Nick WagonerJan 18, 2026, 01:51 AM ET
CloseNick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga.
SEATTLE — Inside a quiet San Francisco 49ers locker room after the Seattle Seahawks had resoundingly ended their season, the Niners were somewhere between stunned at what had happened and proud of what they had accomplished.
The Seahawks had just handed the 49ers a 41-6 defeat, the second-largest playoff loss in franchise history and the most lopsided since coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017. Despite a blowout loss to a heated division rival, the Niners found some solace in their performance this season.
“It’s such a weird emotional roller coaster you go through,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “Everything you’ve gone through with this team for what it feels like 25 weeks in a row. And then it just ended. … What I will say is in all my years playing, the proudest I’ve ever been to be a part of a team, it’s this team.”
Shanahan and the rest of the players shared McCaffrey’s sentiment. The loss to Seattle ended an unlikely ride for a team that went through a significant roster reset in the offseason. It then endured devastating injuries to its biggest stars to win 12 regular-season games and knock off the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road in an NFC wild-card game.
The Niners did this despite leaning heavily on first- and second-year players for the first time since the early days of the Shanahan/general manager John Lynch regime. They believe that they’re headed back in the right direction and that any talk of a Super Bowl window being closed is premature.
After the game, quarterback Brock Purdy said he “100 percent” believes the 49ers can win a Super Bowl as soon as next season, citing the players already in place, those who will return from injury and the way so many of the younger players performed throughout the season.
Right tackle Colton McKivitz echoed Purdy.
“Everyone counted this team out, and they said the window closed in ’23 when we lost,” McKivitz said. “When you get young guys who play well, who get to play a lot of ball, I guess that window opens faster. Obviously, you’re going to have your vet players that you’re going to rely on to bring those guys along as well. But with the way this team’s run, how it’s coached, the way this team plays, that window is always going to be open. It’s encouraging.”
The 49ers will have plenty to figure out in the coming months. Upon returning to San Francisco in the late hours of Saturday night, the Niners will prepare for exit meetings and cleaning out their lockers.
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Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is set for more head coaching interviews with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens after already speaking to the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has also received interview requests from the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Saleh were to depart, the 49ers would have to hire their fifth defensive coordinator in as many years.
“I love both those guys, and [they’re] as good of coaches as I’ve been around, and I know both of them will be head coaches,” Shanahan said, “whether it’s in a week or so or whether it’s over the next two years. We’re lucky to have those guys. And for our sake, I hope that we’ll still have them next year.”
Left tackle Trent Williams, 37, confirmed again after Saturday’s game that he intends to keep playing. Williams was one of the players most encouraged about the team’s future, especially if it can get defensive end Nick Bosa (ACL), linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) and tight end George Kittle (Achilles) back to full strength at some point.
“We had a lot of young guys that contributed a lot to our success, and they have really, really bright futures,” Williams said. “I’m super proud of this team. Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted to, but the future is really bright.”
The 49ers enter a crucial offseason as they look to take the next step to get back into contention for the franchise’s sixth Lombardi Trophy. They will have plenty of roster needs, including bolstering the pass rush, offensive line, receivers and safety position. The Niners also have to decide what’s next for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk after the team voided his future guarantees and placed him on the reserve/left team list.
That work all begins immediately, set against the backdrop that one of their NFC West rivals — the Seahawks or Los Angeles Rams — could win a Super Bowl in their home stadium in the coming weeks.
“We’ll come in Monday, and we’ll deal with all this stuff and deal with all the players,” Shanahan said. “And then, we’ll very quickly start our offseason plan and how to build this team the best way possible to give us a shot next year.”