The San Francisco 49ers are set to take part in Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas on Feb. 11.
This represents the 49ers’ third Super Bowl since they last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy back in January of 1995.
San Francisco lost each of their previous two in heartbreaking fashion. For a team with such a rich history, this really is not acceptable. They’ve now gone nearly three full decades without winning the big game.
It got us thinking. What we happening in the sports world and the broader context of Planet Earth the last time San Francisco won the Super Bowl? Let’s check in on this below.
Related: 5 best San Francisco 49ers teams of all-time: Where 2023 version stacks up
Former San Francisco 49ers star O.J. Simpson acquitted in murder trial
One of the greatest running backs in NFL history found himself as the topic of the United States as he was being tried on double-murder charges. The trial started in November of 1994 and lasted until Oct. 3 of 1995 when Simpson was acquitted for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. It represented the most-publicized murder trial in American history and captivated the nation. As an aside, some of you might be surprised to learn that Simpson played his final two NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers in 1978 and 1979. Forgettable for both the Hall of Famer and the then-downtrodden team.
Related: Top storylines for San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl
Michael Jordan returns to the NBA
Considered the greatest player in basketball history, Jordan shocked the NBA world when he retired after the Chicago Bulls won their third consecutive NBA title in 1993. He sat out an entire year, playing minor league baseball in the process. Jordan would return to the Bulls in March of 1995, failing to lead them to the title. However, the all-time great would then lead Chicago to another three-peat starting the following season. Jordan’s return came mere months after the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX.
The “Macarena” was all the craze
The “Macarena” is a song by the Spanish pop duo Los del Río. They originally recorded it in 1993 and it was extremely popular overseas. In 1995, the Miami-based Bayside Boys added English lyrics to the song, making it extremely popular in the United States. It was all the craze, finding itself No. 1 for 14 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 in 1996. The dance remix became a cultural phenomenon in the states. Don’t get upset if this gets stuck in your head after listening to it.
Related: Top 10 players of Super Bowl LVIII
Seinfeld goes from cult hit to mainstream
Seinfeld premiered all the way back in 1989 and was initially seen as a cult hit. Starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and three lesser-known actors, it took off big time from there and became a staple on American televisions. The 1995 calendar year saw Seinfeld earn an Emmy for the best comendy series. Terms such as “no soup for you,” “master of my domain” and “not that there’s anything wrong with that” were born from this legendary sitcom. According to TV Guide, it is considered the second-best television series of all-time behind The Sopranos.
Windows 95 premiered
Microsoft Windows 95 revolutionized the internet world. Before its release, old-timers relied on MS-Dos as an operating system. It was old-school. It was outdated. Once this was released, everything changed at workplaces around the United States and within home offices. Originally released without Internet Explorer, Microsoft added an upgrade later in the 1995 calendar year to include the internet browser. That, too, changed the landscape big time.