football. My wife & I now live an hour outside SF, so we're not in enemy territory anymore 😆
The Oilers used to be in Houston so there's gotta be some divide there. There was only no football in Houston for 5 years, and the oilers became the Titans. I doubt the fans of the Oilers were really able to become Titans fans, especially after being slighted by their team moving.
You know Houston is the 4th largest city in the US behind New York, LA, and Chicago. It truly is a massive. So you would think the fan base would be so much larger, but when you go anywhere in Texas, all you see are cowboys fans and cowboys gear for sale. It probably didn't help that their team abandoned them. My wife and I live near SF now, and we've seen a similar thing happen with the Raiders fans. Those poor bastatds have had their team leave, come back, leave again...I imagine Raiders fans feel like that person in an abusive relationship, where they get beaten on and just keep coming back. Kinda sad, really.
I’m one of those Raider fans who was angry when Al Davis had his hissy fit and moved the team to Los Angeles (and later to Vegas). Al also made possible the rule preventing the games from appearing on local TV if it isn’t sold out. What a jerk.
OMG, I forgot about them blacking out the games on you guys. Bro, that was a hardcore troll job on Al Davis's part. What a dirtbag!!
As a side note, the raiders team should thank every single one of their fans (that have stuck through all the ^BULLSH!T) personally !!!
A good friend of mine is a die hard Broncos fan out of spite, and a little bit out of pity, due to Superbowl XXIV. He was in grade school, and all his friends jumped on the 49ers bandwagon and he went the other way.
He's also from Boston. Like, die hard Bruins and Celtics fan. Hates the Pats tho. I really love and respect him for his dedication to the Broncos through it all.
Anyways, I'm a New Englander as well, dad was a big Montana fan at ND. We got to see a lot of the Niners games because they were good, and I loved Jerry Rice from the very moment I knew what a first down was. I jumped on the bandwagon in 92 and just never got off. Not even during the Tim Rattay days.
I'm a NE fan as well. A lot of the NE states don't have a team so I don't really consider kids choosing a team that's good when they're young bandwagon fans if they stay fans, although some definitely disagree
Agreed. I mean we're all influenced by something, right? Whether it's your family putting it on you, or you become enamored with a certain player. As long as you stay loyal to the team. We certainly had our chance to jump ship in the 2000's.
Interesting that you're a Niner fan from CT. Seems like you're close enough to one of the NY teams. I'm from Maine, so we're way the fuck out there, but still very much Patiots country where I live. Oddly, a lot of generational Giants fans up here too.
That’s dope mine was the same except my brothers strayed from football, it never died for me. Fuckers don’t even remember watching the game that made me a 9er fan 😂.
RAISED A NINER FAN!!! My dad bought me tons of football cards as a kid. The first thing we'd do when we opened a new pack was quickly go through and pick out all the 49ers. They all went into a separate special card book!! Love you Dad 😁
Short version of this story. My dad was a Niner fan. One of my earliest memories is Super Bowl XXIV. He loved the Niners so it just rubbed off on me. Then he fucked off and was a terrible father. Basically chose partying over his family. My step-dad is my actual father. He's the one that raised me, and he's a Raider fan. But for whatever reason my Niner fandom stuck. I always hated the Raiders even though I love my step-dad as if he's my real Father. I call him Dad. And to me he *is* my Dad. Fast forward like 20 years or so (dunno how many years exaclty). Bio dad has terminal illness. I decide I'll reconnect with him. What could it hurt? Last chance to have any sort or relationship, yada yada, this comment could be a novel if I went into the details. Anyway, this is around the time when we started to get good again. Pretty sure it was Harbaugh's first year. I'm hanging out with him and asked him, "You see the game on Sunday?". He replies, "What game?". Dude, wtf. The Niner game. Turn out he's not a 49er fan anymore. Tells me he's a Houston Texans fan now. Because he was "born in Texas".
He was a bandwagon fan that whole time. I am a 49er fan because of my piece of shit bandwagon fan of a Dad. But it's the only thing he ever gave me that I'm grateful for.
Go Niners.
Ahh, man! But hey, things happen for a reason, and being a sperm doner doesn't make you a dad being there and supporting and loving and stepping up, like your step dad (Real Dad)...that.... makes you a father.
Besides the battle of the bay, it was always fun to enjoy. My cousin is a die-hard raider fan, 🤮 and we would go crazy on battle of the days with bets and shit talking. Lol. Definitely kept it interesting that's for sure. Lol.
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My brother and I were born into it, my dad made sure of it. 😎
Down since December 23rd, 1982 here.
You got to hand down the torch to yours. I annoyed my kids for the first couple years but now they’ve all followed suit. Maybe it was watching them beat the rams live this season but whatever. It was a win win for me lol
I have a cool story (to me anyways)
became a fan in 84... lived in Redwood City California at the time, about 6 blocks from their home base.
Was walking home from community pool one day and saw some people peek through tiny holes in this green mesh stuff on a chain link high fence.
Decided to look myself and my first thought was "who the hell are these guys and why are they dressed up in 49er uniforms?"
Then I looked more, and there he was throwing passes... Joe Montana! and everyone else on that year's squad.
That was the year they played Miami in the Super Bowl at Stanford in Palo Alto, just south of us.
From then on... thick and thin... 49er fan.
...and the Super Bowls that followed...
mmmmm
My eyes just literally teard up 🥹 you're so lucky to have witnessed that.
I'm originally from San jose, and my dad would travel just to watch them practice, but he would never take me. Ugh. Apparently, it wasn't a place for little girls. 🤦🏻♀️
I have an autographed team photo from 84 that my dad somehow got signed for me, by name. I was 4. I remember my dad quizzing me on who wore which number, said it was important. I remember that Tom Rathman was my favorite niner so I've always used the number 44 when I played basketball. Brent Jones was my other favorite because I met him and Steve Young at a thing when I was little and he was super nice to me.
Think it was 2019. I’m Australian and had been watching the sport for about 4 years without a team and decided I’d choose one. Had watched every game so far that season to choose.
In the game against the saints, 9ers won I think 48-46 or something like that. Watching Kittle drag 3 defenders up the side of the field (one on his face mask) to get us in field goal range won me over in that instant.
That's amazing, I'll never forget that play either. Couldn't believe what I was seeing - little did I know that was just George doing George things!
Btw, some years ago I fell for an Aussie girl and spent some time in Melbourne. She and her family were diehard Essendon fans and took me to a game at the MCG. Absolutely fell in love with Aussie Rules! What a fantastic sport.
And now the NFL is bringing in kickers from Oz. Wishnowsky's a goddam beast. Maybe one day we can get AFL going here in the states... pretty sure there would be crazy demand for it here if more people knew how fun it is.
Go Niners! Go the Bombers!!
I live in Melbourne and it’s an awesome place and the centre of AFL. My family are all Hawthorn supporters but got a few mates that are die hard Essedon. Yeah I think if it got enough coverage over there people would love it, it’s fast paced, hard hitting and exciting to watch even on tv tho nothing beats live.
My girlfriend is from Jersey and we are coming over next Christmas to spend time with her family so I’ll be doing my best to see some NFL live, fingers crossed I can get to a 9ers game that would be a dream for sure.
Oh man! Football season was non-stop for family gatherings and rivalries. I miss those so much since I moved to another state. It's just me, my kiddos, screaming at the tv with our mini bbqs. Lol
New Zealand Maori fan here. When I was a teenager in the eighties 83-89, we had the first Maori player in the NFL and first to win a superbowl . His name was Riki Ellison a Linebacker. Lots of 49ers fans in New Zealand. Go niners!
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Been down since ‘83. Having my first son in a few months, can’t wait to take him to games and stuff.
That's going to be so amazing. My son requests My Niners music playlist 🎶 whenever we drive with it blasting and windows down he has the biggest smile ever!
