Sports

What the biggest concern is for the 49ers in 2026

San Francisco 49ers On SI · Jul 21, 2026 17:00 · 3 min read

What the Biggest Concern is for the 49ers in 2026 — Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on before the game against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Injuries will be viewed as a concern for the 49ers in 2026, but there is another factor that is arguably their biggest concern.

Last season was an amazing performance from the San Francisco 49ers. No one can tell them otherwise, given the adversity they had to face.

With how impressive their season was in 2025, it will only act as a stepping stone towards pushing them further in 2026. However, there is one concern that can hold them back.

This concern can ruin their season from the moment it starts. And no, it's not the injuries, even though that is a concern as well.

What the biggest concern for the 49ers is

Their biggest concern entering the 2026 season is their mentality. It should come into question after what Trent Williams, and Deommodore Lenoir, said after their playoff decimation by the Seattle Seahawks.

Williams, a leader of the team, wasn't distraught over the beatdown the Seahawks delivered to them. Instead, he pointed out how the 49ers weren't supposed to be there with players no one knew of.

"When you're playing with guys you're signing off the practice squad, guys you're taking off the street - you got to temper expectations a little bit," said Williams. "Nobody thought we’d be here, let alone thought we would win this game. At the end of the day, we’re playing with house money when we get to this point, considering who we played with.”

This is not something the leader of a team that just lost badly in the playoffs should say. It's what 49ers fans should say, not a player, especially not a leader.

House money? Sure, and the 49ers should've viewed that as an incredible opportunity to shock the world. His mindset is scary because it indicates being content and/or complacent entering the game and after.

What Williams should've conveyed after the loss is how annoyed he was. He could still acknowledge how the 49ers weren't supposed to be there, but that the beatdown would act as fuel for next year.

Now, you have to wonder if the 49ers feel entitled to make the playoffs. They can view last season as proof that they made the playoffs with half of their team intact.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's what they did entering the 2024 season. How did that go? Not great. At all. That is why last offseason the biggest emphasis was on the vibes being immaculate from OTAs through training camp.

The 49ers got back to focusing on one game at a time instead of looking beyond. Will they have that humble mindset again this year? It's tough to say.

If the words and actions of the 49ers reveal anything, it's that they believe they will be right back in the playoffs. Meaning, they are looking beyond the week-to-week season.

That is not the right mindset and tone that should be at the facility with a bunch of young players. They will be influenced by the veterans and leaders, like Williams, to feel that way.

Maybe everything will be perfectly fine with the 49ers' mindset, and they will look better than ever. But it's impossible not to consider their mindset going into 2026.

It's what derailed them, among many other factors, in 2024, and it's what drove them in 2025. How will it pan out in 2026?

I guess we'll find out.

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