Only three winning seasons in fifteen years of competition.
The glory days of the San Francisco 49ers have aged into nothing but distant memories.
Change may be on the horizon, but how did the Red and Gold fall so far from grace?
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A savior with swagger. A roaring rally cry. An era of optimism.
For four seasons, no one had it better than Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers.
But pride and ego would soon come at odds with sustaining greatness.
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Without Jim Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers return to the bottom of the standings.
Poor coaching hires and a mismanaged roster lead to the downfall of a franchise.
And in the midst of ongoing unrest, a quarterback kneels in protest.
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Subscribe and listen to Document 49 below using your preferred podcast distributor.
Spotify distribution to be announced.
From 1981 to 1998, the San Francisco 49ers were the most successful franchise in the National Football League, with a record of 207 wins and 72 losses in 18 seasons. Originally led by team owner Eddie DeBartolo, head coach Bill Walsh, and Hall of Fame players like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young, the 49ers were responsible for 16 playoff appearances in 19 years and won five Super Bowl Championships.
Yet by 2004, the 49ers were the worst franchise in the NFL for the first time since 1979, with a season record of 2 wins and 14 losses. A professional football organization once known for its unprecedented winning ways had fallen to the bottom of the NFL standings in just six short seasons. Lacking both talent and leadership, the 49ers began their search for a new head coach and starting quarterback in an effort to rebuild their team into a contender.
Seven head coaches. Four general managers. Hundreds of players. Sixteen seasons.
Document 49 is the story of an obscured era in San Francisco 49ers history, told by the men and women that witnessed it, from 2004 to the present day. Beginning in the leaky locker rooms of Candlestick Park, down to the five-yard line of the Superdome in Super Bowl XLVII, and up in the stands of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara today. This is the whole story- all of the wins and losses, the facts and rumors, the triumphs and dysfunction.
This is DOCUMENT 49: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of the San Francisco 49ers.
Nicholas Sheldon
Creator, producer, and host of Document 49, Nicholas Sheldon is a ten-year veteran of the sports television industry with previous stops at the NFL Network and Tennis Channel. A lifelong 49er fan from Northern California, Sheldon combines his passion for documentary filmmaking with sports journalism in order to create an unprecedented look at the recent history of the team by the Bay.
He is a strong advocate for raising mental health awareness and currently resides in Santa Monica, California.
More of Sheldon's work in television can be seen at NSEDIT.com.
All of the voices on Document 49 appear solely due to a shared interest in contributing to the program.
If you enjoy what you hear, be sure to follow the individuals below and support their work.
Former 49er players to be announced soon.
Thank you for listening.
THE PROLOGUE
Oscar Aparicio & David Neumann
Hosts of the "Better Rivals" podcast for NinersNation.com since 2012, Oscar Aparicio and David Neumann take pride in helping listeners learn the finer X's and O's of 49ers football. Employing meticulous game film analysis and the use of advanced stats, the duo's weekly takes on the team radiate with insight and credibility rather than conjecture and clichés. When Oscar and David are on the mic, valuable knowledge is surely being dropped on Doument 49.
Jennifer Lee Chan
Leading a new generation of NFL beat writers, Jennifer Lee Chan has covered the 49ers since 2013, most recently with NBC Sports Bay Area. With her consistent attention to detail, it is no surprise that Chan was the first local journalist to identify and report on Colin Kaepernick's decision to sit for the National Anthem in 2014. Chan brings her invaluable insight to Document 49 and remains a must-follow on social media for the 49er Faithful.
Gil Knight
The average football fan may not be familiar with Gil Knight's name, but they have more than likely seen his work on television. For over ten years, Knight has produced and directed opening sequences for the NFL Network's most prominent events, including the NFL Draft, Thursday Night Football, the NFL Playoffs, and the Super Bowl. Also a working voice over artist, Knight is the first voice listeners hear welcoming them to Document 49.
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Additional Voice Over Contributions
Kirby Bridges
Sam Farnsworth
Bobby Kesselman
Jordan Mason
Nic Mora
Music
Fleurie
Fleurie is the musical moniker of Lauren Strahm, a 24-year-old singer and songwriter hailing from Canton, Michigan. Blending folk, pop, and classical influences, Fleurie has written and produced original music for countless films and television shows as well as two EP’s of her own. “Solider” and "Hurts Like Hell," from the album Love and War, can both be heard on Document 49 and are available for purchase on iTunes.
Tommee Profitt
A frequent collaborator with Fleurie, Tommee Profitt is a songwriter and producer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, known for his cinematic style and emotionally powerful compositions. His work with a variety of artists has also appeared in numerous films and television shows across a variety of genres. His joint efforts with Fleurie on “Solider” and "Hurts Like Hell" can be heard on Document 49 and are available for purchase on iTunes.
Bailey
A Bay Area native from the Fillmore district of San Francisco, Bailey is an independent hip-hop artist and member of the local rap group Fully Loaded. As a solo artist, Bailey is most known as the lyricist behind "Who's Got It Better," the renowned anthem of the Harbaugh-era San Francisco 49ers, featuring a voice sample from Jim Harbaugh himself. The song is available for purchase on iTunes, along with his latest project, Definition of Explosive.
Syndrome
James TenNapel is better known as Syndrome, the Canadian hip-hop producer famous for having crafted some of the most sought after beats in the indie rap scene since 2013. At just 20 years old, Syndrome's music remains in high demand, with over 318,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel and over 61 million total views of his work. A frequent collaborator with Jurrivh, Syndrome's beats help bring Document 49's soundtrack to life.
Jurrivh
An independent artist originally from the Netherlands, Jurrivh has been composing original music from his home in Croatia since 2009. A true online success story, the pianist and beat maker has amassed nearly 225,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, with over 36 million total views of his music videos. A frequent collaborator with Syndrome, Jurrivh contributes his soulful musical talents to Document 49 as one of the program's composers.
Additional Writing
Sam Klein
Whether it's sports, comedy, or documentary filmmaking, Sam Klein is a storyteller known for bringing life to the small screen through his words on the page. A creative producer with the Tennis Channel, Klein can often be found on the road, crafting features for the network's coverage of the world's most renowned tennis tournaments. Klein puts his pen to the page as the author of Document 49's abstract monologues, spoken by Gil Knight.
