Dwight Clark Dies After Battle With ALS

Dwight Clark, the two-time Super Bowl-winning receiver for the San Francisco 49ers and the man who caught “The Catch,” has died at age 61, according to a tweet signed by Clark’s wife, Kelly.

Clark announced in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He had played nine seasons with the 49ers, from 1979 to 1987, and had his number 87 retired by the team in ’88. Afterwards, he served as GM for both San Francisco and later the Cleveland Browns.

Clark made the Pro Bowl twice, but he’ll be forever known for The Catch, which came when the Niners were down six against the Cowboys with under a minute remaining in the 1982 NFC Championship. As Joe Montana rolled out to the right, he fired up a prayer of a pass that Clark came down with in the back of the end zone, sending the Niners to their first-ever Super Bowl.