Inman: 10 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ season-ending loss to Seahawks

SEATTLE – Fred Warner, seemingly at peace with it all, sat in an emptying-out locker room and pulled on his retro sweatshirt, portraying the 49ers’ last Super Bowl championship 31 years ago.

“Unbelievable season,” Warner told me after Saturday night’s 41-6 end-all in Seattle. “You hate to look for silver linings, especially as a competitor. Anytime you’re not hoisting the Lombardi (Trophy), it’s a failure.

“But it was something good to build off.”

They won 13 regular-season games. They reached the NFC divisional playoffs by dethroning the reigning Super Bowl champs. They got stopped by the well-rested No. 1 seed, three weeks shy of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s.

What made it all so remarkable was how they pulled it off while stars, including Warner, vanished too routinely with injuries, after many stars from past seasons exited in March.

“Before the season, everyone talked how this was a rebuild year,” Warner said. “When you lose your star players and still make it to the divisional …”

Warner embodied the 49ers’ resilient spirit, nearly turning a nine-month recovery from ankle surgery into a three-month “rushed situation,” Warner said. “I’m super grateful they were even allowing me to make that push” for an NFC Championship Game return.

Once the 49ers fell behind 17-0 to the top-seeded Seahawks, Warner was on the move, from a cozy suite to the 49ers’ aghast sideline. “I said, ‘Why did I come here to watch in a booth when I could have done that at home and watched on TV,’ ” Warner said. “We went down 17-0 and I was like, I have to go.’ ”

More on his recovery in a bit as we move along with 10 things that caught my eye in the 49ers’ not-so-grand finale:

1. McCAFFREY’S TORMENT

Christian McCaffrey, after his 19th start in 19 games, was dealing with physical pain to his left shoulder and the emotional wreckage from a highly draining season. “In all my years playing, the proudest I’ve ever been to be a part of a team, and it’s this team,” McCaffrey said.

After battling back from last year’s Achilles and knee injuries, McCaffrey was the NFL’s ultimate workhorse, leading the 49ers in both rushing (337 carries, 1,285 yards, 12 touchdowns) and receiving (113 catches, 1,029 yards) through all 19 games.

“This was the hardest year of my life,” McCaffrey said. “From Jan. 1, I was rehabbing and working my butt off every day. My wife went through it. There was not a lot of time off. I’m not proud how it ended, but when I look back at all the people who helped me out and believed in me, I appreciate that. I’m really grateful for my family and friends and everybody in that locker room.”

2. COACHING CAROUSEL

As defensive coordinator Robert Saleh left the locker room, he remarked how his pregame fears came true, that if the Seahawks started hot, there would be a “Seattle avalanche.” After the opening kickoff was returned for a 95-yard touchdown, Seattle’s offense scored on six of its first seven possessions.

Saleh’s personal stock likely won’t be impacted by it. He will conduct video-call interviews today with the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans for their head-coach openings, then take in-person visits with other unnamed teams, he said.

With offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak also drawing interest, Shanahan said: “Both will be head coaches, whether it’s in a week or so or whether it’s over the next two years.” Shanahan noted, however, he won’t let Kubiak leave for a play-calling role as an offensive coordinator spot elsewhere, saying: “No, he calls a lot of plays here.”

3. WILLIAMS’ MINDSET

Left tackle Trent Williams affirmed he won’t be retiring, and not only did he glow over the 49ers’ future, he wasn’t going to go out of his way to tout the rival Seahawks.

“We’ve played some great defenses throughout the year. What DeMeco (Ryans) is doing in Houston is pretty impressive,” Williams said. “Hats off to Seattle, though. It’s a good defense. They play two-shell and make you dink and dunk down the field, keep everything in front of them.”

In front of Seattle was an “extremely shorthanded” 49ers team, so Williams said not to read too much into the Seahawks outscoring them 54-9 in their two wins over 15 days.

“It’s nothing to hang your head over. Nobody thought we’d even be here, let alone win this game,” Williams said. “So at the end of the day, we are playing with house money to get to this point, playing with who we played with.”

4. JUSZCZYK’S PLANS

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, the 49ers’ longest-tenured player along with George Kittle, says he’ll return for his 10th season: “Can’t stop yet. Still having fun.”

Juszczyk’s fourth-down run backfired on the 49ers’ opening series, and he otherwise had just an 11-yard catch. In the wild-card win at Philadelphia, he sparked things with four catches (49 yards) but also drew $20,288 in fines for lowering his head on two collisions; he’ll appeal those Wednesday and hope he can prevail like he did on all three tries last season.

