November 11, 2012: Alex Smith’s last start for the 49ers ends in a 24-24 tie with the Rams, and the Colin Kaepernick era begins

On November 11, 2012, the 49ers and Rams played 75 minutes at Candlestick Park and finished 24-24. It was the NFL’s first tie in four years and the 49ers’ first since 1986. It was also the last game Alex Smith started for San Francisco.

The 49ers were 6-2, and the Rams quickly led 14-0. Smith was hit hard by Jo-Lonn Dunbar late in the first quarter, then threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree. That was his last throw. He went 7 of 8 for 72 yards, left in the second quarter with a concussion, and Colin Kaepernick took over.

Rams punter Johnny Hekker kept drives alive with two fake-punt passes. On fourth-and-4 at his own 10, he threw 21 yards to safety Rodney McLeod. In the fourth quarter, on fourth-and-8, he found tight end Lance Kendricks for 19 yards. Hekker finished 2 of 2 for 40 yards.

Down 17-7, San Francisco scored on a 7-yard Kaepernick run, recovered a fumbled kickoff, and Frank Gore ran 20 yards for a touchdown on the next snap. The Rams answered to lead 24-21, and Kaepernick drove the 49ers from their own 22 to set up David Akers’ 33-yard field goal with 5 seconds left.

Akers missed a 41-yard try wide left in overtime. The Rams’ Greg Zuerlein made a 53-yarder, but a delay-of-game penalty wiped it out, and he missed from 58 yards. San Francisco went three-and-out, and the game ended tied.

Smith had started 28 games in a row. Kaepernick started the next Monday night and the 49ers beat the Bears 32-7. San Francisco finished 11-4-1, won the NFC West and lost Super Bowl XLVII to Baltimore 34-31. The next spring, the 49ers traded Smith to Kansas City.