Tom Brady sits down to tell the story on the "Rise of the 49ers" in a new documentary on AMC.
Tom Brady spent his NFL career tormenting just about every franchise imaginable, but long before he became a seven-time Super Bowl champion, he was simply a kid in the stands at Candlestick Park.
That fandom never faded. Brady openly credits watching 49ers legends like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young as foundational to his own football dreams.
Those early memories, formed while watching San Francisco dominate the league, planted the seeds for a career that would eventually surpass even his childhood heroes.
Rise of the 49ers leans into that connection, blending Brady’s narration with rare NFL Films footage, behind-the-scenes moments, and reflections from the players and leaders who built the dynasty.
Montana, Rice, Young, Ronnie Lott, and former owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. all share their perspectives on what made the 49ers special, while Brady frames their stories through the lens of a fan who witnessed it all from the stands.
The four-part series premieres with its first two episodes on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the final two episodes on Monday, Feb. 2 on AMC and AMC+.
While the series chronicles one of the most influential dynasties in NFL history, it is Brady’s personal connection to the franchise that gives the project a unique emotional pull.
Brady grew up in San Mateo, California, just a short drive from Candlestick Park, where his family held season tickets. Sundays revolved around 49ers games, and those experiences left a lasting imprint. In the opening moments of the series, Brady recalls sitting high in the stadium, surrounded by noise, passion, and a team that was changing football forever.
“We made our entire Sunday out of going to the 49ers games,” Brady says in the series. “I grew up with the 49ers and their dynasty — the dynasty that changed the NFL forever.”
One of the defining moments of Brady’s childhood came during the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Rise of the 49ers features a photo of a four-year-old Brady in the crowd that day, crying in his mother’s arms.
He has since shared that he couldn’t see the field when fans stood and screamed, but the energy of the moment stuck with him, especially Dwight Clark’s iconic catch that sent San Francisco to its first Super Bowl of the era.
Brady also co-produced the series alongside AMC Studios, Skydance Sports, NFL Films, and Religion of Sports.
Directed by Ryan Kelly and Nick Mascolo, Rise of the 49ers is as much a love letter to San Francisco’s dynasty as it is a historical deep dive, told by a narrator who once dreamed of being just like them.