What we learned as 49ers’ 2025 NFL season ends with NFC playoff loss to Seahawks
“The 49ers hope Warner, Bosa and Kittle will return to being highly productive players and key figures of the team next season.
Those players returning from injuries, along with first-round pick Mykel Williams, should give the 49ers a boost next season. But it cannot end there, either.
Lynch must stack a good draft class onto the roster, and many of the young players on the roster must make significant strides in 2026.
The 49ers’ top scheduled free agent is wide receiver Jauan Jennings. The sides could not come together on a contract extension before the start of this season, so it is anything but a guarantee that Jennings will be back.
The 49ers expect to have six draft picks within the first four rounds, and there are plenty of areas for them to address: Wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line and defensive back top the list.
Aiyuk stopped showing up for his required rehab sessions, prompting the team to void all remaining guaranteed money. The 49ers do not owe Aiyuk another penny. That should open up some cash for them to spend elsewhere, perhaps allowing them to add a key free agent or two.
The 49ers have a lot of work to do, and they need to find the next generation of stars to ultimately replace their aging nucleus.“
Hutchinson: The 49ers’ jig is finally up
“This team attempting to convince us they had a chance at a Super Bowl was absurd.
Don’t mistake this as a criticism of the 49ers. It’s the opposite. They stubbornly forced their way into conversations they had no business being a part of. This season was buried under the ground for months, and yet, there was a pule.
Despite the obvious impossibility of their situation, the 49ers had us all going, “well… maybe?”
No one can accuse the 49ers of phoning it in… perhaps with the exception of Luke Farrell.
The focus will quickly turn to the draft. John Lynch will say early this week that the 49ers were always viewing this as a transition year, that he is astounded and proud of his guys, that the effort they and the coaching staff put into this season are commendable. He will almost shed a tear that he holds back through gritted teeth. But the 49ers, he will say, will reload and get healthy next year.
The question, given what the 49ers faced against Seattle and Los Angeles and all the other, younger, healthier rosters in the league is… should we believe that? Is this team actually building enough? How strong is the foundation?“
What if? 49ers’ Fred Warner ponders lost chance to return (paywall)
“I was back and forth on it pregame if I wanted to watch from the top or be on the field,” Warner said. “I think they wanted me to be in the box to try to stay off my feet, for if we won, to give myself an opportunity to work into next week. But as soon as that first quarter happened, I said there was no way I was not going to be on the field to help.”
49ers’ Christian McCaffrey sees painful end to inspiring season: ‘I gave it everything’ (paywall)
“This was one of the hardest years of my life (with) everything that happened to me last year,” McCaffrey said. “And I kind of had to overcome a lot of odds. And from the time January 1 happened, I was rehabbing and working my butt off every single day. My wife went through it. There was not a lot of time off. …
“But when I look back at all the people that helped. People that helped me out and the people that were with me every step of the way and believed in me when a lot of people did — I appreciate it. I’m really grateful for my family, my friends and everybody in that locker room.”
Proud San Francisco 49ers quickly turn page to next season
“Left tackle Trent Williams, 37, confirmed again after Saturday’s game that he intends to keep playing. Williams was one of the players most encouraged about the team’s future, especially if it can get defensive end Nick Bosa (ACL), linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) and tight end George Kittle (Achilles) back to full strength at some point.
“We had a lot of young guys that contributed a lot to our success, and they have really, really bright futures,” Williams said. “I’m super proud of this team. Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted to, but the future is really bright.”
The 49ers enter a crucial offseason as they look to take the next step to get back into contention for the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy. They will have plenty of roster needs, including bolstering the pass rush, offensive line, receivers and safety position.“
Does Brock Purdy have a Seahawks problem? 49ers have an offseason to ponder that (paywall)
“Purdy walked to the sideline with a look of exasperation, perhaps because his target, tight end Luke Farrell, appeared to be caught flat-footed and wasn’t expecting the pass. Purdy was asked about his post-pick frustration.
“Yeah, I mean, we’re off schedule, and I’m at that point, you know, I’m just trying to figure out which way this was going to go,” Purdy said.
“So that’s not on (Farrell). He got put in a tough situation. If anything, throw the ball away and live to see another down.”
Purdy has struggled to do just that when facing defenses overseen by Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, who was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator when Purdy threw four interceptions in a 33-17 loss against Baltimore in December 2023. In six games against Macdonald, five coming since Macdonald joined Seattle last year, Purdy is 3-3, has thrown six touchdowns, nine interceptions and has a 75.8 passer rating.
Purdy noted the Seahawks employed two deep safeties, hoping to prevent big passing plays, and make QBs try to beat them with a deliberate, methodical approach. Of course, that conservative approach is often wrecked by QB harassers such as Lawrence and Williams, part of a defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in sacks.“
What was Kyle Shanahan’s heated talk with 49ers CB Renardo Green about? ‘Coaching aggressively’ (paywall)
““I mean, I couldn’t really do nothing,” Green said. “I got taken out for coaching, so I couldn’t really do nothing but just watch and cheer my guys on, and when he comes to the sideline, be like, ‘It’s a race route, runaway route from the leverage.’”
Shanahan said of the interaction: “Just coaching him on a certain play, a certain technique. Just coaching aggressively.”
Green, a second-year player, did not take offense. It was a frustrating night for all involved. Nothing could stop what the Seahawks brought Saturday night, as the 49ers allowed 41 points in a game that was effectively decided in less than four quarters.
“I hear him out, he tell me what I did wrong, and then we go out there on the field and correct it,” Green said.
“It ain’t nothing crazy or nothing. It’s just about understanding the point that they’re trying to get across, and then me as a player being like, ‘Oh, well, I need to do this better and do that.’”
