INSANITY, California Less than 48 hours after the San Francisco 49ers lost Super Bowl LVIII to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, the magnitude of that heartbreaking loss had already set in when players went through the locker room at their facility. All they wanted to do was deny it.
Defensive end Nick Bosa told reporters at one end of the locker room that he needed time to process the defeat before considering the upcoming campaign. Conversely, left tackle Trent Williams, who is typically one of the team’s most introspective and talkative interview subjects, didn’t say much. Some players, including fullback Kyle Juszczyk, quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, receiver Debbie Samuel, and running back Christian McCaffrey, talked about their impending bereavement.
Coach Kyle Shanahan was among those who had declined to rewatch the events that occurred at Allegiant Stadium. Not one of them was certain they’d be able to take it any time soon. However, they made it apparent that what transpired in Vegas would not remain there.
“It really hit me, and then it would go away then it hit me again and it’s just like it don’t even feel real,” Samuel stated. It’s a distinct kind of emotion. As if I don’t even know the solution. It’s comparable to one of the most devastating experiences one can have.”
For the 49ers, enduring heartbreak has become into an uncomfortable off-season ritual. It all began with their 2019 season-ending defeat to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. They were defeated by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game in 2021. In 2022, they were largely without a healthy quarterback for the majority of another NFC Championship Game, which ended in a landslide loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Every season, the Niners have followed a distinct and sometimes convoluted route to return to Lombardi’s doorstep. Even while the ultimate loss was always painful to accept, they were frequently encouraged by an inner sense that they could win back.
The Niners deserve credit for acting on those convictions. But the biggest blow seems to come from Super Bowl LVIII. Not only did they lose a game that was rightfully theirs, but the accumulation of the earlier near misses also played a part in their defeat. And, at least in this iteration, they may be out of time to make the necessary corrections.
John Lynch, general manager, called it “gut-wrenching.” “In the end, we’ll have to accept the fact that we weren’t successful this time around for the rest of our lives. However, the reason I say this now is because it is now. It aches. And everybody is in mourning right now.
“You realize that the only thing you can do is use this fuel to move us forward; it won’t just be alright right away. And that’s where our minds are right now, or where they will eventually go.
Given how close the Niners were to taking home the franchise’s long-coveted but elusive sixth Lombardi Trophy, getting there may take a bit longer this time. The Chiefs’ blocking of Jake Moody’s fourth-quarter extra point, the punt that bounced off cornerback Darrell Luter Jr.’s foot in the third quarter, the guard Spencer Burford’s erroneous protection against Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones on a crucial third down in overtime, and countless other plays that could have turned the tide of the game in San Francisco’s favor will all stick in your memory.
That’s why linebacker Fred Warner was the only 49ers player in the locker room to admit to watching the Super Bowl again less than two days after it ended. After Warner’s squad lost the previous Super Bowl, which marked the end of his second NFL season, he thought his team would quickly turn things around.
Warner refers to that perspective as the naïveté of a young athlete who didn’t realize how hard it is to get there or the scars that losing a Super Bowl can leave, four years and another Super Bowl loss later. Although Warner was proud of his team’s performance after rewatching Super Bowl LVIII, he is aware that even if San Francisco, as predicted, keeps the majority of its star, veteran nucleus in 2024, it won’t be simple to climb the mountain again.
“It gets easier, but it is going to stay with you all the way through,” Warner stated. Knowing how much it means to me, to this organization, to Kyle, to the players, to John, and to all of the components that go into making a championship team is what gives me optimism.
“I am aware that we own those items. Before you can be a champion, you must first behave like one. I understand that it’s not a matter of whether, but rather when, and it’s unfortunate that it wasn’t this time.”
Any 49ers conversation is dominated by the when portion of the equation. Warner, Bosa, Kittle, McCaffrey, Samuel, Williams, and others have contracts that run until 2024 and beyond. As of right now, Purdy has a pitiful $1.004 million in 2024 and $1.119 million in 2025 cap charge.
Of course, in the midst of the sorrow, there are questions that need to be answered. Wideout Brandon Aiyuk’s contract is up for renewal. Although his rise (75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023) has increased that cost, the Niners would prefer to keep him for a long time.
Among the coaches Shanahan must replace are defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was let go three days after the season concluded. Dre Greenlaw, a linebacker, is recovering slowly from a torn Achilles tendon in his left leg sustained during the Super Bowl.
The offensive line, defensive line, and secondary need to be addressed right away from a roster perspective. Linebacker and receiver are not far behind.
The players have parted ways for the time being and will move on from this setback whenever and whenever they see fit. For Bosa, that means going back to his home in Florida and taking a short break before starting his training again. Kittle, Juszczyk, and McCaffrey had already left for their yearly winter vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Purdy is wrapping up preparations for his wedding in March.
Shanahan avoided anything related to the Super Bowl on his first night back at home after his return from Las Vegas, spending the evening with his family binge-watching Netflix. He states that he will wait to watch it until he is “ready to or when I have to.” He’s not sure when that will happen. He is aware that he must return as soon as possible and be ready to tackle the next ascent if his squad is to break the code and win it all in the end.
Saying, “This is real,” Shanahan said. “You must weep for this. I predict that after today, our boys will be as hungry as ever.”
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