LAS VEGAS — Given an opportunity to place the narrative that has surrounded them for many of the previous 5 years to relaxation, the San Francisco 49ers as a substitute funneled all of it right into a a lot bigger query after dropping to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday in Tremendous Bowl LVIII:
If not now, when?
These battle-tested and scarred Niners have been constructed to win the franchise’s long-awaited sixth Lombardi Trophy, they usually made daring strikes over the previous two years to do it. They traded 4 draft picks for operating again Christian McCaffrey. They gave $40 million assured to deal with Javon Hargrave to assist plug a gap in the course of their protection. And so they discovered and developed 2022 seventh-round choose Brock Purdy, whom they steadfastly imagine is their long-term reply at quarterback.
Even the travails of the previous 4 years — a blown 10-point fourth-quarter result in Kansas Metropolis in Tremendous Bowl LIV, an injury-ravaged 6-10 pandemic season and back-to-back disappointing losses within the NFC Championship Recreation — have been seen contained in the partitions of the Niners’ facility as gas to strengthen their resolve.
As an alternative, the Chiefs stamped themselves because the league’s latest dynasty with a 25-22 time beyond regulation win for his or her third Tremendous Bowl title in 5 seasons, with the Niners on the depressing finish of two of them.
Sunday’s loss added yet one more devastating defeat to San Francisco’s ever-growing pile of them with seasons and championships on the road. Ray-Ray McCloud III’s muffed punt, Jake Moody’s blocked further level and Patrick Mahomes’ late-game heroics despatched the Niners into one other offseason with the saltiest of tastes of their mouths.
These moments be a part of Michael Crabtree within the nook of the tip zone in Tremendous Bowl XLVIII and Tyreek Hill’s 44-yard catch within the waning moments of Tremendous Bowl LIV because the indelible pictures of championships that bought away.
“Yeah, I used to be speechless. Could not actually look anyone within the eye. Particularly all my teammates,” defensive finish Nick Bosa stated. “I might have performed extra. Everyone might have performed extra and there is actually not a lot to say at this level. It is going to damage, it is going to hit in waves, however that is life.”
The variety of years with out a title now sits at 29, a surprising period of time for a franchise that racked up 5 Lombardi Trophies in a 13-year span from 1981 to ’94, led by a number of the best gamers and coaches the game has identified. San Francisco is the fifth crew in league historical past to lose three straight Tremendous Bowls, a streak that follows it profitable in its first 5 appearances within the large sport.
And now the Niners should cope with the current failure and the unknown of the longer term. The championship window for the roster’s veterans may be shrinking forward of a looming 2025 payday for Purdy.
“The toughest factor is wanting on the guys, the Ronnie Lotts, the Steve Youngs, the Joe Montanas, after we have not performed that,” basic supervisor John Lynch stated. “As a result of these guys have had our backs, and we wish to have theirs and they also know we’re combating, however you bought to pay that off.
“If you wish to be nice, that is what you have to do. You have to bust by way of.”
IN THE AFTERMATH of this loss, loads of consideration will likely be paid to teach Kyle Shanahan, who has been on the dropping facet of the one two Tremendous Bowls to go to time beyond regulation. He has accomplished his seventh season as an NFL head coach and, at 44, has loads of time to complete the job.
But it surely’s tough to even get to the door of the Tremendous Bowl, not to mention to kick it down and stroll away with the Lombardi Trophy. Earlier than Shanahan bought the 49ers to a pair of Tremendous Bowls in a four-year span, Jim Harbaugh restored San Francisco to contender standing.
From 2011 to ’13, Harbaugh led the Niners to the NFC Championship Recreation each season, together with their first since 1997. In his second season, they reached their first Tremendous Bowl since 1994.
Regardless of getting so shut so typically in 4 seasons in San Francisco — he left for the College of Michigan after the 2014 season — Harbaugh was unable to interrupt by way of.
“There isn’t any different sport as aggressive because the Nationwide Soccer League,” Harbaugh stated final week. “I dream about having one other crack at it.”
What’s more durable to just accept is how difficult it’s to interrupt by way of when Superman is sporting the opposite crew’s jersey. For a few years, it was Montana who helped forestall Corridor of Famers corresponding to Dan Marino from getting a hoop. Tom Brady’s dominance over 20 years stored different greats corresponding to Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees from having greater than a solitary Tremendous Bowl title.
We’re now within the Patrick Mahomes period, the place groups must undergo Kansas Metropolis and its stellar quarterback to win a championship. It is one factor to have Tremendous Bowl expertise, however generally a crew may be nice at a foul time.
All of which makes this newest loss even more durable for the Niners. They’re 0-4 towards the Chiefs beneath Shanahan, with three of these losses coming by double digits. It is probably the most losses with out a win that San Francisco has had towards any opponent beneath Shanahan. Even when the Niners get again thus far, there’s an actual likelihood that Mahomes, Andy Reid & Co. will likely be ready.
