The 2012 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 67th overall, their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke, and their penultimate season at Candlestick Park. After going 13–3 and reaching the NFC Championship the year before, the 49ers topped that success with their first NFC championship since 1994 as well as their sixth overall as a franchise, overcoming a 17–0 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 28–24 on January 20, 2013, in the NFC title game. However, the season ended with their first-ever defeat in the Super Bowl, losing 34–31 to the Baltimore Ravens. With that game, the Ravens replaced the 49ers as the only team with multiple appearances to never lose a Super Bowl; they have since been joined by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in this capacity.
This season was also highlighted by the signing of star wide receiver Randy Moss, who had come out of retirement after initially retiring following the 2010 season. As a 49er, Moss appeared in his second Super Bowl but failed to win one again as he previously lost in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants when he was part of the 2007 New England Patriots.
2012 NFL draft
+ San Francisco 49ers 2012 NFL Draft selections Draft order Player name Position Height Weight College Contract Notes Round Choice Overall 1 30 30 A. J. Jenkins WR 6'0" 192 lbs. Illinois 4 years 2 29 61 LaMichael James RB 5'8" 194 lbs. Oregon 4 years 3 29 92Traded to the Indianapolis Colts 4 2 97Traded to the Miami Dolphins From Colts 8 103Traded to the Carolina Panthers From Dolphins 22 117 Joe Looney OG 6'3" 309 lbs. Wake Forest 4 years From Lions 30 125Traded to the Detroit Lions 5 30 165 Darius Fleming OLB 6'2" 245 lbs. Notre Dame 4 years6 10 180 Trenton Robinson FS 5'10" 195 lbs. Michigan State 4 years From Panthers 26 196Traded to the Detroit Lions From Dolphins 29 199 Jason Slowey Center 6'3" 303 lbs. Western Oregon Released 7 30 237 Cam Johnson DE 6'3" 268 lbs. Virginia 2 years NOTES The 49ers acquired this fourth-round selection from the Indianapolis Colts along with a 2013 fifth-round selection in exchange for a 2012 third-round selection (#92 overall; used to select WR T. Y. Hilton). The 49ers acquired this fourth-round selection from the Miami Dolphins along with a sixth-round selection (#196 overall) and a 2013 sixth-round selection, in exchange for a 2012 fourth-round selection (#97 overall; used to select RB Lamar Miller). The 49ers acquired the sixth-round selection from the Carolina Panthers along with a 2013 third-round selection in exchange for a 2012 fourth-round selection (#103 overall; used to select DE Frank Alexander). The 49ers acquired this fourth-round selection from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2012 fourth-round selection (#125 overall; used to select LB Ronnell Lewis)and a 2012 sixth-round selection (#196 overall; used to select DB Jonte Green).
Staff
Final roster
Quarterback controversy Quarterback Alex Smith missed two starts mid-season after suffering a concussion, and backup Colin Kaepernick successfully filled in. A quarterback controversy began. Smith was ranked third in the NFL in passer rating (104.1), led the league in completion percentage (70%), and had been 19–5–1 as a starter under Harbaugh, while Kaepernick was considered more dynamic with his scrambling ability and arm strength. After Smith was fully recovered, Harbaugh chose Kaepernick as the starter for the 8–2–1 49ers, but also stated that the assignment was week-to-week and not necessarily permanent. However, Kaepernick started the remainder of the season through Super Bowl XLVII. Smith was traded to Kansas City after the season.
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 10 Minnesota Vikings W 17–6 1–0 Candlestick Park Recap 2 August 18 at Houston Texans L 9–20 1–1 Reliant Stadium Recap 3 August 26 at Denver Broncos W 29–24 2–1 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 4 August 30 San Diego Chargers W 35–3 3–1 Candlestick Park Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 9 at Green Bay Packers W 30–22 1–0 Lambeau Field Recap 2 September 16 Detroit Lions W 27–19 2–0 Candlestick Park Recap 3 September 23 at Minnesota Vikings L 13–24 2–1 Mall of America Field Recap 4 September 30 at New York Jets W 34–0 3–1 MetLife Stadium Recap 5 October 7 Buffalo Bills W 45–3 4–1 Candlestick Park Recap 6 October 14 New York Giants L 3–26 4–2 Candlestick Park Recap 7 Seattle Seahawks W 13–6 5–2 Candlestick Park Recap 8 at Arizona Cardinals W 24–3 6–2 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 9Bye 10 November 11 St. Louis Rams T 24–24 6–2–1 Candlestick Park Recap 11 Chicago Bears W 32–7 7–2–1 Candlestick Park Recap 12 November 25 at New Orleans Saints W 31–21 8–2–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap 13 December 2 at St. Louis Rams L 13–16 8–3–1 Edward Jones Dome Recap 14 December 9 Miami Dolphins W 27–13 9–3–1 Candlestick Park Recap 15 December 16 at New England Patriots W 41–34 10–3–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 16 December 23 at Seattle Seahawks L 13–42 10–4–1 CenturyLink Field Recap 17 December 30 Arizona Cardinals W 27–13 11–4–1 Candlestick Park Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1
The 49ers prove they are a force to be reckoned with in the NFL as they beat the Packers 30–22. This is the 49ers first win at Lambeau Field since 1990. With the win, the 49ers started their season 1–0. They'd be the last team to beat the Packers in their home opener until the 2026 Falcons.
