SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As various San Francisco 49ers filed through the locker room at their facility, less than 48 hours removed from losing Super Bowl LVIII to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, the enormity of that devastating defeat had already sunk in.
They just didn’t want to believe it.At one end of the locker room, defensive end Nick Bosa told reporters he needed time to digest the loss before looking to next season.
At the other, left tackle Trent Williams, usually one of the team’s most thoughtful and expansive interviews, had little to say.
Others — such as running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, receiver Deebo Samuel, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and quarterback Brock Purdy — described their upcoming grieving process.
All of them — including coach Kyle Shanahan — had declined to rewatch what took place at Allegiant Stadium.
None were sure they’d be able to stomach it anytime soon. But they made it clear that what happened in Vegas certainly won’t stay there.
“It really hit me, and then it would go away then it hit me again and it’s just like it don’t even feel real,” Samuel said.
“It’s a different type of feeling. Like I don’t even have the answer. … It’s like one of the biggest heartbreaks you can deal with.”
EDITOR’S PICKPerfect Landing Spots for Top NFL Free Agents: Where 50 Stars Would Fit Best3dMatt Bowen\ nKey Issues, Managers, 49ers: Can Both Super Bowl Teams Keep Their Stars? Let’s Do the Math4dDan GrazianoJustice for Kyle Shanahan?
Barnwell’s Guide to Every Overtime Corner in the NFL Playoffs4dBill BarnwellTreat heartache has become an unwanted offseason tradition for the 49ers, starting with their loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV in and ending the 2019 season.
In 2021, they fell short in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. In 2022, they played most of the second NFC Championship Game without a healthy quarterback, resulting in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Each season, the Niners took a different, sometimes difficult, path to get back to Lombardi’s door.
Final defeat was always hard to swallow, but often fueled by an inner belief that they could come back.
Niers invested behind those beliefs. But Super Bowl LVIII seemed to hit the hardest. Not just because they lost a game that was on the line, but because of the cumulative effect of previous near misses.
And maybe they’re running out of ways to fix it, at least in the current iteration.”It’s exciting,” said general manager John Lynch.
“And finally, we have to live with the reality for the rest of our lives that we didn’t succeed this time.
But I say this time, because this time is. It hurts. And everyone is grieving now. .\ n”It’s just not going to work right away, but you understand that the only thing you can do is use that fuel to push us forward.
And that’s where our mindset is, or at least where they’ll be at some point.
“It may take a little longer to get to that point this time, given how close the Niners were to the franchise’s long run. term … coveted but elusive victory Sixth Lombardi Trophy Memories of the third-quarter punt that bounced off the leg of cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., guard Spencer Burford coverage of Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones on third down in overtime, the Chiefs blocking
The fourth-quarter extra point of Jake Moody and countless other plays that could swing the game in San Francisco’s favor remain.
Kyle Shanahan still hasn’t seen the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Chiefs, and he certainly hasn’t.Kirby Lee/ USA TODAY SportsThat’s why he was the only player in the 49ers locker room who admitted to watching the Super Bowl again less than two days after it ended, quarterback Fred Warner.
The last Super Bowl loss was a game-ending one. The Warner’s second NFL season, and at the time, he believed his team could rebound and get the job done quickly to catch up.
Four years and another Super Bowl loss later, Warner calls that mindset the naivety of. young player who didn’t realize how hard it is to get there or that the scars of losing a Super Bowl can go away.
While Warner was proud of his team’s effort in his Super Bowl LVIII recap, he knows the hill won’t be easy to climb, even if San Francisco — as expected — keeps most of its star veteran in 2024. .
“It’s easier, but it stays with you the whole way,” Warner said.
“The thing that gives me hope is knowing how much it means to me, how much it means to this organization, how much it means to Kyle and the players and John and the things that make up a championship team.”
I know that we have these things. You have to act like a champion before you can become a champion.
And so, I know it’s not about if, and it’s a shame it wasn’t this time.”If that part of the equation dominates any 49ers conversation.
As it is with Warner, Bosa and Kittle, McCaffrey , Samuel and Williams under contract through 2024 and beyond.
Currently, Purdy’s cap hit is $1.004 million in 2024 and $1.119 million in 2025.Of course, there are questions that need to be answered amid the heartbreak.
Wideout Brandon Aiyuki’s contract will be extended. The Niners would like to keep him long-term, but his upside (75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023) drove up the price.Welcome to the NFL offseason•.