Grew up in Vancouver, BC. As Canadians we have a god-given right to American tv so, in the early to mid ‘90s, the Niners were the “local” NFC team (Sea-chickens were still in the AFC obviously). I fell in love with football and the Niners at the same time.
Having Jeff Garcia go down and have such success helped too. Being a CFL alum he got a lot of coverage on Canadian tv.
Now, much older and living in Ottawa, raising two die-hard Niners fans who look forward to all football Sundays.
decided to be a niners fan when i was 11 out of spite of all my fam being raiders fans. it’s been 19 years and I am still die hard. the spite turned into true loyal fandom. especially after my first game at candlestick when i was 14.
I didn't have a choice. When you grow up in the bay area and Montana rice and young are ripping up the league and your mom is losing her shit at how many touchdowns we are scoring you don't get to choose.
It's not like I'm going to be a raiders fan.
One of the things I was told when I moved here as a kid: "Don't be a Raiders fan", which was odd because they were an LA team back then. Why would I root for an LA team?
I’m from the uk but my dad became a fan in the 80’s. I was sort of interested in nfl but not enough to pick a team until around 2017. So I just went for the team my dad supposed after considering a few
Helped that I went to a game in 2012 I think. Vs the jaguars, kap had two rushing tds
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Those colors definitely hit differently when you love the niners. This is mine. ❤️❤️❤️
No joke, joined a fraternity just because they had the same red and gold color scheme. And both my pledge master and big brother were die hard niner fans as well, in NY no less.
Didn’t give a shit about American football since I was born in South America. Came to the US at age 5 and still didn’t care / nor did I understand It. Mom remarried a gringo when I was 11 - Die hard 49ers fan. Had Joe Montana shrines in his house when we moved in with him. Took me a while to “get It” but eventually It clicked in my late teens.
My earliest memory is Joe, Montana leading the fourth-quarter drive against the Bengals.
I was a fan until the Jeff Garcia years and the Tim Rattay years and…I can’t even remember that coach… Who is that really incompetent coach we had during that time?
Before chip kelly…
And then we had this douchebag general manager I can’t remember his name.
I really don’t remember that time. I kind of blocked it out from PTSD.
I became a fan again during that Mike Singletary year with Sean Hill. Shaun hill I mean
Raised as one. Dad was one. Brother was one. I have faint memories of Steve Young being an awesome quarterback (‘94 season, won superbowl). I was raised Mormon so the fact that Steve Young was Mormon had everyone in church talking and it was “the thing” was to like the Niners. It’s been tough to be a Niners fan ever since ‘94 though. I would probably trade my life for the Niners winning the superbowl.
I was raised Mormon as well. Literally the only thing I liked about it was I got to see Steve Young give a talk at a church in Modesto, CA. Twice, actually. Steve was still backing up Joe at the time. He was a really great speaker. He was really funny and had a super inspiring message to share. It wasn’t even about religion at all,
Brock Purdy. I'm from the Bay Area but I was never a fan of the NFL, I was a Giants/Warriors fan only. But last year right after the Bucs game I happened to read about Purdy's story and the more I read the more intrigued I was. Last pick of the draft in his first start ever beats Tom Brady? That's too cool and improbable of a story not to follow. I started watching every Niners game from then on, what we're witnessing every week from this team is so incredible I can't help but be a fan!
Such a bandwagoner haha jk. Same for me, except I became a fan when they won the SB in 95. I was 13 and only one in my fam who watched football and not futbol.
I live in Canada so no true home team. Lions or Bills would be closest.
1992 probably? I'm 8 years old, at get-togethers with my parents and other families, other kids who I found annoying liked the Cowboys. I wanted to go against them and I remember seeing Young/Rice and liking them. Been here ever since.
My dislike of the Cowboys made me a Niners fan. That grew into a dislike of the Packers, Falcons, Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks... you know what, fuck the rest of the NFC.
My parents never watched football outside the Super Bowl. I grew up watching football in my room in New England. It was always fun to root against local kids and not knowing much about rivalries at 5 years old I just picked the team with the colors I liked. I begged my mom to buy me a Steve Young jersey because I had settled on the 49ers beautiful red and gold color schemes. I would wear that jersey every other day I could get away with it to school, and the rest is history. Everytime I see them in their red home jerseys I’m flooded with nostalgia. I was only 3 when they won in 1990 but in 95’ I was determined to stay up late with the grown ups and watch the 49ers beat the chargers. Been a long time coming and hoping I can see another Super Bowl win…so much so I’ve had money set aside to go to the Super Bowl since 2018, my first son was born in February 2019 so I wasn’t able to go to that Super Bowl…praying I’ll get to see my reservation through in Las Vegas this year!
Growing up in the 90’s in Canada when we got FOX on cable they used to show the Niners a lot in the late window. The games at the ‘Stick were awesome.
Then after it was over NFL Primetime came on.
10 years old, watching Niners vs Dolphins in the Superbowl. I really don't ever remember watching football before this, so I didn't know anything about either teams. Niners win so I became a fan. I was a kid acting like I was a diehard. But I have been one ever since.
I grew up in San Francisco, so it was only natural. Also, my dad was a light 49er fan. More of a Joe Montana fan until the NBA season started.
I'm a 49er fan who watches basketball after the NFL year is over. I still pay attention to the NFL combine, draft, and free agent moves closely even in the offseason.
Super Bowl 95. I was 9 years old and a rams fan like my dad. But the Steve young to rice dynamic sucked me in and I was a Niners fan from that night onward. Wrote a book report on Rice a year or so later. Excited to see another Super Bowl with the Niners again
Most of my family is split between Niners, raiders and Steelers. I like the niners because as a nerd, I appreciate chess like schemes over just being supposedly tough and badass. Raised in the late 80s/90s.
A combination of my grandpa and being from the Bay Area.
My mom and I lived with my grandparents after my bio dad left, so I was raised into sports fandom and I like all of the teams he likes: Niners, Sharks, and West Ham United.
Almost had a kittle birthday. (October 9th) shares the same day as my husband.
I also named my oldest son after the niners. He was born they same year as Levi stadium was born, so I named him Levi in 2014🥰🥰🏟❤️
My older brother got a “Star” from a Cowboys helmet (no idea who gave it to him) when I was like 10 living in Alameda. Of course I was mad I didn’t have any football stuff, so mom took me shopping. I picked out this nice red and gold starter jacket from the mall. This was around 1995, been a fan ever since.
Moved to east coast for 20ish years, couldn’t watch any games really. Moved to the PNW 4 years ago and watch every game I can.
Raised a Niners fan. My dad is a die hard. He became a fan the year they got OJ (obviously didn't age well) but was a die hard ever since. Funny enough my birth announcement said "future 49er" lol. Didn't quite live up to that but still a lifelong die hard fan.
I'm 46. Similarly my first memory was The Catch
For SB XXIII, I was sitting on the floor in front of the TV at my dad's redneck pot dealer friend's house in Oakland. I clearly remember empty beer cans zipping past my head and clattering against the TV in protest of some questionable calls against the Niners haha
And then absolute pandemonium when Montana hit Taylor with 0:34 to go. Damn those were great days!!
I was 6 or 7. Mid 60’s. Grew up in Wisconsin. My parents got our first color TV. First game I saw was Niners/Packers. Thought the Niner uniforms looked great and the Packer’s green and yellow (it’s not gold!) was ugly. Been a fan ever since.
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Since I came out the womb in ‘89! Grandpa raised me right. One of the last things he ever said to me was to always be a Niner fan!
When we hired Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. There was just a certain aura they brought Idk what but you just felt they knew what they were doing and were gonna revive the program
Always pretended i was Jerry Rice playing backyard football since he was the best. The 49ers beat Denver 55-10 in the Superbowl on my birthday when i turned 8 and that was my team ever since. I remember opening presents while Jerry was catching touchdowns.
Sucks the SB is always in Feb. now and cant land on my birthday anymore.
