• Tom Brady narrates and helps produce AMC’s four-part series Rise of the 49ers.
  • The premiere features rare Bill Walsh coaching tapes and appearances by Montana, Rice, Young and Lott.
  • Brady recounts childhood fandom and even throws passes to Jerry Rice on camera.
  • First two episodes stream on Sunday, with the final two airing Monday on AMC.

Brady’s personal tribute fuels new 49ers documentary

“Rise of the 49ers,” an AMC four-part documentary limited series, arrives as a personal ode from Tom Brady to the 49ers dynasty that shaped his youth. Brady narrates and served as an executive force behind the project, aiming to show modern fans how Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh and others rewrote the football playbook.

Premiere and stars on the red carpet

The series premiered with a special screening in San Francisco attended by franchise legends — Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott and owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. The first two episodes drop on Sunday, with the final two following on Monday on AMC.

Childhood fandom to on-screen collaboration

Brady grew up near Candlestick Park and says he imagined himself as Montana throwing to Rice. The doc captures that full-circle moment: Brady plays catch with Rice on camera, a symbolic bridge between two eras of the NFL.

“My career might not have taken off if I had grown up rooting for the Jets,” Brady jokes in the series.

Rare Bill Walsh footage and coaching legacy

Producers leaned heavily on Bill Walsh’s archived VHS tapes — recordings Walsh made of his playbook sessions and motivational talks. Those previously stored tapes provide an unfiltered view of Walsh as coach, teacher and creative architect of the West Coast offense.

The series uses that material to argue the 49ers didn’t just win; they changed how the game was played and taught. Coaches and former players on-camera explain how Walsh intentionally preserved his methods to pass knowledge to future generations.

Quarterback rivalry and human drama

Later episodes explore the quarterback tension between Montana and Steve Young, offering candid interviews that acknowledge both professional rivalry and mutual respect. The series balances game-defining moments — like the origin of “The Catch” — with intimate reactions from the players themselves.

Watch clips and classic moments

The film references many archival highlights and includes two linked clips viewers may recognize:

Team of the ’80s montage:

The Catch — 1981 NFC Championship:

Why it matters

“Rise of the 49ers” is less a nostalgic highlight reel and more a study in influence: how coaching, innovation and personality combined to create a dynasty. With Brady guiding the narrative, the series connects the 49ers’ lessons to the modern NFL and explains why that team remains central to football history.

Where to watch: AMC — first two episodes Sunday, two more Monday.

Image Referance: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7009288/2026/02/01/49ers-amc-documentary-tom-brady-nfl/