“Honestly it’s been a fun year for me. It’s just been a fun group to go to work with every day,” Juszczyk, 34, said. “Everybody’s had such a positive attitude no matter the circumstances.”

5. RECEIVERS WANTED

The 49ers’ wide receivers combined to tally only three receptions for 24 yards on 10 targets, with 23 yards coming on two catches from Jauan Jennings, who had a drop, too.

Meanwhile, Ricky Pearsall had no catches and finished his disappointing season with no touchdowns. Demarcus Robinson had a 1-yard catch on a flea-flicker screen. Kendrick Bourne had no catches on two targets, but he led the pregame hype huddle rather than one of the six present captains, including Warner.

Look, with Deebo Samuel traded in March and Brandon Aiyuk never suiting up, this season figured to be taxing on that corps, but they must make upgrades for their $53 million-a-year QB.

6. DEFENSIVE ENDS NEEDED

Safety Malik Mustapha and defensive tackle C.J. West sacked an oblique-compromised Sam Darnold, who otherwise stayed out of harms’ way against a pass rush that’s been atrocious all season except for some clutch finishes that sealed wins.

Mustapha was clocked at 18.4 mph on his sack, the 49ers’ second-fastest speed since 2016, behind Warner’s 19.1-mph sack last season, also against Darnold, per NextGen Stats.

“You always want to disrupt the quarterback. That’s always the goal,” defensive end Sam Okuayinonu said. “Just got to be better.”

Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell and Okuayinonu are not signed for 2026. Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are coming off anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. Pass rushers are their No. 1 offseason need (see: NFL-low 20 sacks in 2025).

7. WARNER’S COMEBACK

Three months since his right ankle was repaired, Warner will change up his rehabilitation process but is “1,000%” sure he’ll be ready for training camp.

Would he have been physically ready for a NFC Championship Game return? “I had to pass those metric tests,” Warner said.

Wednesday, he gleefully practiced before a throng of media, to which he said: “That was huge in terms of confidence and showing everybody how I looked. I was just getting involved where I could. Being out there again with the fellas was big. I wanted to bridge that gap leading into next week.”
Who Warner lines up to next season also will be compelling. Eric Kendricks, Curtis Robinson and Garret Wallow are free agents. Dee Winters, who can make great plays but also yield too many, is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

8. YOUTH MOVEMENT

Rookies were called upon but it’s not as if they really played major roles all season, all due respect to nickel back Upton Stout, perhaps the defensive MVP. Also getting valuable playoff experience were West, safety Marques Sigle, defensive tackle Alfred Collins, guard Connor Colby, and running back Jordan James (six carries for 28 yards Saturday).

West said of his third-quarter sack: “It was a cool play but we lost so none of that means much. Playoff experience is something that’s real special. Not everybody gets that opportunity.”

Added Williams: “We have a lot of kids that contributed a lot this year and we’ll look forward to them contributing in the future. A lot will be household names. I’m super excited what we have in this group, the future that we have.”

9. PURDY’S MOBILITY

Lost in all this late-season hoopla is Purdy’s ability to overcome the turf-toe ailment he sustained here in Week 1 and sidelined him eight games. In this return, Purdy raced around 413 yards on 33 dropbacks, and had 4.24 seconds to throw, per Next Gen Stats. “That’s almost like Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl I played against him,” Sports analyst Tom Brady said.

Purdy was consoled by defensive line coach Kris Kocurek once pulled in the final minutes for Mac Jones, who went 5-3 in Purdy’s place this season to make him a potential trade target for teams this offseason.

10. SEATTLE’S FUTURE

In three weeks, the Seahawks could be settling into the 49ers’ locker room for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Or it will be the Los Angeles Rams or the Chicago Bears, with those teams playing today for the right to play in the NFC Championship Game in Seattle next Sunday.

The 49ers doled out the requisite compliments to the Seahawks, Darnold and their defense. But at least one was reluctant to overly praise Seattle’s defense.

“We’ve played some great defenses throughout the year,” Williams said. “What Demeco is doing in Houston is pretty impressive. Hats off to Seattle, though. It’s a good defense. They play two-shell and make you dink and dunk down the field.”

Williams advised, with an expletive, not to take anything away from the fact Seattle didn’t allow a 49ers touchdown the past two games, nor after the opening series of their Week 1 game.

“Obviously, we’re down the best tight end in the world, right?” Williams said. “There are a lot of things we’re up against, not just Seattle.”

A lot, indeed.