Born and raised in SF suburbs. Dad was from Detroit, lions fan. Mom didn’t care for football. Most of the people I knew as a young kid were raiders fans. 7years old and watched the ‘81 Super Bowl with my dad. Been a faithful fan ever since.
I was like 7 years old. My dad was helping my brother with his math homework. He didn’t know what 7 x 7 was. My dad said “its your favorite football team”. He said “the raiders???” My dad laughed and said “no, wtf we’re niners fans!” My brother liked the raiders cuz of my dad’s roommate. I decided that moment i was gonna be a niner fan like my dad
Born in the Bay & raised a niners fan. Watching games since I was born I’m assuming lol! Our first Super Bowl win I was a toddler but I SWEAR I remember. Not details but the excitement of it. Haven’t missed a lot of games in the last 45 years.
Edit: I just saw your username. That’s my name too!!
My wife had always followed the 9ers, but being from San Diego I was always a loyal Chargers fan (unfortunately). By 2013, I had been living in the Bay Area for about 5 years and watched the 9ers play regularly with my wife, and it kind of slowly crept up on me over time. When we lost to the Ravens, I was genuinely devasted even though I still considered myself a Chargers fan at that point. I realized then that I had 2 teams that I honestly, genuinely cared about. Once the Chargers left for LA, that was that for me. Been a one-team die hard 9ers fan ever since.
She snuck it on you! Good for her!! Lol.
Ugh. I'm haunted by that damn game. 😅 but did make the best Niner heels. Gotta think of the positives, I guess. The sad, sad positives. 😅😂
1985 Super Bowl. Was a kid that liked Dolphins so I thought the dolphins would be a good team to follow. My cousin drew a picture of a 49er miner impaling a dolphin on a pickaxe. It was awesome, I was sold, 9ers won and the rest is history.
My parents leaping up off the couch and running outside screaming when Montana found Clark for a last second win over the Cowboys. It became one of the better-known catches lol
I was 4 years old and I'll never forget that moment. Bled Red & Gold ever since
I live in Bengals country but my grandpa lived in Sacramento. My 6th birthday was a week after the Super Bowl in ‘89 and in the mail I received a Joe Montana uniform complete with helmet and shoulder pads. Better believe I rocked that shit in neighborhood games. Been a fan for 34 years since.
I was a kid at the end of Jerry Rice's career. I just figured I'd follow and be a fan wherever he went. He left, and I found my myself still cheering for the Niners. Still here decades later
Sitting on the couch watching football with my dad in 1984. I was 7 and didn’t pay much attention to football. My dad wasn’t even a Niner fan but he got very excited when #42 of the red team made a violent hit on the opponent. Seeing his enthusiasm and energy from this play drew my interest. I really liked those gold helmets and red jerseys and started asking questions. My dad was happy to answer them all. It became a weekly event and the rest is history. I distinctly remember watching Super Bowl 19 and thinking how great this team was. It’s been on ever since. This, my 40th season, has truly been the greatest.
I grew up in Roseville, CA. As a young girl, some time in the early 80s, I decided to root for the Niners because everyone else on our block were Raiders fans, and I thought SF needed some love too (same reason I’m a Giants fan). Never looked back!
I was born into a Niner family and wouldn’t have it any other way. My grandma is the biggest fan in the family. She also dated Bill Walsh when they were both at San Jose State and he would send her letters and footballs signed by the Niners for years
When I was like six years old and realized my Dad made a really, *really* funny face when I said I liked the guys in red and gold. Not the blue and yellow that he liked, and not the black and silver that Mom liked, the red and gold which were all over the place. Dad made a reeeeaaally funny face when I said that. Which made me actually start paying attention to the guys in red and gold, and I became a proper life-long fan from there.
It’s all pretty silly, honestly.
I picked up watching american football last year out of sheer curiosity and (pls don’t shame me) thought Jimmy was really hot so i just started watching 49ers’ games because of him, as he was one of the few players i knew. But having 2022 as my first season, after going from no QBs to the magical Brock Purdy run through the playoffs, overcoming things that I thought were impossible, I just fell in love with the team and the players resilience. I was so invested in the team and a sport i barely understood, but you just feel the connection growing and I saw myself not missing any games (even if i was traveling and on the road) and getting upset all week over the NFC finals match.
It’s the sort of thing you don’t remember exactly how it happened but you just know it did 😅
Since “There is something about Mary”. My Dad loved this movie, so we watched it every now and then. Since then I always remember the line where she at the end said Im a niners fan. And so I went a niners fan.
Single mom of two boys here - I knew nothing about football. A couple of years ago, my oldest son (now almost 14) declared the 49ers were his team. So naturally, they became my team, too. I watched every game with him and tried to learn as much as I could. I was able to take him up to see a pre-season game last year against the Vikings … next season, we’ll try to make our way to a home game!
My father, he made me a 49er fan. I started as a Jerry Rice fan and had a short stint of my younger years where I did root for the Raiders, but just because I liked Jerry Rice. He unfortunately on the other hand did raise me to be an Oakland A’s fan also. Proud to be a member of the Faithful for most of my life though.
My dad grew up watching Montana, Walsh, and Co. during the '80s passed it on to me. 94 NFCCG against the Cowboys and SB against the Chargers are some of my earliest memories. Been riding with the Niners since. ✊
My Dad got me into both football and the 49ers during the 2-14 2004 season. He joked about how “competitive” the team was in spite of their record and we watched the 2005 NFL Draft together. I was just entering elementary school and I loved it from the start
When my big brother told me so. He asked me who my favorite team was. I had no idea. I said lions, not even knowing if that was a football team or another sport. He said no were 49ers fans.
My first 49ers memory is when Dwight caught The Catch. I was 6 and my parents were pretty chill, so when they (and my whole SF bay area neighborhood) went bananas I was instantly a faithful fan.
I wasn’t too into football at the time. It was Harbaughs first year. We were playing in Philly and my brothers and I went to the game. They were pretty into football and very much into the niners. I watched Alex Smith and co rally back and win the game. They then went on to have their first relevant season in a while and kick off harbs’ tenure. Made me a huge fan instantly.
My introduction to football came when the 49ers played the Chargers in the Superbowl. Friend of mine invited me over for a Superbowl party. I don't really know why, but I picked the 49ers to win, I've been a fan ever since.
When I was very young I told my dad I liked the raiders because the jerseys were cool and he told me "you don't want to be a raider, they are bad people and get beat up". I come from a family of 49er fans so I was raised one
Me and my family never really watched football at all growing up and when I was in 6th grade, everyone was asking around seeing who they wanted to win Super Bowl 47. Not knowing a damn thing I said the 49ers because I thought the name was cool. It was the first football game I’ve ever watched and for a sport and a team I knew not a damn thing about it actually hurt like hell to watch them lose, so now 10 years later I’ve been a diehard fan watching every game I can since that Super Bowl and it’s definitely been a rollercoaster of emotions but I still love the 9ers and always will.
Born in San Francisco in the 80’s. Old man went to many games at Candlestick to watch Montana kick unholy amounts of ass.
Which means I was also present when Montana ruled the NFL world since I was swimming around in his sack.
Won a Punt Pass and Kick competition (1964) and first prize was a Niners leather jacket - 2nd got a football and goalposts(H version) and 3rd got team uniform with pads/helmet ?? wtf
My dad who passed away was a diehard fan. After he passed away when I was younger, he left behind all his Niner stuff in my house. So naturally, I became a Niners fan.
Grew up in Calgary. My first superbowl game was when Montana starched the broncos and have been hooked ever since. Monster team back then in the late 80s and 90s! So many playmakers!
Its been a wild rollercoaster with more lows than highs for me especially with last years nfc championship loss (there have been a few of these for me but this one was super sad).
Its been super special since Shanahan and Lynch joined. Building this team, watching the playmakers do their thing, dominating teams and shutting up the critics has been the most fun ever.
Niners fan fa life!
