The San Francisco 49ers are once again knocking on the door of greatness, but that final step - hoisting the Lombardi Trophy - continues to elude them. It's not for lack of talent or coaching.
This is a team built to contend. But as the franchise eyes its sixth Super Bowl title, some of the greatest figures in 49ers history are offering their insight on what it takes to finally get over the hump.
At the premiere of AMC’s “Rise of the 49ers” on Tuesday, legends like Jerry Rice, Steve Young, and former owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. reflected on their championship experiences and shared what they believe could push this current squad to the mountaintop.
Jerry Rice: "The players have to make it happen"
No one knows winning in San Francisco quite like Jerry Rice. The Hall of Fame wide receiver, who helped lead the 49ers to three Super Bowl titles, didn’t sugarcoat it when asked what’s missing.
“I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” Rice said. “But I think it’s going to come down to the players - the players, the leaders - and those guys are going to have to totally commit to winning the whole thing.”
Rice emphasized that while coaches can draw up the game plan, it’s the players who ultimately have to execute - and more importantly, believe.
“That’s what we did back in the day,” Rice said. “We made it happen.
Because we wanted to do it for the City of San Francisco. I’m serious.
It was important for us to win for this city.”
He also brought up the influence of Edward DeBartolo, the team’s iconic former owner, who set the tone for a championship culture.
“DeBartolo, the greatest owner ever - the way we would travel, stay in the best hotels, do all of that - all he wanted us to do was win. And that’s what we did.”
For Rice, it’s about pride, purpose, and leadership from within the locker room. And while the team now plays in Santa Clara, he believes that same connection to the Bay Area can still be a driving force.
Steve Young: "You have to keep evolving"
While Rice focused on the emotional and cultural side of winning, Steve Young took a more tactical approach. The Hall of Fame quarterback, who led the Niners to a Super Bowl title in the 1994 season, pointed to the importance of innovation - especially in an NFL where schemes get figured out fast.
“Kyle [Shanahan] has had a tactical advantage for 10 years, maybe eight,” Young said. “He and Andy [Reid], Sean [Payton] - I’m going to put Sean Payton in the OG category - they saw the changes. They were the ones that recognized what it allowed and how to attack.”
But Young noted that what was once a cutting-edge approach has now become more common across the league. That means staying ahead of the curve is more important than ever.
“That tactical advantage, they had it; now, it’s everywhere. Now, you have to reinvent yourself again,” he said.
“I got to give [Shanahan] credit. He did it this year.
He reinvented himself again and transitioned.”
Young also stressed the importance of drafting well - not just hitting on a few picks, but stacking strong classes year after year.
“If they’re going to go to the Super Bowl in the future, it’s going to be because he [Shanahan] - and their drafts are going to have to be… the ‘26 draft was the best we’ve had in 15 years. The ‘25 draft ended up being a really good draft. Like, that’s what has to happen.”
It’s a reminder that sustained success in the NFL isn’t just about what happens on Sundays. It’s about building a roster that can evolve and compete year after year.
Edward DeBartolo: "It takes something special to sustain greatness"
Edward DeBartolo Jr., the architect behind the 49ers’ dynasty of the 1980s and '90s, offered a big-picture view - one that echoed elements of both Rice and Young’s points.
“I think it takes an organization like we had,” DeBartolo said. “You got a lot of really good football teams in the past, like the Steelers and the Giants, that have great legacies too - and the Cowboys.
A lot of good teams now. But I think it takes something special to be able to sustain greatness, if you want to call it that.”
That “something special” isn’t just talent. It’s culture.
It’s alignment from ownership to front office to coaching staff to players. It’s what allowed the 49ers to not only win, but to stay on top for years.
Looking ahead
The 49ers have been close - heartbreakingly close. In recent years, they’ve made Super Bowl runs, only to fall just short. But when legends like Rice, Young, and DeBartolo speak, it’s worth listening.
Their message is clear: winning it all takes more than just skill. It takes leadership in the locker room, innovation on the sidelines, and a front office that consistently delivers on draft day. It takes pride in the jersey and a commitment to something bigger than individual accolades.
San Francisco has the pieces. Now it’s about putting it all together - just like they used to.