San Francisco 49ers Legend Dwight Clark Dies at 61

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The receiving end of "The Catch," the play that most San Francisco 49ers fans claim is the best play of all time, has died. Dwight Clark was 61 years old.

It was just last year that Clark announced that he had ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. Retired quarterback Joe Montana, who threw the pass that Clark pulled in with his fingertips, pledged that that time that he and their teammates would support the former wide receiver every step of his remaining trip.

Clark's death was announced by his wife Kelly on Clark's Twitter page.

The owner of the 49ers during their 1980s dynasty, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., said in a statement, "I will always remember Dwight the way he was — larger than life, handsome, charismatic and the only one who could pull off wearing a fur coat at our Super Bowl parade. He was responsible for one of the most iconic plays in NFL history that began our run of Super Bowl championships, but to me, he will always be an extension of my family. I love him and will miss him terribly. Our hearts and prayers are with his wife Kelly, his children and the entire Clark family."

Clark's former teammates continued to support him until the end. Many visited him at his Montana ranch in April and May, according to NBA Bay Area.

In his nine NFL seasons, Clark caught 506 passes for 6,750 yards. He scored 48 touchdowns.

See Also:

• Gretchen Piscotty, Mother Of Oakland A's Outfielder, Dies Of ALS

-Image via Shutterstock

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