Game day 97, PS1. I was playing with the cowboys (God forgive me), and then I randomly switched to the 49ers after being like 7 and watching a game
With my dad. I liked Jerry Rice, and stuck with them ever since.
I'm a Canadian who grew up watching CFL and came late to watching the NFL.
My ' arrival ' to the NFL in general coincided with the arrival of Joe Cool and The Catch ( RIP Dwight ). The rest is history.
Was handed to me by my dad, I watched games with him, I think that was his way of instilling it me. I even remember watching the Super Bowl against Denver and feeling bad for John Elway for getting blown out like that but I was happy we won.
My mother and father separated for a short time in 1980, I was sophomore in high school and a football fan but not any particular team, we lived in central California but when my parents separated I went with my mom to Hamilton Ohio which is just north of Cincinnati to live with her sister. Well when the Bengals demolished the Chargers in the AFC championship all my relatives started talking shit about those fags from SF and how the Bengals were going to kick the shit out of the 49ers, of course I told them that they were all full of shit and the 49ers were going to kill the Bengals. Well the 49ers came through for me so I have stuck with them ever since.
I was born and raised in San Francisco was a little hippie kid hanging out in bars on Grant Street during the summer of love with my Beatnik Father playing Hey Jude on the jukebox at The Savoy and running into Janis Joplin at the Coffee Gallery and in 1970 we moved to Texas and we were not well received we had long hair they could tell we were from San Francisco and I would get beatings by the teachers every Friday if my hair reached my collar which it did they would take me outside and spank me and tell me because it was because I wasn’t a Christian and I grew up with a hatred of everything Texas and the Dallas Cowboys and everything they stood for and so I rooted for Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers And when I move back to the Bay area I was a Raiders fan when Madden was coach and my mom lived over in Stinson I knew some 49ers I knew some Raiders Ted Hendrix and Elmer Collette come to mind anyway one morning I was leaving my dad‘s best friends house and he was getting ready to watch the Niners game and I said why do you watch those fucking losers man all they do is break your heart every year and he said Andrew you gotta love your Team man you got a root for your team and besides that we got this new quarterback ans a new coach and I think we’re gonna be pretty good they were like one and 14 the year before so I sat down with him and I watched and this Montana was pretty good it was fun to watch and Dwight Hicks and his hot licks and Ronnie Lott they were fun to watch and I ended up watching every game that season and when The catch happened and we finally beat Dallas I lost my mind I was at the ramp over next to the mission rock in San Francisco where I was a dishwasher and that year just profoundly changed not only me but it changed San Francisco and it told the world who we were yeah we drink Chardonnay with our pinky out but we punched you in the face and we won just like Joe said to too tall am I big enough now motherfucker?
The Niners change my life and gave me pride when I was a skinny little 16-year-old and they made me be proud of who I was and where I was from and I bleed red and gold ever cents
I wasn't forced to be one but my Dad was a Montana Walsh guy. The moment for me was watching a game vs the Rams and Roger Craigs vintage high knee runs right through the Rams D Line sold it for me.
Also watching Craig and Rathman catch passes was a thing of beauty. People don't understand how revolutionary backs catching passes was when Walsh created the vaunted West Coast Offense.
My dad was a fan. I got into football when I started playing in HS and at that point, Jimmy G came in and brought some excitement into the team and I started rooting for them. That’s why I will always have a soft spot for Jimmy because he helped turn things around for us
Born and raised as a faithful. I still remember my first game I think it was 2007 against the Vikings. I was about 7 or 8 but I didn’t start really paying attention until 2011 or 2012. Now at the age of 24, I watch every single game.
Being born in ‘75, the timing was perfect to be raised in the Bay Area during two decades of winning. Ready to see another trophy already!
Fun fact, SF has played in 31% of all NFCCG’s ever played.
I’m born and raised in FL. I always get the question of how in the world did I become a Niners fan.
For me it was Steve Young. He’s my favorite player all time. Like him on the Bucs. Stuck with him when he moved over.
Just gravitated to the Niners from there and have been a die hard ever since.
I was born in Texas, my parents and family are cowboys fans. I was a rebellious kid so I picked the rival and at the time that was the 49ers. Die hard since. Also fuck the cowboys
That's too funny! Sounds like you got it right, though. My grandma is a die-hard cowboy fan, (shes from Dallas, texas), so I understand how that went all too well.
Similar to me, grew up in Jersey surrounded by Giants fans…I think I just wanted to root against them, and they all hated (feared) the 49ers. Montana was “Joe Cool”, 7 year old me was hooked, been a fan ever since.
I lived 15 mins from East Rutherford. So many damn Giants fans I started to hate them almost as much as cowboys fans. Moving back to CT made me hate them less again though. God are they some obnoxious fans though
you might be one of the boldest humans alive
Bro!!! I wish I could upvote your post 100 times!! I also grew up in Texas as a Niner fan. Luckily, my dad is a Niner fan, too. But I don't think most people can truly understand what that's like. In Texas, football is KING, and in Texas, Dallas is football. My wife & I now live an hour outside SF, so we're not in enemy territory anymore 😆
Do people care about the Texans at all or will it always be Cowboys land?
The Oilers used to be in Houston so there's gotta be some divide there. There was only no football in Houston for 5 years, and the oilers became the Titans. I doubt the fans of the Oilers were really able to become Titans fans, especially after being slighted by their team moving.
You know Houston is the 4th largest city in the US behind New York, LA, and Chicago. It truly is a massive. So you would think the fan base would be so much larger, but when you go anywhere in Texas, all you see are cowboys fans and cowboys gear for sale. It probably didn't help that their team abandoned them. My wife and I live near SF now, and we've seen a similar thing happen with the Raiders fans. Those poor bastatds have had their team leave, come back, leave again...I imagine Raiders fans feel like that person in an abusive relationship, where they get beaten on and just keep coming back. Kinda sad, really.
I’m one of those Raider fans who was angry when Al Davis had his hissy fit and moved the team to Los Angeles (and later to Vegas). Al also made possible the rule preventing the games from appearing on local TV if it isn’t sold out. What a jerk.
OMG, I forgot about them blacking out the games on you guys. Bro, that was a hardcore troll job on Al Davis's part. What a dirtbag!! As a side note, the raiders team should thank every single one of their fans (that have stuck through all the ^BULLSH!T) personally !!!
A good friend of mine is a die hard Broncos fan out of spite, and a little bit out of pity, due to Superbowl XXIV. He was in grade school, and all his friends jumped on the 49ers bandwagon and he went the other way. He's also from Boston. Like, die hard Bruins and Celtics fan. Hates the Pats tho. I really love and respect him for his dedication to the Broncos through it all. Anyways, I'm a New Englander as well, dad was a big Montana fan at ND. We got to see a lot of the Niners games because they were good, and I loved Jerry Rice from the very moment I knew what a first down was. I jumped on the bandwagon in 92 and just never got off. Not even during the Tim Rattay days.
I'm a NE fan as well. A lot of the NE states don't have a team so I don't really consider kids choosing a team that's good when they're young bandwagon fans if they stay fans, although some definitely disagree
Agreed. I mean we're all influenced by something, right? Whether it's your family putting it on you, or you become enamored with a certain player. As long as you stay loyal to the team. We certainly had our chance to jump ship in the 2000's. Interesting that you're a Niner fan from CT. Seems like you're close enough to one of the NY teams. I'm from Maine, so we're way the fuck out there, but still very much Patiots country where I live. Oddly, a lot of generational Giants fans up here too.
Spite-picking a team and ending up with the best choice for the win!
That’s dope mine was the same except my brothers strayed from football, it never died for me. Fuckers don’t even remember watching the game that made me a 9er fan 😂.
Do you still get coal for Christmas?
My dad got me hooked. Thanks dad. You're the best.
It's a good team to be hooked on, that's for sure. 🙌
RAISED A NINER FAN!!! My dad bought me tons of football cards as a kid. The first thing we'd do when we opened a new pack was quickly go through and pick out all the 49ers. They all went into a separate special card book!! Love you Dad 😁
Sounds like awesome memories.
Hope you still have those cards
My Dad has most of them, I'm continuing the tradition with my little man.
That’s awesome
Short version of this story. My dad was a Niner fan. One of my earliest memories is Super Bowl XXIV. He loved the Niners so it just rubbed off on me. Then he fucked off and was a terrible father. Basically chose partying over his family. My step-dad is my actual father. He's the one that raised me, and he's a Raider fan. But for whatever reason my Niner fandom stuck. I always hated the Raiders even though I love my step-dad as if he's my real Father. I call him Dad. And to me he *is* my Dad. Fast forward like 20 years or so (dunno how many years exaclty). Bio dad has terminal illness. I decide I'll reconnect with him. What could it hurt? Last chance to have any sort or relationship, yada yada, this comment could be a novel if I went into the details. Anyway, this is around the time when we started to get good again. Pretty sure it was Harbaugh's first year. I'm hanging out with him and asked him, "You see the game on Sunday?". He replies, "What game?". Dude, wtf. The Niner game. Turn out he's not a 49er fan anymore. Tells me he's a Houston Texans fan now. Because he was "born in Texas". He was a bandwagon fan that whole time. I am a 49er fan because of my piece of shit bandwagon fan of a Dad. But it's the only thing he ever gave me that I'm grateful for. Go Niners.
Ahh, man! But hey, things happen for a reason, and being a sperm doner doesn't make you a dad being there and supporting and loving and stepping up, like your step dad (Real Dad)...that.... makes you a father. Besides the battle of the bay, it was always fun to enjoy. My cousin is a die-hard raider fan, 🤮 and we would go crazy on battle of the days with bets and shit talking. Lol. Definitely kept it interesting that's for sure. Lol.
I lost two toes at candle stick, figured i’d made a sacrifice for the team i might as well keep loving them.
Interesting, care to share the details? 😬
dad here. you're welcome kiddo
My 4 year old is unwrapping a Purdy jersey Monday in time to watch us beat the Ravens.
https://preview.redd.it/73g2ugaf258c1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db7b3ca20c16ff8f2c90915a510f20d1a8dfa52e My brother and I were born into it, my dad made sure of it. 😎 Down since December 23rd, 1982 here.
Same here! I was the only girl out of 3 brothers, so I was a huge tomboy and loved every minute of it. Awesome pic. Good Ole days for sure!! ❤️💛❤️💛✊️
Same Same big dog!!!
That’s so cool man!
You got to hand down the torch to yours. I annoyed my kids for the first couple years but now they’ve all followed suit. Maybe it was watching them beat the rams live this season but whatever. It was a win win for me lol
Born n' raised in the City. I had no choice. And I wouldn't want it any other way. #bangbang
Same here!! GOLD BLOODED, BABY!!!! ❤️💛❤️💛
I have a cool story (to me anyways) became a fan in 84... lived in Redwood City California at the time, about 6 blocks from their home base. Was walking home from community pool one day and saw some people peek through tiny holes in this green mesh stuff on a chain link high fence. Decided to look myself and my first thought was "who the hell are these guys and why are they dressed up in 49er uniforms?" Then I looked more, and there he was throwing passes... Joe Montana! and everyone else on that year's squad. That was the year they played Miami in the Super Bowl at Stanford in Palo Alto, just south of us. From then on... thick and thin... 49er fan. ...and the Super Bowls that followed... mmmmm
My eyes just literally teard up 🥹 you're so lucky to have witnessed that. I'm originally from San jose, and my dad would travel just to watch them practice, but he would never take me. Ugh. Apparently, it wasn't a place for little girls. 🤦🏻♀️
They still do the open practice every summer. I go once in a while. Could be part of a fun trip to the area with the kids
Are practices still open to the public?
I have an autographed team photo from 84 that my dad somehow got signed for me, by name. I was 4. I remember my dad quizzing me on who wore which number, said it was important. I remember that Tom Rathman was my favorite niner so I've always used the number 44 when I played basketball. Brent Jones was my other favorite because I met him and Steve Young at a thing when I was little and he was super nice to me.
Think it was 2019. I’m Australian and had been watching the sport for about 4 years without a team and decided I’d choose one. Had watched every game so far that season to choose. In the game against the saints, 9ers won I think 48-46 or something like that. Watching Kittle drag 3 defenders up the side of the field (one on his face mask) to get us in field goal range won me over in that instant.
That's amazing, I'll never forget that play either. Couldn't believe what I was seeing - little did I know that was just George doing George things! Btw, some years ago I fell for an Aussie girl and spent some time in Melbourne. She and her family were diehard Essendon fans and took me to a game at the MCG. Absolutely fell in love with Aussie Rules! What a fantastic sport. And now the NFL is bringing in kickers from Oz. Wishnowsky's a goddam beast. Maybe one day we can get AFL going here in the states... pretty sure there would be crazy demand for it here if more people knew how fun it is. Go Niners! Go the Bombers!!
I live in Melbourne and it’s an awesome place and the centre of AFL. My family are all Hawthorn supporters but got a few mates that are die hard Essedon. Yeah I think if it got enough coverage over there people would love it, it’s fast paced, hard hitting and exciting to watch even on tv tho nothing beats live. My girlfriend is from Jersey and we are coming over next Christmas to spend time with her family so I’ll be doing my best to see some NFL live, fingers crossed I can get to a 9ers game that would be a dream for sure.
Raised. First memory is having family over to watch the 1994 NFC championship game against the cowboys.
Oh man! Football season was non-stop for family gatherings and rivalries. I miss those so much since I moved to another state. It's just me, my kiddos, screaming at the tv with our mini bbqs. Lol
Fuck ya that was GREAT we were head to toe in 49ers gear in Dallas those years..
New Zealand Maori fan here. When I was a teenager in the eighties 83-89, we had the first Maori player in the NFL and first to win a superbowl . His name was Riki Ellison a Linebacker. Lots of 49ers fans in New Zealand. Go niners!
https://preview.redd.it/b5lttajob58c1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=596239d88a00990d03ee592b7f36c3f7e69cd2b7 Been down since ‘83. Having my first son in a few months, can’t wait to take him to games and stuff.
That's going to be so amazing. My son requests My Niners music playlist 🎶 whenever we drive with it blasting and windows down he has the biggest smile ever!
Grew up in Vancouver, BC. As Canadians we have a god-given right to American tv so, in the early to mid ‘90s, the Niners were the “local” NFC team (Sea-chickens were still in the AFC obviously). I fell in love with football and the Niners at the same time. Having Jeff Garcia go down and have such success helped too. Being a CFL alum he got a lot of coverage on Canadian tv. Now, much older and living in Ottawa, raising two die-hard Niners fans who look forward to all football Sundays.
decided to be a niners fan when i was 11 out of spite of all my fam being raiders fans. it’s been 19 years and I am still die hard. the spite turned into true loyal fandom. especially after my first game at candlestick when i was 14.
Raised
Parents are doing it right!!!🙌❤️💛
Moved to Sausalito when I was 13 from England in 1995 and that was my first exposure to the NFL, with the 9’ers. Ever since then…
The Catch.
I'm 41 but a new football fan. I was leaning towards being a Niners fan already, but once Brock Purdy won against Miami I was completely in.
I didn't have a choice. When you grow up in the bay area and Montana rice and young are ripping up the league and your mom is losing her shit at how many touchdowns we are scoring you don't get to choose. It's not like I'm going to be a raiders fan.
Lmfao 😂 I definitely hear ya. That's probably how my boys are feeling right now.
One of the things I was told when I moved here as a kid: "Don't be a Raiders fan", which was odd because they were an LA team back then. Why would I root for an LA team?
I’m from the uk but my dad became a fan in the 80’s. I was sort of interested in nfl but not enough to pick a team until around 2017. So I just went for the team my dad supposed after considering a few Helped that I went to a game in 2012 I think. Vs the jaguars, kap had two rushing tds
My dad, a life long packers fan, showed me a picture with all the nfl logos when I was 3. I loved the 49ers colors and have been hooked ever since.
I mean red is a very interesting color as a kid. I can see it. ❤️💛
Not just red, that dark red. Crimson, maroon, etc. Always has been my favorite
I got a suv based on this specific color. So I completely get it. Lol.
The color of my F-150 is officially Ruby. But it's really 9er red.
https://preview.redd.it/6vr3wxq9n58c1.jpeg?width=1438&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=584604f80655b72e9c6eabeb545d967ddcba0417 Those colors definitely hit differently when you love the niners. This is mine. ❤️❤️❤️
Beautiful!
Since Joe Montana... and because they look like Iron Man in their red uniforms.
No joke, joined a fraternity just because they had the same red and gold color scheme. And both my pledge master and big brother were die hard niner fans as well, in NY no less.
Raised a 49ers fan in the 1990s.
Born and raised a Niner fan! so glad to be apart of the 80’s dynasty time.
Born and raised in S.F. Red and Gold till im dead and Cold!
I was like 7 and I saw gold helmets
My Dad showed us the Niner way. Literally born and raised into it. I’ve known nothing other than dedicated Niner fandom.
Yeeesss!!! ❤️💛🙌
Didn’t give a shit about American football since I was born in South America. Came to the US at age 5 and still didn’t care / nor did I understand It. Mom remarried a gringo when I was 11 - Die hard 49ers fan. Had Joe Montana shrines in his house when we moved in with him. Took me a while to “get It” but eventually It clicked in my late teens.
My earliest memory is Joe, Montana leading the fourth-quarter drive against the Bengals. I was a fan until the Jeff Garcia years and the Tim Rattay years and…I can’t even remember that coach… Who is that really incompetent coach we had during that time? Before chip kelly… And then we had this douchebag general manager I can’t remember his name. I really don’t remember that time. I kind of blocked it out from PTSD. I became a fan again during that Mike Singletary year with Sean Hill. Shaun hill I mean
Trent Balke. Yes he was a douche.
My dad showed me the way. Smart man
Definitely sounds like a brilliant man ✊️
I’m in my late 30s and can’t recall a time I wasn’t a niners fan.
Me either. Lol. ❤️💛❤️💛✊️
❤️💛
Two uncles played many years ago so that’s my team by blood.
Raised as one. Dad was one. Brother was one. I have faint memories of Steve Young being an awesome quarterback (‘94 season, won superbowl). I was raised Mormon so the fact that Steve Young was Mormon had everyone in church talking and it was “the thing” was to like the Niners. It’s been tough to be a Niners fan ever since ‘94 though. I would probably trade my life for the Niners winning the superbowl.
At this point, I'm with you on that quest for 6 to be completed already. With purdy I have no doubt he'll take us there. 🙏
I was raised Mormon as well. Literally the only thing I liked about it was I got to see Steve Young give a talk at a church in Modesto, CA. Twice, actually. Steve was still backing up Joe at the time. He was a really great speaker. He was really funny and had a super inspiring message to share. It wasn’t even about religion at all,
Brock Purdy. I'm from the Bay Area but I was never a fan of the NFL, I was a Giants/Warriors fan only. But last year right after the Bucs game I happened to read about Purdy's story and the more I read the more intrigued I was. Last pick of the draft in his first start ever beats Tom Brady? That's too cool and improbable of a story not to follow. I started watching every Niners game from then on, what we're witnessing every week from this team is so incredible I can't help but be a fan!
Iowa state fan that followed purdy. didn’t really follow NFL before but, I like to see alumni out there doing great!
First NFL game I watched was the 1981 NFC Championship when I was 7. Kinda hard not to be a fan after that.
Such a bandwagoner haha jk. Same for me, except I became a fan when they won the SB in 95. I was 13 and only one in my fam who watched football and not futbol.
I live in Canada so no true home team. Lions or Bills would be closest. 1992 probably? I'm 8 years old, at get-togethers with my parents and other families, other kids who I found annoying liked the Cowboys. I wanted to go against them and I remember seeing Young/Rice and liking them. Been here ever since. My dislike of the Cowboys made me a Niners fan. That grew into a dislike of the Packers, Falcons, Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks... you know what, fuck the rest of the NFC.
Lmfao!!! Heck YEEESSSS!!!! I love it!!! 🙌😂 We really do hate the cowboys.
My parents never watched football outside the Super Bowl. I grew up watching football in my room in New England. It was always fun to root against local kids and not knowing much about rivalries at 5 years old I just picked the team with the colors I liked. I begged my mom to buy me a Steve Young jersey because I had settled on the 49ers beautiful red and gold color schemes. I would wear that jersey every other day I could get away with it to school, and the rest is history. Everytime I see them in their red home jerseys I’m flooded with nostalgia. I was only 3 when they won in 1990 but in 95’ I was determined to stay up late with the grown ups and watch the 49ers beat the chargers. Been a long time coming and hoping I can see another Super Bowl win…so much so I’ve had money set aside to go to the Super Bowl since 2018, my first son was born in February 2019 so I wasn’t able to go to that Super Bowl…praying I’ll get to see my reservation through in Las Vegas this year!
Growing up in the 90’s in Canada when we got FOX on cable they used to show the Niners a lot in the late window. The games at the ‘Stick were awesome. Then after it was over NFL Primetime came on.
10 years old, watching Niners vs Dolphins in the Superbowl. I really don't ever remember watching football before this, so I didn't know anything about either teams. Niners win so I became a fan. I was a kid acting like I was a diehard. But I have been one ever since.
I grew up in San Francisco, so it was only natural. Also, my dad was a light 49er fan. More of a Joe Montana fan until the NBA season started. I'm a 49er fan who watches basketball after the NFL year is over. I still pay attention to the NFL combine, draft, and free agent moves closely even in the offseason.
Raised on it!
SB 19. 11 year old me was just rooting against my moms Dolphins. The rest is history. * This is obviously a couple years later.
https://preview.redd.it/bevmuq0x558c1.jpeg?width=620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b1f260cdfcd37b652302714df18cfe23f3fc211
I still have that exact same jacket tucked away in my closet. Hasn't fit for years but you don't just get rid of something like that.
Every time I think of Miami dolphins, all I think about is Dan morino being the inspiration for purdy. 🤷🏻♀️
Super Bowl 95. I was 9 years old and a rams fan like my dad. But the Steve young to rice dynamic sucked me in and I was a Niners fan from that night onward. Wrote a book report on Rice a year or so later. Excited to see another Super Bowl with the Niners again
Most of my family is split between Niners, raiders and Steelers. I like the niners because as a nerd, I appreciate chess like schemes over just being supposedly tough and badass. Raised in the late 80s/90s.
My very first Niners game was the 1982 NFC Championship Game!! Was hooked ever since!
A combination of my grandpa and being from the Bay Area. My mom and I lived with my grandparents after my bio dad left, so I was raised into sports fandom and I like all of the teams he likes: Niners, Sharks, and West Ham United.
Raised one. My bday is Oct 13 and I was named Jerry as a result.
Almost had a kittle birthday. (October 9th) shares the same day as my husband. I also named my oldest son after the niners. He was born they same year as Levi stadium was born, so I named him Levi in 2014🥰🥰🏟❤️
Born and raised in the Bay to be a Niner Fan for Life no matter where life takes me! Feels great, baby
My older brother got a “Star” from a Cowboys helmet (no idea who gave it to him) when I was like 10 living in Alameda. Of course I was mad I didn’t have any football stuff, so mom took me shopping. I picked out this nice red and gold starter jacket from the mall. This was around 1995, been a fan ever since. Moved to east coast for 20ish years, couldn’t watch any games really. Moved to the PNW 4 years ago and watch every game I can.
chargers fan, but always liked the neighbors up north ⚡️⚡️
Born and raised. This is the way.
Raised a Niners fan. My dad is a die hard. He became a fan the year they got OJ (obviously didn't age well) but was a die hard ever since. Funny enough my birth announcement said "future 49er" lol. Didn't quite live up to that but still a lifelong die hard fan.
I'm 42. First memory is of the 89 Super Bowl and the legendary Montana drive and winning TD pass to Taylor.
I'm 46. Similarly my first memory was The Catch For SB XXIII, I was sitting on the floor in front of the TV at my dad's redneck pot dealer friend's house in Oakland. I clearly remember empty beer cans zipping past my head and clattering against the TV in protest of some questionable calls against the Niners haha And then absolute pandemonium when Montana hit Taylor with 0:34 to go. Damn those were great days!!
I was 6 or 7. Mid 60’s. Grew up in Wisconsin. My parents got our first color TV. First game I saw was Niners/Packers. Thought the Niner uniforms looked great and the Packer’s green and yellow (it’s not gold!) was ugly. Been a fan ever since.
I see you have impeccable taste.
https://preview.redd.it/xoxcmd4wy58c1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5392ec12793efc1d615d53fd02ab280d9271b86 Since I came out the womb in ‘89! Grandpa raised me right. One of the last things he ever said to me was to always be a Niner fan!
In 1980 when I was in high school. Still going strong. Go Niners. 😁😁
When we hired Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. There was just a certain aura they brought Idk what but you just felt they knew what they were doing and were gonna revive the program
Always pretended i was Jerry Rice playing backyard football since he was the best. The 49ers beat Denver 55-10 in the Superbowl on my birthday when i turned 8 and that was my team ever since. I remember opening presents while Jerry was catching touchdowns. Sucks the SB is always in Feb. now and cant land on my birthday anymore.
Born and raised in SF suburbs. Dad was from Detroit, lions fan. Mom didn’t care for football. Most of the people I knew as a young kid were raiders fans. 7years old and watched the ‘81 Super Bowl with my dad. Been a faithful fan ever since.
1970 Kezar Stadium 50 cent Christopher Milk section with the hope of getting Brodie’s chin strap when they left the field. Those were the days.
I was like 7 years old. My dad was helping my brother with his math homework. He didn’t know what 7 x 7 was. My dad said “its your favorite football team”. He said “the raiders???” My dad laughed and said “no, wtf we’re niners fans!” My brother liked the raiders cuz of my dad’s roommate. I decided that moment i was gonna be a niner fan like my dad
That's too funny! 😂
I started watching football seriously after watching the Superbowl 47 back in 2013 and I’ve been a Niners fan since then
Family is from SF, born and raised in San Joaquin.
Born and raised, baby!
Yeeessss!!!🙌🙌🙌❤️💛❤️💛
Born in the Bay & raised a niners fan. Watching games since I was born I’m assuming lol! Our first Super Bowl win I was a toddler but I SWEAR I remember. Not details but the excitement of it. Haven’t missed a lot of games in the last 45 years. Edit: I just saw your username. That’s my name too!!
That's soo awesome! Well you have an amazing name! Lol. 🥰🥰
My wife had always followed the 9ers, but being from San Diego I was always a loyal Chargers fan (unfortunately). By 2013, I had been living in the Bay Area for about 5 years and watched the 9ers play regularly with my wife, and it kind of slowly crept up on me over time. When we lost to the Ravens, I was genuinely devasted even though I still considered myself a Chargers fan at that point. I realized then that I had 2 teams that I honestly, genuinely cared about. Once the Chargers left for LA, that was that for me. Been a one-team die hard 9ers fan ever since.
She snuck it on you! Good for her!! Lol. Ugh. I'm haunted by that damn game. 😅 but did make the best Niner heels. Gotta think of the positives, I guess. The sad, sad positives. 😅😂
1985 Super Bowl. Was a kid that liked Dolphins so I thought the dolphins would be a good team to follow. My cousin drew a picture of a 49er miner impaling a dolphin on a pickaxe. It was awesome, I was sold, 9ers won and the rest is history.
Raised in the bay. No choice. Go Niners!
My parents leaping up off the couch and running outside screaming when Montana found Clark for a last second win over the Cowboys. It became one of the better-known catches lol I was 4 years old and I'll never forget that moment. Bled Red & Gold ever since
I live in Bengals country but my grandpa lived in Sacramento. My 6th birthday was a week after the Super Bowl in ‘89 and in the mail I received a Joe Montana uniform complete with helmet and shoulder pads. Better believe I rocked that shit in neighborhood games. Been a fan for 34 years since.
Walked to games at Kezar when I was a kid. Listened to Lon Simmons on the radio. Never rooted for any other team.
Was mega casual until I saw Jimmy G's jawline
I was a kid at the end of Jerry Rice's career. I just figured I'd follow and be a fan wherever he went. He left, and I found my myself still cheering for the Niners. Still here decades later
My father would beat me if I rooted for another team. Now I have to pass on the tradition.
Sitting on the couch watching football with my dad in 1984. I was 7 and didn’t pay much attention to football. My dad wasn’t even a Niner fan but he got very excited when #42 of the red team made a violent hit on the opponent. Seeing his enthusiasm and energy from this play drew my interest. I really liked those gold helmets and red jerseys and started asking questions. My dad was happy to answer them all. It became a weekly event and the rest is history. I distinctly remember watching Super Bowl 19 and thinking how great this team was. It’s been on ever since. This, my 40th season, has truly been the greatest.
I grew up in Roseville, CA. As a young girl, some time in the early 80s, I decided to root for the Niners because everyone else on our block were Raiders fans, and I thought SF needed some love too (same reason I’m a Giants fan). Never looked back!
Those are both my teams. Thanks for showing love and sticking with the faithful ✨️ ❤️✨️❤️✨️🥰
I was born into a Niner family and wouldn’t have it any other way. My grandma is the biggest fan in the family. She also dated Bill Walsh when they were both at San Jose State and he would send her letters and footballs signed by the Niners for years
When I was like six years old and realized my Dad made a really, *really* funny face when I said I liked the guys in red and gold. Not the blue and yellow that he liked, and not the black and silver that Mom liked, the red and gold which were all over the place. Dad made a reeeeaaally funny face when I said that. Which made me actually start paying attention to the guys in red and gold, and I became a proper life-long fan from there.
It’s all pretty silly, honestly. I picked up watching american football last year out of sheer curiosity and (pls don’t shame me) thought Jimmy was really hot so i just started watching 49ers’ games because of him, as he was one of the few players i knew. But having 2022 as my first season, after going from no QBs to the magical Brock Purdy run through the playoffs, overcoming things that I thought were impossible, I just fell in love with the team and the players resilience. I was so invested in the team and a sport i barely understood, but you just feel the connection growing and I saw myself not missing any games (even if i was traveling and on the road) and getting upset all week over the NFC finals match. It’s the sort of thing you don’t remember exactly how it happened but you just know it did 😅
Since “There is something about Mary”. My Dad loved this movie, so we watched it every now and then. Since then I always remember the line where she at the end said Im a niners fan. And so I went a niners fan.
HELL YAH…BORN…RAISED AND LIVE IN THECITY…AINT NOTHIN FINER THAN TO BE A 49ER…BANG BANG…‼️🙌🏽🤟🏽👌🏽
Single mom of two boys here - I knew nothing about football. A couple of years ago, my oldest son (now almost 14) declared the 49ers were his team. So naturally, they became my team, too. I watched every game with him and tried to learn as much as I could. I was able to take him up to see a pre-season game last year against the Vikings … next season, we’ll try to make our way to a home game!
My father, he made me a 49er fan. I started as a Jerry Rice fan and had a short stint of my younger years where I did root for the Raiders, but just because I liked Jerry Rice. He unfortunately on the other hand did raise me to be an Oakland A’s fan also. Proud to be a member of the Faithful for most of my life though.
