Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) carries the ball as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Renardo Green (0) defends during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Have the Seahawks shattered the 49ers' Super Bowl window?

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Connor Benintendi | Last updated Jan 18, 2026 7:00 PM ET

From 2019-23, the San Francisco 49ers appeared in four of five NFC Championship games and advanced to the Super Bowl twice. They came away with zero Lombardi trophies, extending the title drought that stretches back to 1994.

The 49ers regressed in 2024, finishing 6-11 and missing the playoffs, but they somehow made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs this season despite a host of injuries on both sides of the ball.

Now, coming off a 41-6 drubbing at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs and still carried by an aging, injury-riddled group of stars, you have to wonder if the 49ers' Super Bowl window has slammed shut.

The Seahawks are younger, faster, healthier and looking poised to be miles ahead of the 49ers with their current roster for years to come.

Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

It's unlikely to remain this way with extensions on the horizon, but the Seahawks also have the fourth-most cap space in the NFL in 2026 ($71.88 million). The 49ers have just $29.87 million in cap space heading into the offseason, and they're projected to be in the red in 2027.

Here are the 49ers' top-10 players by cap hit in 2026, their age next season and what their status was to conclude the season.

- $38.84 million: LT Trent Williams, 38 (active)

- $24.37 million: QB Brock Purdy, 27 (active)

- $41.62 million: EDGE Nick Bosa, 29 (out for season since Week 3)

- $17.86 million: LB Fred Warner, 30 (out for season since Week 6)

- $16.07 million: TE George Kittle, 33 (out for season since Wild Card)

- $14.64 million: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 28 (out since 2024, away from team in 2025)

- $10.86 million: RB Christian McCaffrey, 30 (active, injured at end of Divisional)

- $8.87 million: CB Deommodore Lenoir, 27 (active)

- $8.03 million (VOID): WR Jauan Jennings, 29 (active)

- $5.82 million: OL Colton McKivitz, 30 (active)

After such a dominating win in the Divisional Round, the NFC West could be dominated by the Seahawks and Rams moving forward, at least until Matthew Stafford retires. Even then, Sean McVay will likely have some trick up his sleeve for LA.

It might be time for the 49ers to begin a rebuild after five failed playoff runs in the last seven years. When fully healthy, San Francisco had one of the most star-studded rosters in the league for the better part of the last decade. But the clock is running out on those players' primes, and they haven't capitalized on championship opportunities.

Seattle and LA have mostly young rosters that are still on the rise. That will make things especially difficult for the 49ers if they keep trying to run it back with the same group moving forward.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: