When the 49ers came back to Redwood City from their 17-3 loss in New Jersey to end the 1985 season, the players were disappointed. Dwight Clark, who’d received a “mild concussion” during the game, said: “I have a headache. Eddie DeBartolo said I called him ‘Tom’ last night.”
Clark added about the NFC title game: “I want the Giants to win. The Bears have been more consistent, so I give the edge to them, but the media have built up the Bears so much I’m tired of all the Bears bulls- – -.
“Jim McMahon and the sunglasses and the punk-rock stuff – it makes me sick. We’ve been saturated with it. I’m sick of ‘The Refrigerator.’ I can’t believe he went to Clemson.”
The retiring Freddie Solomon said of the season: “It was a struggle for us. We made mistakes early and got ourselves in trouble in the wins and losses. It put a lot of pressure on us at the end, and we lost a couple of players along the way, which hurt us. But we fought back, and it was a great bunch to be associated with because they’re winners.”
Talking about the Giants game and then what might have happened if the 49ers won and went on to Chicago to play the Bears, Bill Walsh said: “You’re just crossing your fingers that you’re able to play and play aggressively . . . It was just one of those seasons. This has been going on for a number of weeks. We’ve lightened up our practices this season dramatically over previous seasons because we’ve had many minor injuries.
“This game was about as tough as we’ve had. Had we somehow won that game, I don’t know how we could have gone out this week.”
Interestingly, Walsh also said this about advising players whether to retire: “Ten years in the NFL is a full career for most players. On occasion the lasting injury occurs right at the end of a career. Also – I think of myself – at some point it’s time to move into another career because people are passing you by in any field you endeavor.”