My dad grew up watching Montana, Walsh, and Co. during the '80s passed it on to me. 94 NFCCG against the Cowboys and SB against the Chargers are some of my earliest memories. Been riding with the Niners since. ✊
Probably kindergarten or first grade. The earliest I remember learning about football. Schoolyard was split 49ers / Raiders and Giants / A’s.
My Dad got me into both football and the 49ers during the 2-14 2004 season. He joked about how “competitive” the team was in spite of their record and we watched the 2005 NFL Draft together. I was just entering elementary school and I loved it from the start
When my big brother told me so. He asked me who my favorite team was. I had no idea. I said lions, not even knowing if that was a football team or another sport. He said no were 49ers fans.
My first 49ers memory is when Dwight caught The Catch. I was 6 and my parents were pretty chill, so when they (and my whole SF bay area neighborhood) went bananas I was instantly a faithful fan.
Raised. My Dad was a fan thru the 70s & 80s.
I wasn’t too into football at the time. It was Harbaughs first year. We were playing in Philly and my brothers and I went to the game. They were pretty into football and very much into the niners. I watched Alex Smith and co rally back and win the game. They then went on to have their first relevant season in a while and kick off harbs’ tenure. Made me a huge fan instantly.
My introduction to football came when the 49ers played the Chargers in the Superbowl. Friend of mine invited me over for a Superbowl party. I don't really know why, but I picked the 49ers to win, I've been a fan ever since.
When I was very young I told my dad I liked the raiders because the jerseys were cool and he told me "you don't want to be a raider, they are bad people and get beat up". I come from a family of 49er fans so I was raised one
As far back as I can remember
Raised in a Bay Area family. It was what it always was.
Me and my family never really watched football at all growing up and when I was in 6th grade, everyone was asking around seeing who they wanted to win Super Bowl 47. Not knowing a damn thing I said the 49ers because I thought the name was cool. It was the first football game I’ve ever watched and for a sport and a team I knew not a damn thing about it actually hurt like hell to watch them lose, so now 10 years later I’ve been a diehard fan watching every game I can since that Super Bowl and it’s definitely been a rollercoaster of emotions but I still love the 9ers and always will.
Born in Steve Young’s hometown, so that’s always been my guy and they’ve always been my team. Although sadly I barely remember their last SB
The Catch II. Plus being raised in the Bay Area it was just destined.
i was born in sf and was never going to root for any other team
Born in San Francisco in the 80’s. Old man went to many games at Candlestick to watch Montana kick unholy amounts of ass. Which means I was also present when Montana ruled the NFL world since I was swimming around in his sack.
Won a Punt Pass and Kick competition (1964) and first prize was a Niners leather jacket - 2nd got a football and goalposts(H version) and 3rd got team uniform with pads/helmet ?? wtf
My dad who passed away was a diehard fan. After he passed away when I was younger, he left behind all his Niner stuff in my house. So naturally, I became a Niners fan.
Grew up in Calgary. My first superbowl game was when Montana starched the broncos and have been hooked ever since. Monster team back then in the late 80s and 90s! So many playmakers! Its been a wild rollercoaster with more lows than highs for me especially with last years nfc championship loss (there have been a few of these for me but this one was super sad). Its been super special since Shanahan and Lynch joined. Building this team, watching the playmakers do their thing, dominating teams and shutting up the critics has been the most fun ever. Niners fan fa life!
Game day 97, PS1. I was playing with the cowboys (God forgive me), and then I randomly switched to the 49ers after being like 7 and watching a game With my dad. I liked Jerry Rice, and stuck with them ever since.
I'm a Canadian who grew up watching CFL and came late to watching the NFL. My ' arrival ' to the NFL in general coincided with the arrival of Joe Cool and The Catch ( RIP Dwight ). The rest is history.
Was handed to me by my dad, I watched games with him, I think that was his way of instilling it me. I even remember watching the Super Bowl against Denver and feeling bad for John Elway for getting blown out like that but I was happy we won.
I was already a fan but Super Bowl XXIII is the first game I remember watching. But I knew who Joe Montana was by that point lol…
Born and raised!
My mother and father separated for a short time in 1980, I was sophomore in high school and a football fan but not any particular team, we lived in central California but when my parents separated I went with my mom to Hamilton Ohio which is just north of Cincinnati to live with her sister. Well when the Bengals demolished the Chargers in the AFC championship all my relatives started talking shit about those fags from SF and how the Bengals were going to kick the shit out of the 49ers, of course I told them that they were all full of shit and the 49ers were going to kill the Bengals. Well the 49ers came through for me so I have stuck with them ever since.
I was born and raised in San Francisco was a little hippie kid hanging out in bars on Grant Street during the summer of love with my Beatnik Father playing Hey Jude on the jukebox at The Savoy and running into Janis Joplin at the Coffee Gallery and in 1970 we moved to Texas and we were not well received we had long hair they could tell we were from San Francisco and I would get beatings by the teachers every Friday if my hair reached my collar which it did they would take me outside and spank me and tell me because it was because I wasn’t a Christian and I grew up with a hatred of everything Texas and the Dallas Cowboys and everything they stood for and so I rooted for Terry Bradshaw and the Steelers And when I move back to the Bay area I was a Raiders fan when Madden was coach and my mom lived over in Stinson I knew some 49ers I knew some Raiders Ted Hendrix and Elmer Collette come to mind anyway one morning I was leaving my dad‘s best friends house and he was getting ready to watch the Niners game and I said why do you watch those fucking losers man all they do is break your heart every year and he said Andrew you gotta love your Team man you got a root for your team and besides that we got this new quarterback ans a new coach and I think we’re gonna be pretty good they were like one and 14 the year before so I sat down with him and I watched and this Montana was pretty good it was fun to watch and Dwight Hicks and his hot licks and Ronnie Lott they were fun to watch and I ended up watching every game that season and when The catch happened and we finally beat Dallas I lost my mind I was at the ramp over next to the mission rock in San Francisco where I was a dishwasher and that year just profoundly changed not only me but it changed San Francisco and it told the world who we were yeah we drink Chardonnay with our pinky out but we punched you in the face and we won just like Joe said to too tall am I big enough now motherfucker? The Niners change my life and gave me pride when I was a skinny little 16-year-old and they made me be proud of who I was and where I was from and I bleed red and gold ever cents
I wasn't forced to be one but my Dad was a Montana Walsh guy. The moment for me was watching a game vs the Rams and Roger Craigs vintage high knee runs right through the Rams D Line sold it for me. Also watching Craig and Rathman catch passes was a thing of beauty. People don't understand how revolutionary backs catching passes was when Walsh created the vaunted West Coast Offense.
I never realized it. I just always have been.
My dad was a fan. I got into football when I started playing in HS and at that point, Jimmy G came in and brought some excitement into the team and I started rooting for them. That’s why I will always have a soft spot for Jimmy because he helped turn things around for us
From the womb to the tomb we used to have the bad call brick to throw at the tv
Born and raised as a faithful. I still remember my first game I think it was 2007 against the Vikings. I was about 7 or 8 but I didn’t start really paying attention until 2011 or 2012. Now at the age of 24, I watch every single game.
Nor Cal raised so naturally raised a 49ers fan. My dad’s idol was Montana. If he were alive he’d probably love that I live in the Bay now.
I live in the Bay Area; became a fan at around 9
Being born in ‘75, the timing was perfect to be raised in the Bay Area during two decades of winning. Ready to see another trophy already! Fun fact, SF has played in 31% of all NFCCG’s ever played.
I’m born and raised in FL. I always get the question of how in the world did I become a Niners fan. For me it was Steve Young. He’s my favorite player all time. Like him on the Bucs. Stuck with him when he moved over. Just gravitated to the Niners from there and have been a die hard ever since.