San Francisco 49ers: 5 Wildest Moments in Recent Memory

With the NFL lockout reaching day 107, it may be a while before the San Francisco 49ers will be taking the field at Candlestick Park.

With no football to look forward to, it's not a bad idea to look back at some of the wilder moments in recent memory. From the pants-dropping motivational speech from Mike Singletary to the touchdown dances of Terrell Owens, there are a lot of wild, bizarre and confusing moments to look back on.

Terrell Owens: Star-Struck!

Terrell Owens is no stranger to the spotlight. In fact, this list could have had several Owens moments, from pulling out a marker from his sock to sign a ball that he had caught for a touchdown, to celebrating a touchdown with the cheerleaders.

For the purposes of keeping this list short, we’ll narrow it down to this one-of-a-kind moment.

Owens' theatrics in Week 4 of the 2000 season nearly set off an in-game fight with two touchdown celebrations on the star in the center of Texas Stadium.

Stopping at midfield following his second touchdown catch, Owens was slammed by Cowboys safety George Teague. Players from both sides had to be separated to avoid a fight. Owens was suspended the following week and fined $24,000.

NFL to Mike Nolan: No Suit for You! (Sort Of)

Then-49ers coach Mike Nolan drew the ire of league officials and sponsors when he (along with Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio) had the audacity to ask to wear a suit on the sidelines. Nolan said the suit was a tribute to his father and fellow head coach Dick Nolan.

The league, whose contract with Reebok required coaches to wear select sideline gear, eventually loosened the restrictions. After negotiations between the league and Reebok, a compromise was reached allowing Nolan to wear a suit for all eight of the team’s home games.

The decision was one of the few high points of the year for Nolan, whose 49ers went 5-11 for the 2007 season.

A Higher Calling

Running back Glen Coffee surprised many when he announced his retirement from football at the age of 23 after only one season in the NFL. The former Alabama star cited a desire to enter the ministry as the reason for his abrupt retirement.

In 14 career games, Coffee amassed 226 yards on 83 carries.

Coffee was arrested a few months later for illegally possessing a concealed firearm (the charges were later dropped). He plans on returning to school at the University of Alabama and now works as a motivational speaker.

Looking Like a Fool with Your Pants on the Ground

Coach Mike Singletary, the former star linebacker for the Chicago Bears, was praised for his no-nonsense style when he was named head coach of the 49ers in Week 8 of the 2008 season

However, his halftime speech during the team’s game versus the Seattle Seahawks raised a few eyebrows. News leaked that Singletary had dropped his pants while attempting to fire up the team.

As the story spread, Singletary became the literal butt of jokes for the rest of the season. Singletary was surprised the locker room speech went public, telling ESPN Radio that “what happens in the locker room should be sacred and stay there.”

According to a team spokesperson, Singletary wore boxers.

“We Want Carr...We Want Carr”

The team’s quarterback situation hit rock bottom during the 2010 season when a rowdy home crowd called for David Carr to enter the game at the quarterback slot for the struggling Alex Smith.

This is the same David Carr who had up to that point held a 23-56 record as a starter—the same David Carr who shattered the record for most sacks taken in a season while starting for the Houston Texans. 

Carr would see some playing time two weeks later with Smith injured but would never start a game in the 2010 campaign.

However, the fans calling for Carr may get their wish. Currently, he is the only quarterback signed to the team’s roster.

Despite the uncertainty at the position, Carr said he was sure "the best player is going to play" next season.