The 5 Biggest Takeaways From the 49ers' 2025 Season

The most obvious and top takeaway from the 49ers' 2025 season is their injury frenzy. Dealing with a plethora of injuries isn't anything new to the 49ers, but this year was quite something.

No other team in the NFL had more annual team salary on the Injured Reserve list than the 49ers, per Over The Cap. This year's injuries took out more star players than any other year.

It would be malpractice for the 49ers not look into it. But the easiest decision should be to fire their entire training staff. Enough is enough. Entering the 2025 season, the NFLPA report card had the 49ers' training staff ranked No. 25.

It's time for the 49ers to start anew there.

Christian McCaffrey still has it

Two of the biggest questions entering 2025 were how Christian McCaffrey would hold up physically and if his skills would be diminished. Well, both questions were answered with conviction.

McCaffrey miraculously held up perfectly. He never missed a game and was only listed on the injury report for games twice. As for his skills, aside from his speed, he's still got it.

Without him, the season would've played out differently for the 49ers. But now the concern with McCaffrey will be how he looks in 2026 after he received the heaviest workload of his career.

Ricky Pearsall is injury prone

The first four games of the season were electric for Ricky Pearsall. All of the hype surrounding him from training camp seemed legitimate.

Unfortunately, a terrible landing on his knee against the Jacksonville Jaguars would curse his season. He suffered a PCL sprain and was never the same again.

With that injury, it's no longer debatable. Pearsall is an injury-prone player. The only way he will beat that labeling is by playing in every game this year with minimal listings on the injury report.

Brock Purdy is good, not great

The 49ers can feel at ease knowing they have a good quarterback in Brock Purdy. In the games that he was supposed to perform well, he did. He took care of business against weak opponents.

Purdy is a solid quarterback, but he isn't great. If the 49ers are up against a stout defense, like the Seattle Seahawks, he will struggle immensely. He did that in all three games against them.

Until Purdy learns to reel in his gunslinging mentality, meaning he needs to take what the defense is giving him, he will not ascend. If this is how he will remain, it's fine, but he won't ever come close to being great.

Kyle Shanahan was terrific

Without question, Kyle Shanahan should be the NFL Coach of the Year. As I stated earlier, no other team in the league had more money on the Injured Reserve list than the 49ers.

The 49ers had every reason to crumble, but they didn't. Part of it is the job of the players stepping up, while most of it is thanks to the coaching job done by Shanahan this year.

I'd argue it's his most impressive season since joining the 49ers. However, it isn't sustainable. The 49ers need an injection of talent as well as some of their young players to take that next step.

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