49ers' Super Bowl XXIII game-winning catch was unplanned

John Taylor's iconic touchdown catch almost didn't happen due to a sideline mix-up.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 5:23pm by Ben Kaplan

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In the final seconds of Super Bowl XXIII, the San Francisco 49ers were trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 16-13 when head coach Bill Walsh called a play that was supposed to have two tight ends on the field. However, Walsh forgot to signal for the personnel change, and John Taylor, who wasn't supposed to be in the game, ended up catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana to give the 49ers the victory. The play has gone down as one of the greatest moments in 49ers history, but it turns out it was an unplanned and chaotic situation on the sideline.

Why it matters

The 49ers' Super Bowl XXIII victory is considered one of the franchise's greatest moments, and John Taylor's game-winning touchdown catch is a iconic play. This new revelation about the play's origins adds an interesting layer of behind-the-scenes drama and shows how even the most legendary plays can come about through unexpected circumstances.

The details

According to former 49ers tight end Brent Jones, the 49ers had practiced the "70 halfback curl U up" play several times leading up to the Super Bowl, with Jones as the second tight end. However, when the 49ers lined up for the crucial 2nd-and-2 play late in the game, head coach Bill Walsh had forgotten to signal for the two tight end personnel. John Taylor, who wasn't supposed to be in the game, ended up improvising and becoming the second tight end, running a perfect route and catching the game-winning touchdown pass from Joe Montana.

  • With 39 seconds left in Super Bowl XXIII, the 49ers trailed the Bengals 16-13.
  • In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the 49ers had practiced the "70 halfback curl U up" play several times with Brent Jones as the second tight end.

The players

John Taylor

A two-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl champion who spent his entire NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. He made the game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XXIII.

Bill Walsh

The head coach of the San Francisco 49ers who called the play that led to John Taylor's game-winning touchdown catch, but forgot to signal for the proper personnel change.

Brent Jones

A former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers who was supposed to be the second tight end on the play that resulted in John Taylor's game-winning touchdown catch.

Joe Montana

The Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who threw the game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII.

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What they’re saying

“We were in a stressful situation on the sideline. I was standing next to Bill when the offense was walking to the line. He yelled, 'We're supposed to have two tight ends in there!' Bill called the play, but he didn't signal for two tight ends. Talk about crunch time. It was pretty crazy.”

— Brent Jones, Former 49ers tight end

“JT hadn't practiced that play all week. But he's super smart and he knew all the positions.”

— Brent Jones, Former 49ers tight end

“People never understand how much that (catch) will change your life. Prior to me making that catch, most people knew me for a play here or play there. I had a couple of touchdowns on Monday night, that type of deal.”

— John Taylor

The takeaway

This behind-the-scenes story of the 49ers' iconic Super Bowl XXIII victory highlights how even the most legendary plays can come about through unexpected circumstances and last-minute improvisation. It adds an intriguing layer of drama to one of the franchise's greatest moments.