Things have not gone according to plan for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL season.
They entered the year as Super Bowl favorites, but they now sit with a record of 6-9 and may very well finish last in the NFC West.
On the one hand, this is surprising given all of the talent on the roster. But on the other hand, one could definitely have seen a year like this coming for San Francisco. After so much postseason heartbreak in the past five seasons since 2019, a big let-down year seems somewhat inevitable.
The Niners have come so agonizingly close to winning the Super Bowl and are still empty-handed. Making deep postseason runs over and over only to lose in soul-crushing fashion takes a physical and mental toll on a team.
This is especially true after the Super Bowl loss last season against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers had every opportunity to win that game but let KC hang around and then lost in overtime. They got as close as a team can get to winning a Super Bowl and still came up short.
Since then, and truly one can argue since linebacker Dre Greenlaw ruptured his Achilles running onto the field during the Super Bowl, things have just been terrible for San Francisco. From an acrimonious holdout from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to top draft pick Ricky Pearsall getting shot in the chest to injuries galore, things have just gotten worse and worse.
Of course, more devastating than anything from an ultimately meaningless game are the personal tragedies endured by cornerback Charvarius Ward, left tackle Trent Williams, and offensive line coach Chris Foerster and their families. While it is easy to get mad at the 49ers' play on the field, their tragedies off the field show that football is little more than just a silly game.
It is clear the Niners need a reset. They need a physical reset as well as a mental reset. Missing the playoffs may come as something of a relief after they have played football deep into January four of the past five seasons.
Sitting on the couch in January could also have the added benefit of lighting a fire under the veteran core of players San Francisco has. Those players understand they do not have forever to win a ring. They likely missed their best shot in the 2023 season, but it is well within reach to get back on track and win the NFC West next season. We know this team is pretty foormidable when it comes to Wild Card and divisional playoff games, but it remains to be seen whether it can overcome the baggage of so many NFC Championship game and Super Bowl losses.
No matter what, this season cannot end quickly enough for the Niners. Let's hope they have no major injuries these final two weeks and can begin the process of moving on from this disaster of a season. They need a reset in the worst way possible, but then the hard work of coming back stronger will truly begin.