Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers nearly have it all. Elite talent fills their roster. They’ve got the division titles and NFC Championship appearances. Through win streaks, minor bumps in the road and dramatic playoff victories, the 49ers have endured and powered through. Now, they have a shot at redemption. They get another chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVIII. San Francisco looks straight ahead towards Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl LIV. As Kyle Shanahan’s team aims to stop Kansas City’s attempt at back-to-back titles, let’s see how the 49ers made it here.
49ers’ path to the playoffs
GM John Lynch helped field one of the NFL’s most complete teams in the regular season thanks to excellent offensive and defensive play. Brock Purdy silenced critics and proved management right for sticking with him, finishing the year with 4,280 passing yards, 31 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He led a 49ers offense that finished second in the NFL in yards per game (398.4), behind only the Miami Dolphins (401.3). The 24-year-old QB seamlessly executed Shanahan’s system with the league’s most dynamic supporting cast in Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle. San Francisco’s 61 total offensive scores tied with Miami’s for most in the league.
Steve Wilks’ defense allowed 30+ points in just two regular-season games this year, while the unit’s 31 total touchdowns allowed were the second-fewest in the league behind the Ravens (26). The 49ers’ defense finished eighth in yards allowed per game (303.9), compared to the Chiefs, who were the NFL’s second-best in yards per game (289.8).
The 49ers’ only real blemish came between Weeks 6–8 when they dropped three straight to the Browns, Vikings, and Bengals. Brock Purdy and the 49ers responded in a big way after their Week 9 bye, rattling off six straight wins to capture their second straight division title and third in the last five years. San Francisco would fall to Baltimore in a Week 16 loss that ultimately had zero impact on its playoff outlook. Brock Purdy & Co. clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed the very next week in a win over Washington.
Comebacks have defined the 49ers’ playoff run. They fought off an impressive Divisional Round effort from Jordan Love and the upstart Green Bay Packers with a fourth-quarter resurgence, barely escaping in a close 24-21 win. San Francisco’s NFC Championship clash with Detroit proved to be a tale of two completely different games. The Lions dominated the first half. The 49ers took over the second half, winning again by just three points in a 34-31 victory, sealing their date with Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.
What were the 49ers preseason Super Bowl odds?
San Francisco entered the 2023–24 season with +700 odds to win the Super Bowl, per DraftKings Sportsbook.
How many times have the 49ers won the Super Bowl?
The 49ers have won five Super Bowls in seven total appearances. Their five titles, all earned between 1982 and 1995, are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the third-most in league history. Super Bowl 58 will be San Francisco’s third time in the big game since 2013.
What is Kyle Shanahan’s record in the Super Bowl?
Kyle Shanahan is 0-1 in the Super Bowl as a head coach. His 49ers fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV by a score of 31-20. He appeared in Super Bowl LI as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, where the New England Patriots famously came back from 28-3 to win it all.
Who’s the youngest QB to ever win the Super Bowl?
Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is the youngest signal-caller to win a Super Bowl, having done so in Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks when he was 23 years, 11 months, and three days old. Brock Purdy (24) will be the third-youngest QB in league history to start in a Super Bowl, behind Big Ben and the legendary Dan Marino (23).
Who was the 49ers’ leading rusher this season?
Christian McCaffrey ran away with the league’s rushing title (and the first of his career) after compiling 1,459 rushing yards and an additional 564 through the air. He accomplished the feat without playing in the 49ers’ final game, while Derrick Henry, who finished second and played in every Tennessee Titans game, finished 292 yards behind CMC. It was the dynamic running back’s second career season with 2,000+ scrimmage yards, his first since 2019 with the Carolina Panthers.
Who were the 49ers’ leading receivers this season?
Brandon Aiyuk established himself as the 49ers’ top receiving option and one of the league’s elite big-play threats. The 25-year-old set career-high marks in receiving yards (1,342) and yards per reception (17.9) to go along with seven touchdowns. Veteran TE George Kittle recorded his first 1,000-yard season since 2019, while the versatile Deebo Samuel contributed 892 yards and seven scores.
