Both the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks are coming off better seasons and are projected to best San Francisco once again in 2026.
Now, they. may have just added even more bragging rights to the growing list.
The latest ranking of NFL head coaches by the Associated Press did include Niners coach Kyle Shanahan, and rightfully so. He came in at No. 4. The only problem is that two of the three coaches ranked ahead of him were none other than Sean McVay and Mike Macdonald.
McVay is tied with Shanahan for the second-longest tenured coach, as both took over their respective jobs in 2017. The former, unlike the latter, has a Super Bowl ring to show for it. He is also coming off a year in which his Rams finished second in the division and made it to the NFC Championship.
Macdonald is only entering his third year as a head coach, though he is already building an impressive resume. He's already secured 24 victories at the helm and a Super Bowl ring to bout.
49ers struggling to gain advantage over NFC West rivals
The rankings represent yet another leg up both of these teams have over the red and gold. Overall better rosters, head coaches, quarterback play, and youth are just some of the advantages execs, scouts, and pundits have claimed the two rivals to possess.
With that being said, the 49ers are running out of areas in which they can boast the upper hand. Many of their strengths are also strengths shared by Seattle and Los Angeles. Outside of George Kittle, the two divisional teams can match up against San Francisco at just about every position. Even Kittle will turn 33 years old this season and has already seen his best years in the league. That is not to mention he is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.
Now seemingly at a head coaching disadvantage on top of everything, the 49ers will have no choice but to adopt the underdog role for the duration of the year. If anyone were to upset these two juggernauts, it would be the 49ers, who, despite consistently being overlooked, still possess a talented enough roster to beat every team in the league on a good day.
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