The San Francisco 49ers are Under A Lot of Pressure; Could this be Their Last Chance to Win a Super Bowl?

As the San Francisco 49ers make another run at the Super Bowl, it is clear that this could be one of their last chances.

Super Bowl windows in the NFL are short-lived, and the 49ers could be reaching the end of theirs. San Francisco has made it to the NFC Championship Game four times since 2019. They have only made it to the Super Bowl once in that time, but they are heavily favored to make it to the Super Bowl a second time.

The San Francisco 49ers have been the favorites to win the Super Bowl for the majority of the season, but their star-studded roster won’t be around forever. Tough decisions will have to be made in the near future.

In an article from ESPN, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said he feels a sense of urgency.

“Every day we feel [that urgency],” general manager John Lynch said. “We’ve got a lot of belief in this team … Without that belief in this group that we currently have, the culture, belief in [Shanahan] and his ability to lead this organization, you don’t do those things. But we have that much belief, that’s what we’re here for.”

The San Francisco 49ers will see several salary increases in the next few years, regardless of whether they win the Super Bowl

One of the reasons the San Francisco 49ers are able to field a roster with so many stars is because their starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, demands less than $1 million dollars per year. Purdy, who was the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, signed a four-year rookie contract worth just $3.7 million.

Purdy won’t be eligible for an extension until after the 2024 season, but there are more pressing matters regarding the 49ers salary cap.

First-team All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and first-team All-Pro tight end George Kittle have both undergone massive salary increases since 2022. Williams’ salary increased by $17 million, and Kittle’s salary increased by $10 million. Williams is considered one of the best players in the NFL, regardless of position.

Kittle said in the same ESPN article that he also understands that the window is rapidly closing.

“We understand that we have a fantastic football team,” Kittle said. “We have great core guys at really important positions. We understand that the window or whatever that is could be closing. We’re going to try our best to keep that window open as long as we possibly can, but we’re going to try to sneak out some wins while that window is still open.”

The San Francisco 49ers have had an extremely manageable path to the Super Bowl

In order to get to the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers had to be the first team in NFL history to beat a No. 7 seed in the divisional round. The Green Bay Packers were the first No. 7 seed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs in NFL history.

To reach the Super Bowl, the 49ers have to beat the only team remaining without a top-three defense. The Detroit Lions also lack experience with deep playoff runs as they haven’t made it this far since 1991. Meanwhile, the 49ers have been in three straight NFC title games.

While the Lions are able to boast the second-best rush defense in the NFL, their overall defense is far and away the worst out of the four teams still alive. Detroit ranks 19th in overall defense, and they will be facing off against a team that ranks second in total offense.

The one thing the Lions have going for them is the fact that they are playing with house money. This season is already considered a massive success, and they will be able to play aggressively. The 49ers are under immense pressure, which could cause them to play on their heels.

The 49ers come into the game as seven-and-a-half point favorites, and they will have star wide receiver Deebo Samuel available in full capacity.