49ers clinch spot in NFC playoffs with Detroit loss

The San Francisco 49ers have officially clinched a postseason birth for the 2025 NFC playoffs, thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who defeated the Detroit Lions 29-24 on Sunday. The loss drops the Lions to 8-7 and eliminates them from playoff contention, paving the way for the 49ers. San Francisco is now guaranteed to play in at least one postseason game.

The 49ers currently sit at 10-4 and will face the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. A road win against a good Colts team will move the 49ers one step closer to the number-one overall seed in the NFC, thanks, in part, to the Seattle Seahawks' Thursday night win over the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers and the Seahawks both control their own destiny. If either team wins out, they will gain the top seed and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, which includes a first-round bye.

For the 49ers, home-field advantage would mean not having to leave the Bay Area since this year's Super Bowl is at Levi's Stadium. And it could also mean moving one step closer to getting back All-Pro LB Fred Warner, who has missed much of the season with a dislocated and fractured ankle that he suffered in week six.

But Head Coach Kyle Shanahan is not ready to talk about the top seed. "We control our own destiny right now," Shanahan told NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Matt Maiocco on Friday. "But in order to continue that, we got to win on Monday. We got to win the following Sunday. And then I can talk about it going into week 17, if that's the case for Seattle, to where, hey, this game right here means this next week or this next week. But until then, to me, it's irrelevant."

The 49ers will host the Chicago Bears (who also clinched a playoff birth with Detroit's loss) next Sunday night. And then, in the final week of the season, San Francisco hosts Seattle. That game could be the biggest of the season. But for now, the 49ers have clinched a postseason birth and will take it one week at a time.