From Super Bowl Contenders to NFC West Basement: The 49ers’ Tumultuous 2024 Season
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — For the San Francisco 49ers, the night-before-the-game meetings have long been a cornerstone of their culture since head coach Kyle Shanahan took the reins in 2017. These gatherings, often led by team leaders, former 49ers legends, general manager John Lynch, or Shanahan himself, are designed to set the tone and focus the team’s mindset. And for years, it worked like a charm. Since 2019, only two NFL teams have won more games, including playoffs, than the 49ers.
But this season, the magic seemed to fade. After back-to-back humiliating losses to the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills by a combined 53 points, the 49ers found themselves teetering on the edge of playoff irrelevance. Shanahan, desperate to reignite the fire in his team, turned to two of his young stars, quarterback Brock Purdy and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, to deliver a pregame pep talk before their matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Purdy emphasized the importance of maintaining intensity, while Lenoir urged his teammates to fight for every inch, every play, no matter the score. Their words struck a chord. “The message was, we need to play with more of a sense of urgency and play desperate,” said tight end George Kittle. “That desperation fuels guys.”
The result? A dominant 38-13 victory over the Bears that had wide receiver Jauan Jennings declaring, “We were our old selves again.”
Climbing Out of the NFC West Basement
Despite the win, the 49ers remain in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable position: last place in the NFC West. At 6-7, they trail the Seattle Seahawks by two games and the Los Angeles Rams by one. Thursday night’s showdown against the Rams (8:15 p.m., Prime Video) is a must-win if they hope to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
According to ESPN Analytics, the 49ers have just a 10.6% chance of making the playoffs and an 8.4% chance of winning the division. A win against the Rams would boost their playoff odds to 17%, but a loss would all but end their season, dropping their chances to a dismal 0.6%.
What Went Wrong?
The 49ers’ struggles this season can be traced back to a combination of injuries, inconsistency, and a lack of the physical dominance that once defined them. Here’s a breakdown of their key issues:
- Injuries: The 49ers have been decimated by injuries to key players. Running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and Kittle have yet to play a single snap together this season. Defensive stars like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner have also missed significant time.
- Offensive and Defensive Decline: The offense is scoring 5.2 fewer points per game than last year, while the defense is allowing 6.2 more. Their once-dominant red zone offense has plummeted from first in the NFL (67.2% touchdown rate) to 22nd (52.9%).
- Turnover Troubles: The 49ers are 4-0 when they win the turnover battle but just 1-7 when they don’t. Their turnover margin has dropped from +10 last season to -3 this year.
“This just isn’t the standard that we play with,” Purdy admitted. “Our mentality of coming out to games and being the enforcers and the dominators—it’s not there.”
Personal Tragedies Add to the Strain
As if injuries weren’t enough, the 49ers have also faced heartbreaking personal losses. Rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in an attempted robbery before the season opener. Cornerback Charvarius Ward lost his 1-year-old daughter in October, and offensive tackle Trent Williams mourned the stillbirth of his son in November. Each tragedy has taken a toll on the team’s mental and emotional state.
What’s Next?
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. After Thursday’s game against the Rams, the 49ers face a brutal stretch that includes matchups with the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals. ESPN Analytics gives them a fighting chance against the Rams, Dolphins, and Cardinals but predicts a loss to the Lions.
For now, the 49ers are treating every game like a playoff game. “Every game means everything,” Warner said. If they can string together wins and get some of their injured stars back, there’s still a glimmer of hope. But time is running out, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
Originally Written by: Nick Wagoner
