John Ayers

Games played	157
Games started	137
Fumble recoveries	3
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

John Ayers
No. 68, 67
Position	Offensive guard
Personal information
Born	April 14, 1953; Carrizo Springs, Texas, U.S.
Died	October 2, 1995 (aged 42); Canyon, Texas, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
High school	Carrizo Springs
College	West Texas A&M
NFL draft	1976: 8th round, 233rd overall pick
Career history
	San Francisco 49ers (1977–1986); Denver Broncos (1987);
Awards and highlights
	2× Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX); First-team All-Pro (1984); Second-team All-Pro (1985);
Career NFL statistics
Games played
Games played	157
Games started	137
Fumble recoveries	3
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

John Milton Ayers (April 14, 1953 – October 2, 1995) was an American professional football guard in the National Football League (NFL) from 1977 through 1987. During that span, he appeared in two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX for the San Francisco 49ers. Ayers was a key contributor on the final 89-yard drive that led to the play that has been immortalized as "The Catch" in the 1982 NFC Playoffs versus the Dallas Cowboys.

John Ayers played college football for the West Texas A&M Buffaloes. He was also a member of the 1987 Denver Broncos team that lost Super Bowl XXII, but did not appear in that game.

Death

Ayers was diagnosed with liver cancer and died on October 2, 1995.^[1]

Ayers also served for a brief period as the figurehead President of Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation.

^ "Former lineman John Ayers dies". San Francisco Gate. October 2, 1995.
^ Williams, Don (November 29, 2021). "Coronado LB Curry commits to Texas Tech". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved December 6, 2025.

San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XVI champions
3 Jim Miller 7 Guy Benjamin 14 Ray Wersching 16 Joe Montana (MVP) 20 Amos Lawrence 21 Eric Wright 22 Dwight Hicks 24 Rick Gervais 27 Carlton Williamson 28 Lynn Thomas 29 Saladin Martin 30 Bill Ring 31 Walt Easley 32 Ricky Patton 33 Ricky Churchman 35 Lenvil Elliott 36 Paul Hofer 38 Johnny Davis 42 Ronnie Lott 49 Earl Cooper 50 Terry Tautolo 50 Jim Looney 51 Randy Cross 52 Bobby Leopold 53 Milt McColl 54 Craig Puki 56 Fred Quillan 57 Dan Bunz 58 Keena Turner 59 Willie Harper 60 John Choma 61 Dan Audick 62 Walt Downing 64 Jack Reynolds 65 Lawrence Pillers 66 Allan Kennedy 68 John Ayers 71 Keith Fahnhorst 74 Fred Dean 75 John Harty 76 Dwaine Board 77 Pete Kugler 78 Archie Reese 79 Jim Stuckey 80 Eason Ramson 84 Mike Shumann 85 Mike Wilson 86 Charle Young 87 Dwight Clark 88 Freddie Solomon
Head coach Bill Walsh
Coaches Cas Banaszek Norb Hecker Milt Jackson Billie Matthews Bobb McKittrick Bill McPherson Ray Rhodes George Seifert Chuck Studley Sam Wyche

San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XIX champions
4 Max Runager 6 Matt Cavanaugh 14 Ray Wersching 16 Joe Montana (MVP) 19 Tom Orosz 21 Eric Wright 22 Dwight Hicks 24 Derrick Harmon 26 Wendell Tyler 27 Carlton Williamson 28 Tom Holmoe 29 Mario Clark 30 Bill Ring 32 Carl Monroe 33 Roger Craig 42 Ronnie Lott 43 Dana McLemore 49 Jeff Fuller 50 Riki Ellison 51 Randy Cross 52 Blanchard Montgomery 53 Milt McColl 54 Ron Ferrari 55 Jim Fahnhorst 56 Fred Quillan 57 Dan Bunz 58 Keena Turner 61 Jesse Sapolu 62 Guy McIntyre 64 Jack Reynolds 65 Lawrence Pillers 66 Allan Kennedy 67 Billy Shields 67 John Macaulay 68 John Ayers 71 Keith Fahnhorst 72 Jeff Stover 74 Fred Dean 76 Dwaine Board 77 Bubba Paris 78 Manu Tuiasosopo 79 Jim Stuckey 81 Russ Francis 83 Renaldo Nehemiah 84 Al Dixon 85 Mike Wilson 86 John Frank 87 Dwight Clark 88 Freddie Solomon 89 Earl Cooper 90 Todd Shell 94 Louie Kelcher 95 Michael Carter 97 Gary Johnson 98 Greg Boyd 99 Mike Walter
Head coach Bill Walsh
Coaches Paul Hackett Tommy Hart Norb Hecker Sherman Lewis Bobb McKittrick Bill McPherson George Seifert Ray Rhodes Fred von Appen