The semifinalists for the class of 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame were announced on June 11th. Of the finalists, former San Francisco 49ers Head Coach George Seifert was listed. There were 60 players and coaches named as semifinalists, and of the players, they had to have played their last game no later than 1998. Seifert won two Super Bowls with the 49ers and deserves to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here is a look back at George Seifert’s career and why he is a Hall of Fame coach.
George Seifert’s Career
While everyone knows Bill Walsh was the Head Coach for the 49ers when the team began their Super Bowl years, Seifert was always there. He began coaching with the team in 1980 as the Defensive Backs coach. He was in that position for three years. The 49ers had a strong defense in the 80s that is not always discussed by the major media outlets, but he was a part of all five of the team’s Super Bowl wins. In 1981, the 49ers went 13-3 and forced 27 interceptions, four resulting in a touchdown, according to Pro Football Reference. While the offense will always be praised, no one can forget about the defense.
Former 49ers HC George Seifert (Center) – George Rose/1990 Getty Images
In 1983, the San Francisco 49ers promoted George Seifert to Defensive Coordinator. The team won two more Super Bowls in that time frame. The two years that he was the Defensive Coordinator in a Super Bowl-winning year were 1984 and 1988. Even throughout the years that they did not make it, it was a strong team.
In 1984, the 49ers went 15-1. From that season, the defense forced 25 interceptions, two resulting in a touchdown, according to Pro Football Reference. They also had 25 fumbles recoveries, one of which was returned for a touchdown. In the 1988 season, the 49ers went 10-6. It was Walsh’s final season as the Head Coach, thus, George Seifert’s final season as the Defensive Coordinator. That season, the defense forced 22 interceptions, and eight forced fumbles, according to Pro Football Reference.
In 1989, George Seifert was promoted to Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers. That same season, the 49ers went 14-2 and on to win the Super Bowl. Seifert was set up in a great way, working with the team for numerous years prior to being promoted from within. He still had Joe Montana and already knew the ins and outs of the team. 1989 was one of the best teams of the franchise.
The only two teams the 49ers lost to that year were the Greenbay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams. The team went on to have an insane playoff run. First, the 49ers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 41-13. They then faced the Rams and won 27-3. To make it even more of a dominant season, the 49ers faced the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl and won 55-10. This was the team’s fourth Super Bowl win.
Former 49ers HC George Seifert – Deanne Fitzmaurice/The Chronicle
In 1994, after a couple of years without a Super Bowl win, the San Francisco 49ers did it again. The 49ers ended the regular season with a 13-3 record. The quarterback that year was Steve Young. The Super Bowl this season is arguably one of the best Super Bowl performances by a quarterback. The three losses were against the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Minnesota Vikings.
The Super Bowl playoff run was a big one. First, the 49ers faced the Chicago Bears and beat them 44-15. They next faced one of their biggest rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers beat them 38-26. Finally, the Super Bowl against the San Diego Chargers. The 49ers won that game 49-26, which was the most recent Super Bowl win by the team.
Seifert was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1989 until 1996. In his time as their head coach, he did not have one losing season. To add two Super Bowl wins on top of that is definitely Hall of Fame material. Following his time with the 49ers, he became the head coach of the Carolina Panthers from 1999 until 2001, though his time there was not notable.
The full list of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists can be read here. The next step will be to narrow down who the finalists are. More information on that will come in August. Based on just his record as a head coach and number of Super Bowl wins, George Seifert deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
