The 49ers Need to Make Major Chances to Bounce Back in 2025

Is it too late to salvage this mess?

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The 49ers managed to do it again, scoring only 10 points and losing by over 20. This never happened in 2023 when the Niners made the Super Bowl. Not one game ended with them losing by more than 20, and they never scored only 10 points. So what's the deal with this new team? People will claim injuries have ruined their depth, and although that is true it doesn't explain all of their issues this season. What has to be done for this team to have a chance at the playoffs or at the very least, a winning season in 2025?

Kyle Shanahan

Kyle Shanahan zealots have been preaching that the issues with this team are not on him all season long. They say he is a magical play-caller who revolutionized this offense and can do no wrong. Now, people are starting to rub off the gunk from their eyes, and reality is coming into sight: He has been one of the biggest issues. Whether you look at team morale, playcalling, or rushing injured players into play, it has been a season of misses. No matter how you slice it, nothing has clicked for this team on offense and other people are now seeing it.

Some may argue that Christian McCaffrey being out set him up for failure, I'd argue that being so reliant on one player coming off injury is an issue. Some may argue that Brandon Aiyuk ruined the offseason by making it about him, I'd argue Kyle didn't get a deal done soon enough and caused drama. Some may argue that this team doesn't have heart, I'd argue they've gotten complacent with Shanahan at the helm. Some may argue that the talent on the team isn't good enough, I'd argue look at the GM who chose those very players.

Even if you disagree with some of the stuff I'd argue, you cannot deny that there is some truth in it. If Kyle had given Aiyuk an extension earlier, none of this offseason drama would have happened. If Kyle didn't use CMC in 7 out of the first 10 plays against the Bills maybe he isn't hurt. Having a HC/GM that you have to question is not a good sign.

The way I have seen this season's Kyle Shanahan is rather simple. He has proven to be a head coach that started the wave of the new NFL offense. He never was a guy who was boosting morale or making his team believe that they could win games like Dan Campbell, he is a guy who schemes up some amazing stuff. This season teams have shown they know how to play this Shanahan offense and how to beat it. So if he isn't hyping up the team, getting the cream of the crop to float to the top, or running a winning offense what's the point? I don't see it. Unless Kyle can scheme something new up that can win football games I don't see how next season will change. If I were the Yorks I'd decide whether or not it's time to move Kyle away from his GM/HC role and make him be either the HC or the GM. Anything else feels like a mistake.

Momentum

This has been one of the most disappointing parts of the season. The lack of momentum shifts in the 49ers favor. Pick any game the 49ers lost and you will see it. In the Bills game, there were multiple. When CMC went down, James Cook's big TD run, and the fumble by the Juice, it was everywhere. You can see it in the players' eyes and shoulders, they begin to slump and they start looking down. They just plain and simply look defeated. That is not how you win football games. You win by staying in it and believing you have a chance, and the 49ers haven't been that as a team.

Mentality

Some players still have that mentality of "the game isn't over" and will play their hearts out. Guys like George Kittle, Fred Warner, Deommodore Lenoir and Trent Williams, they will fight until their bodies collapse. Hell Fred Warner is doing it now with a fractured ankle. That determination hasn't been with the rest of the team. In that same Bills game, anytime I didn't see Warner in the game the LBs looked weak and unable to make a stop. They didn't run at the ball, they sat still and were complacent. The 2023 49ers didn't do that. The 2023 49ers didn't think a team could beat them, this team knows they can be beat and will make excuses for it. "The snow was too much, we didn't have a QB, we are hurt." My 4th grade teacher didn't want to hear my excuse as to why I didn't finish my homework, you really think Niners fans want to hear yours? They don't. They want to see you fight and win instead of lying down.

Usage

This team has been on both sides of the fence in terms of usage. For some players, the 49ers have used them too much, an example being Christian McCaffrey. While he was coming fresh off a very serious Achilles injury, he was overutilized which led to his injury. If only people were saying to use Jordan Mason more. Then there's underutilization, which has been guys like Jacob Cowing and Dee Winters. I thought that those two would be used more this season, but they haven't. Both, more particularly Cowing, have barely been used. Since they have such limited in-game reps whenever they are on the field it doesn't look too good. If they got some more reps, who knows what type of players they could be? It ties into this loaded QB room that the 49ers got in the offseason. They added Joshua Dobbs to heal the possible wound of having QBs getting hurt, but they don't use him when he's needed. You would think Joshua Dobbs would have been a benefit, but it's been a nonfactor when it should matter.

Trim the Fat

This team is loaded with big contracts, and a lot of them have not been performing. We haven't seen Javon Hargrave all year, Deebo looks like a shell of himself, and the Juice looks like a wasted roster spot. These guys are either on big contracts or are due for one and have not shown to deserve it. This team needs to find some new talent to lead. New talent with new mentalities. As much as I would love to see that, the fact that Kyle is the GM and will pick who he wants scares me. Who knows if he will go for the talent he desperately needs? Maybe he will trade a bunch of 1st Round Picks for someone who will never get snaps.

---

All in all, there are a lot of issues with this team. Can changes be made to get them into the playoffs this year, yes. Will it happen? Likely not, they haven't given me a reason to believe in it yet. Hopefully some of these changes can get made heading into next season, and if not I'd fear for the future of this team.

Follow me on X @conors_corner and let me hear your takes

Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.