Every year around this time, I ask you what was the best victory the San Francisco 49ers had over the last five years. Last year, what many thought was the best win—the 2019 New Orleans Saints game — got bumped out of the five-year window. Regardless, I considered the NFC Championship Game in the 2023-2024 NFC Season the best. The 49ers came back in an epic fashion to beat the Detroit Lions and go on to the Super Bowl.
There wasn’t much in the 2024 season we could cover, but for 2025, we have some
contenders that can unseat that game. Most notably, the NFC Wild Card against the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
First, what has happened since 2023? Well, a lot more now that we’re two years removed. We all know the frustrating disappointment of the 2024 season. Luckily, 2025 brought some key wins, like the aforementioned Wild Card Victory, the Thursday night victory over the Los Angeles Rams, and that epic (though I doubt it was the best) Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Basically, we have a lot more to work with in 2025.
You can make a case for either the Rams victory or the Eagles win in the playoffs as the best win. The latter will be invaluable for the younger players, getting them both a playoff victory and experience on a team that fought adversity all season. The former had a young 49ers squad go into the Rams’ house and win on prime time, including several key stops.
That considered, I still think the best win is the 2023-2024 NFC Championship. That took Brock Purdy, a quarterback everyone said couldn’t play from behind, and had him do just the opposite. It’s as much a win for the future as the Eagles victory was.
2025 gave us a lot to work with, so what would you think your “best” win of the last five years is? Maybe your requirements differ from mine, and you place that wild card game higher than the game that sent the 49ers to the Super Bowl.
Or bring up games where the 49ers beat up the Dallas Cowboys. Those always work.
