The San Francisco 49ers did not have enough juice to make it to the Super Bowl this season. Instead, the hated Seattle Seahawks are representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.
This stings even more because the Seahawks eliminated the Niners from the playoffs and the Super Bowl is being held at Levi’s Stadium. To see the Seahawks celebrate a Super Bowl win in San Francisco’s home stadium would be awful. Even considering it makes the stomach churn.
Linebacker Fred Warner spoke about what it is like seeing Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold’s face plastered on the stadium, and his response is probably in alignment with every 49ers fan.
"They started putting the posters up on Levi’s Stadium," Warner said on radio row. "And I see Sam Darnold in that Seattle uniform and Drake Maye up there, and it makes you sick to your stomach because you feel like you should be seeing Brock Purdy up there on that big poster."
It’s painful to see the Seahawks make it this far. They are the sworn enemy of the 49ers, and for the last number of years, Niner fans could at least take solace in the fact that Seattle was perennially mediocre.
But now, no matter what happens in the Super Bowl, it certainly seems like the Niners are going to have to deal with a juggernaut in Seattle for the foreseeable future. The Hawks have a strong defense and a solid offense with a stable quarterback in Darnold, so they should be good for some time.
Darnold’s reputation has been that he doesn’t show up in the big games, but he put up a great performance in the NFC Championship game. So he has a chance to put that narrative to bed with a solid Super Bowl performance. If he does win, he certainly also needs to thank Purdy and Kyle Shanahan for getting his career turned around in his brief San Francisco tenure.
It’s unfortunate the Niners have both the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams in their division. One could easily make the argument that those are the three strongest teams in the NFC, which is going to make it exceedingly difficult for San Francisco to be competitive and make playoff runs in future seasons.
The Niners will have to make some key moves this offseason so they can remain competitive with such stout competition in the NFC West.
If Warner is sickened to see Darnold’s face where Purdy’s should be, then 49ers fans are equally upset. It’s a bad situation, but maybe this will give the Niners the motivation they need to come back and make another run next season.