Updated Dec. 21, 2025, 5:05 p.m. PT

The San Francisco 49ers are heading back to the postseason despite not suiting up yet in Week 16.

To clinch a playoff spot the 49ers needed the Pittsburgh Steelers to beat the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday. The seven-point underdog Steelers did San Francisco a favor by upsetting the Lions 29-24 while the 49ers sat in Indianapolis awaiting their Monday night showdown with the Indianapolis Colts.

Detroit had a chance to win in the final minutes after the Steelers missed a field goal with 1:24 to go that would’ve put them ahead by eight points. The Lions, aided by a pair of Steelers penalties, made it to the red zone and got eight snaps from inside the red zone and couldn’t score. They were awarded a touchdown on a fourth-down play with no time left where wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown lateraled to quarterback Jared Goff as time expired, but officials flagged St. Brown for a game-ending pass interference penalty.

The 49ers clinched thanks to the NFL’s tiebreaking procedures.

San Francisco’s maximum losses is seven, and Detroit on Sunday suffered their seventh defeat. The Lions are the only other team in the NFC that can reach 10 wins. At worst the 49ers could finished tied with the Lions at 10-7.

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Since they didn’t play head-to-head this season, the tiebreaking procedure moves to best record in conference games. The Lions are 5-5 within the NFC while the 49ers are sitting at 8-2. With only two games left against NFC opponents, the 49ers have clinched a better conference record than Detroit.

Here are the NFC postseason standings entering Monday Night Football:

Seattle Seahawks (12-3)Chicago Bears (11-4)Philadelphia Eagles (10-5)Carolina Panthers (8-7)Los Angeles Rams (11-4)San Francisco 49ers (10-4)Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)

Clinching a playoff spot doesn’t mean the 49ers will be in cruise control the rest of the way, however. They can still earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye if they win their final three games against the Colts, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks.

The 49ers and Colts are slated to kick off at 5:15pm Pacific Time on Monday.

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