ATLANTA – Kyle Shanahan isn’t getting sentimental, even if Sunday marks his first game in this town since winning the NFC Championship.
He was the 2016 Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator back then, before an ensuing Super Bowl heartbreaker, before the 49ers hired him as their coach, before the Falcons franchise underwent an overhaul.
“It’s been a long time, and I’ve played against them a number of times, and it’s always about the people,” Shanahan said Friday, before the 49ers left their week-long hostel at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.
Shanahan correctly listed linemen Grady Jarrett and Jake Matthews as the only Falcons remaining from his 2015-16 term as coordinator. Shanahan’s 49ers have played twice at Levi’s Stadium, losing late in 2019 and winning in last year’s playoff push.
But the 49ers-Falcons series dates back to 1967 in the NFC West origins, and while Shanahan may not be nostalgic, here are 10 memorable games heading into today’s between the 49ers (3-2) and the Falcons (2-3):
1983: Atlanta’s Billy “White Shoes” Johnson catches on a Hail Mary touchdown pass to win at Candlestick. Earlier, Renaldo Nehemiah got leveled on a hit over the middle by Kenny Johnson.
1990: Joe Montana throws a career-high six touchdown passes, Jerry Rice catches a career-high five of them, and the undefeated 49ers win 45-35 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
1993: Erric Pegram runs for 192 yards, the most-ever by a 49ers’ opponent unti Seattle’s Thomas Rawls’ 209 yards in 2015.
1994: Deion Sanders returns to Atlanta – “This is my house. I built this house” – and delivers a pick-six for the Super Bowl-bound 49ers, plus he rumbles with Andre Rison.
1998: Garrison Hearst sustains a career-altering ankle fracture on the first play from scrimmage in the 49ers’ divisional playoff loss at the Georgia Dome.
2001: Terrell Owens, who grew up two hours from Atlanta, scores a walk-off touchdown in overtime on a 52-yard pass from Jeff Garcia.
2012: The 49ers win their sixth NFC Championship crown, but only after Frank Gore scores two touchdowns after halftime and the 49ers’ defense stops a Falcons’ last-ditch rally, with NaVorro Bowman knocking away a fourth-down pass.
2013: Bowman’s “Pick At The ‘Stick” produces an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown to seal a 34-24 win in Candlestick Park’s final game.
2019: Julio Jones scores with two seconds left at Levi’s Stadium to hand the Super Bowl-bound 49ers a December loss.
2021: The 49ers post a December rout at home behind strong efforts from their defense, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jeff Wilson Jr. – this Sunday’s key factors.
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