Head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers are preparing for the upcoming 2024 NFL season, which is just over a month away. The 49ers are coming off another devastating Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, marking the third painful big game defeat in Shanahan’s coaching career. Despite this, they are once again anticipated to be among the top teams in the NFL this season.
Although it would be understandable if Shanahan’s biggest frustration was his repeated Super Bowl losses, what truly bothers him is the expectation that he should follow a specific roster-building philosophy. Shanahan argues that his approach has been successful.
“One of the most frustrating things throughout my career is being in places that draft offensive linemen in the first and second rounds because they’re not often labeled as busts,” Shanahan said, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. “We don’t operate that way. We don’t avoid drafting O-linemen, but we don’t have a strict inside-out building philosophy. We want O-linemen, don’t get me wrong, but you don’t always get to choose exactly who you want. We’ve been favored in every game for two years straight. Our roster is really good.”
The 49ers have a roster loaded with talent at skill positions, though their offensive line might not be considered elite.
The team has been close to NFL glory for some time, nearly winning against the Chiefs in the 2020 Super Bowl, and after years of working their way back, falling to the Chiefs again in this year’s Super Bowl.
The 49ers’ talent is undeniable, with standout players like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk (when he’s not in contract disputes). Their defense is also top-notch, even if it took some time to hit its stride during last season’s playoff run.
49ers fans are hopeful that the 2024-25 season will be the year the team finally pieces everything together, starts strong in the Super Bowl, and secures a victory.
Leave a Reply