The 1978 San Francisco 49ers season was their 29th season in the National Football League. The team began the season hoping to improve upon their previous output of 5-9, however, they instead started the season 0-4 for the second straight year, and this season also featured a nine game losing streak. During the off-season, the Buffalo Bills had traded running back O.J. Simpson to the 49ers. Although one of the best RBs in the league, he was in poor physical condition and had recently undergone knee surgery. As a result, his playing ability was limited. The 49ers finished with the worst record in the league and scored only 219 points in the course of the season, the lowest in the league.