“That is my second (Tremendous Bowl) as the pinnacle coach, however I believe once you go towards guys like Tom Brady and Pat Mahomes, you higher by no means really feel snug with the lead,” Shanahan stated after Sunday’s loss. “These are two of the perfect gamers to ever play the sport. That is why when you could have a lead otherwise you’re down factors, these guys are at all times in it. You watch ’em on a regular basis do this stuff.”
Earlier than Sunday night time’s loss, the Shanahan and Reid comparisons have been already being made. Reid went to 5 NFC Championship Video games and a Tremendous Bowl in his 14 years as Philadelphia Eagles coach, then made 5 playoff appearances and an AFC Championship Recreation in his first six seasons with the Chiefs earlier than getting his title in Tremendous Bowl LIV.
The label that got here with that was “greatest coach to by no means win a Tremendous Bowl.” The significance of getting over the hump is not misplaced on these in Shanahan’s orbit.
San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward was with Kansas Metropolis when Reid gained his first title. Whereas he believes Shanahan is already on the identical stage as his former coach, he is aware of how a lot Shanahan needs to win all of it.
“[Shanahan] eats, sleeps and breathes soccer, too,” Ward stated earlier this week. “I believe that is going to solidify all the things for him in his profession, getting that Tremendous Bowl ring. I really feel like that is the one factor he is lacking. … Everyone is aware of he is top-of-the-line minds in soccer.”
However the scars from these losses have a cumulative impact. Shanahan has stated he normally wants no less than a month after the season to clear his thoughts and be able to get again after it, particularly following season-ending heartbreak.
It is a feeling Harbaugh can relate to. Even now, 11 years after dropping to the Baltimore Ravens in Tremendous Bowl XLVII, the injuries stay.
“I give it some thought every single day,” stated Harbaugh, who’s again within the NFL after he was employed because the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in January. “What might now we have performed in another way on the finish? How might we get the ball in from the 5-yard line?
“It is vivid, and also you stroll off that area going, ‘There will be different days,’ however that may’ve been the one day.”
AS THE 49ERS trudge into one other offseason, Shanahan may have little time to grieve. He and Lynch have to determine what they’ll do to shed the also-ran label.
The 2023 Niners will go down as one of the vital gifted groups in franchise historical past. However with out a Tremendous Bowl title, they’re in a difficult spot. Whereas they’ve most of their largest stars beneath contract for subsequent season, the 49ers are $43.96 million over subsequent 12 months’s projected wage cap, in keeping with ESPN’s Roster Administration System. And 2024 figures to be their final season with Purdy taking part in for peanuts on his rookie deal.
In 2025, Purdy will likely be eligible for an extension that possible will multiply his 2024 cap cost of $1.12 million as much as 50 instances over. That might imply the Niners must make tough choices on a few of their high-priced veterans. It is why, coming into the 2023 season, logic suggests this might be a two-year window to win the Tremendous Bowl, no less than with the present core of veterans. York scoffs on the notion.
“If you discuss home windows, I simply assume that that is such a B.S. idea on this league,” York stated. “You by no means know when you are going to have the chance to be right here. It’s a must to take advantage of it.”
Nonetheless, a few of that veteran core, corresponding to seventh-year tight finish George Kittle (two receptions for 4 yards on Sunday), have acknowledged the concept of a window and have made it clear that they should break by way of it as quickly as doable.
Among the many crew’s prime offseason priorities will likely be signing rising star wideout Brandon Aiyuk (three receptions for 49 yards), who’s coming into the ultimate season of his rookie contract, to a profitable extension, however the Niners additionally must plan for the longer term whereas attempting to make strikes to win a championship subsequent season. They’re going to must take a protracted take a look at their protection, the place they’ve invested large cash in a line that hasn’t been as dominant as hoped, an offensive line that — minus 35-year-old All-Professional left deal with Trent Williams — has typically struggled, and start planning for the longer term within the secondary.
“We have been so shut so many instances that it is solely so many extra alternatives that now we have,” Bosa stated Sunday. “We now have superb core of gamers which are going to be again, and now we have to be higher.”
Final Monday, because the 49ers took their 40-minute bus experience from their Henderson, Nevada, lodge to Allegiant Stadium for the NFL’s opening night time media occasion, Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner reminisced on their journey again to the Tremendous Bowl.
At one level, they in contrast notes on what number of members of their respective draft lessons remained on the roster. Warner realized that in 5 years, each different participant drafted with him is gone. Bosa had delight in the truth that, 4 years later, he had three draft classmates left.
The 2 largest stars on the 49ers’ protection got here to the identical realization: A method or one other, sweeping change comes for each crew. It is very true for a crew that, after attempting to run it again with the identical core, would possibly want a extra aggressive upheaval to push it over the end line.
“We now have the crew clearly to do it, to win the entire thing and are available up quick like that. [That’s] the way in which issues have been the final couple of years right here,” Purdy stated. “Everybody wished it so dangerous. So I believe we’re nonetheless attempting to form of collect our ideas and all the things proper now, however everybody within the locker room loves one another. I will let you know that.”
