Legendary NFL football coach Bill Walsh was the first person to grace the cover of a College Football game released by Electronic Arts.
San Francisco 49ers Coach Bill Walsh Had a Game Named After Him
When the game first dropped for game platforms such as the Sega Genesis, Bill Walsh was on the cover of the game called “Bill Walsh College Football.”
By that point, Walsh had left the 49ers as coach, but with the Super Bowl wins in 1981, 84, and 88, his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was guaranteed. That happened in 1993.
A sequel to the original was released in 1995 as Bill Walsh College Football 95.
It wasn’t until 1997 that an athlete was featured on the cover, with Nebraska QB Tommie Frazier receiving the honors. The 2025 edition featured a two-way threat, Travis Hunter from Colorado.
Walsh coached defensive backs at Stanford from 1963-1965 and then went to the Oakland Raiders before becoming an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals, who entered the then-AFL in 1968. Walsh was there in Cincinnati before returning to coach two more seasons at Stanford, posting 9-3 and 8-4 records.
He was hired by the 49ers in 1979, and after a 2-14 season, Joe Montana was selected.
Montana started for the 49ers in 1980, and Walsh was also responsible for adding players such as Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, and Steve Young.
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Walsh left the 49ers after their last Super Bowl win and worked with NBC on football broadcasts. There were NFL coaching rumors for Walsh, but it wasn’t until 1992 that Walsh signed a five-year contract with Stanford again. He helped them win a Pac-10 conference championship in 1993.
Walsh continued to work with the 49ers following his success at Stanford and ultimately became their general manager from 1999 to 2001.
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