Week 2
With the win, the 49ers improved to 2–0.
Week 3
With the loss, the 49ers fell to 2–1 and into a tie with the Seahawks in 2nd place in the NFC West behind the 3–0 Cardinals.
Week 4
After a tough road loss, the Niners continued on the road to face the Jets. The team would improve to 3–1 as they handed the Jets their 2nd shutout home loss in 2 years.
Week 5
With the huge win, the 49ers improved to 4–1. 2–0 against the AFC East.
Week 6
With the huge loss, the 49ers fell to 4–2.
Week 7
With the win, the 49ers improved to 5–2.
Week 8
Alex Smith completed 18-of-19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a 24–3 Monday night win over Arizona. With the win, the 49ers went into their bye week at 6–2.
Week 10
Smith suffered a concussion in the second quarter, throwing a touchdown with blurred vision before exiting the game. He was replaced by Colin Kaepernick, and the game ended in a 24–24 tie.
With the tie game, the Niners' season stood at 6–2–1. This would also be the first NFL tie game since 2008 when the Bengals and Eagles played to a 13-point tie. This is also the first tie game between both the Rams and Niners since a 20–20 tie game in 1968.
Week 11
Kaepernick started his first NFL game with Smith out with a concussion from the previous week. Kaepernick completed 16 of 23 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 32–7 win against a strong Bears defense. 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke highly of Kaepernick's performance after the game, leaving open the possibility of Kaepernick continuing to start. "Usually tend to go with the guy who's got the hot hand, and we've got two quarterbacks that have got a hot hand," Harbaugh said. He dismissed any rule that a player should not lose their starting job due to an injury. With the win, the 49ers improved to 7–2–1.
Week 12
Smith was cleared to play the day before the game, but Harbaugh chose not to rush him back and again started Kaepernick. In a rematch of the 2011 playoffs against New Orleans, the 49ers won 31–21 with Kaepernick throwing for a touchdown and running for another. The 49ers defense also returned two Drew Brees interceptions for touchdowns. With the win, the Niners improved to 8–2–1 and also to 2–0 under Kaepernick as a starter.
Week 13
With their loss to the Rams, the 49ers fell to 8–3–1 on the season. Kaepernick's record as a starter dropped to 2–1.
Week 14
With the win the 49ers improved to 9–3–1 giving them their 2nd straight winning season and moving to 3–0 against the AFC East. Also Kaepernick's starting record improved to 3–1.
Week 15
The 49ers held on to win despite a furious Patriots rally where they erased a 31–3 San Francisco lead to tie the game. With the win the 49ers improved to 10–3–1 and became the only team in the NFC West to defeat all 4 AFC East teams. Kaepernick's starting record also improved to 4–1.
Week 16
The game was originally scheduled for 1:25 PM PST, but was flexed to the Sunday night slot, thus denying Fox a chance to air a game between the 49ers and Seahawks in 2012 as the game in Candlestick Park was played on a Thursday night.
Week 17
The Niners returned home for a Week 17 rematch against the Cardinals. Needing a win to capture the NFC West crown, the team would be down 3–0 after the first quarter. Up 7–6 at halftime, the Niners outscored the Cardinals 20–7 in the second half to win the game 27–13 and finished the season with their 2nd straight division title and the NFC's #2 seed with a record of 11–4–1 while going 5–2 under Kaepernick as a starter.
Standings
Postseason schedule
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild CardFirst-round bye Divisional Green Bay Packers (3) W 45–31 1–0 Candlestick Park Recap NFC Championship January 20, 2013 at Atlanta Falcons (1) W 28–24 2–0 Georgia Dome Recap Super Bowl XLVII February 3, 2013 vs. Baltimore Ravens (A4) L 31–34 2–1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome Recap
Game summaries NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (3) Green Bay Packers
In his first career playoff game, 25-year-old 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns, setting both the NFL single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback as well as the 49ers postseason record for rushing, regardless of position. He also passed for 263 yards and two scores. Overall, San Francisco racked up 579 yards, including a franchise record 323 rushing yards, and scored a touchdown in every quarter to earn their second consecutive trip to the NFC championship game.
However, Kaepernick didn't get off to a good start. Less than two minutes into the game, he threw a pass that was intercepted by Sam Shields and returned 52 yards for a touchdown. But he quickly rallied his team back, completing a 45-yard pass to running back Frank Gore before taking the ball into the end zone himself on a 20-yard run. Later in the period, Green Bay took a 14–7 lead with Aaron Rodgers' 44-yard completion to James Jones setting up an 18-yard touchdown run by DuJuan Harris. The Packers then forced a punt, but returner Jeremy Ross muffed the kick and C. J. Spillman recovered it for San Francisco on the Packers 9-yard line. Two plays later, Kaepernick tied the score at 14 with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree. Then defensive back Tarell Brown intercepted a pass from Rodgers, setting up Kaepernick's second touchdown pass to Crabtree, this one from 20 yards out.
With 2:39 left in the half, Rodgers' 20-yard touchdown pass to Jones tied the score at 21. But on the 49ers next drive, a pair of runs by Kaepernick for gains of 19 and 17 yards enabled David Akers to kick a 36-yard field goal, sending the teams into their lockers rooms with San Francisco leading 24–21.