(Santa Clara) The players of the 49ers from San Francisco collected their belongings and returned home as work was being done around their stadium to prepare Levi’s Stadium to host the Super Bowl next month.
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A season of many highlights, in which the Niners overcame a series of injuries to star players to reach the section playoffs, ended in disappointment when the California team lost 41-6 to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night, just two games away from a Super Bowl appearance at home.
“It hurts,” admitted cornerback Deommodore Lenoir upon seeing the Super Bowl posters outside the stadium upon his arrival Monday.
“Because all season, I told myself if we hosted the Super Bowl, we had to be there. So, it hurts. »
But the dominant emotion among the 49ers echoed the message coach Kyle Shanahan gave to the team in the losing locker room in Seattle that they could be proud of everything they had overcome this season to finish with a record of 12 wins and five losses in the regular season before defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the National Conference playoffs.
The 49ers played eight games without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, while star defensive end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner were lost for the entire schedule following injuries early in the season.
PHOTO JOHN FROSCHAUER, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brock Purdy
In addition, the 49ers played much of the time without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and lost Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle to an Achilles injury in their win over the Eagles.
“I really think this year has been special, considering the circumstances we found ourselves in, the problems we had to face and the injuries that some players suffered,” Purdy analyzed.
“We see across the league that sometimes teams don’t really have what it takes to deal with those kinds of circumstances and then move forward and make the playoffs and have a chance to be the favorite (in your association) at the end of the year. All the things we were able to accomplish, a lot of teams would have thrown in the towel. »
Health check
Kittle gave encouraging news about his condition, saying doctors told him the recovery scenario was the “best he could hope for” and that his recovery time should be shorter than for some Achilles tendon injuries. Kittle did not want to give a specific date for his return to the game.
Warner said he could have returned to the field after his broken ankle if the Niners had reached the NL Finals. He will now slow down his rehabilitation a little in order to start preparing for next season.
Purdy said he will not need surgery on the injured toe that sidelined him for half the season.
McCaffrey’s work
In a season plagued by numerous injuries, one player remained surprisingly healthy.
Christian McCaffrey played in all 19 games and led all running backs by appearing in 1,010 plays in the regular season and playoffs. At the age of 29, McCaffrey amassed 450 touchdowns for 2,314 yards.
PHOTO JOHN FROSCHAUER, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Christian McCaffrey
Keeping McCaffrey healthy next season will be a key factor in the 49’s successersbecause he is a major element of the attack.
The other two occasions when McCaffrey had such a heavy workload in one season, he had to deal with injuries in the next, playing in just three games in 2020 and four in 2024.
“I think it’s one of the most impressive seasons ever by an individual player,” Shanahan said.
“The guy was incredible. His dedication to giving his all in every match and being able to do that for so many matches in a row is something I’ve never seen before. »
