49ers’ Season Ends with Frustration, Injuries, and a Glimpse of the Future
The San Francisco 49ers’ season came to a crashing halt Saturday night in a 41-6 playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks - and the frustration boiled over in more ways than one.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir let his emotions get the best of him late in the game, drawing a penalty for headbutting Seahawks rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba. After the game, Lenoir didn’t hold back, pointing to the team’s injury woes as a major factor in the lopsided result.
“To have those guys, (it would have been) a totally different game,” Lenoir said. “But I mean, we can’t make no excuses. We had enough guys in here to get the job done, so I feel like it didn’t just go in our favor.”
Lenoir’s words capture the duality of the 49ers’ season - a team that battled through injuries to key stars but ultimately ran out of answers when it mattered most.
Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh’s Future Looms Large
As if the loss wasn’t enough, the 49ers could be facing another major change: the potential departure of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who’s once again drawing head coaching interest across the league. He’s already interviewed virtually with the Cardinals, Dolphins, and Ravens, and has an in-person meeting lined up with the Titans.
Despite the defensive struggles against Seattle, Saleh deserves credit for keeping the unit afloat after losing cornerstone defenders Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, along with first-round rookie Mykel Williams. Saleh mixed and matched with rookies and practice-squad players, and still managed to build game plans that gave the defense a fighting chance - especially in critical areas like third downs and red zone stops.
“He’s been great,” Lenoir said. “I learned a lot of new things about football and schematically.
He’s one of the best coaches. I pray he doesn’t leave so we can get another run at this, but I wish him the best if he does.”
Seattle’s Ground Game Dominates Again
For the second time in three weeks, the Seahawks ran all over San Francisco. Seattle racked up 175 rushing yards on 33 carries - good for 5.3 yards per attempt - and used a punishing ground attack to control the tempo. The dagger came just before halftime: a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that made it 24-6 and essentially put the game out of reach.
The 49ers’ defense knew what was coming - outside zone runs, bounce plays - and still couldn’t stop it.
“It’s the same plays … outside zone, stuff like that, bounce plays,” said rookie defensive tackle CJ West. “Nothing really different. We weren’t ready to play today, and we didn’t come out doing what we needed to do.”
West was one of the few bright spots on the defensive line, notching one of the team’s two sacks on an injured Sam Darnold. Despite reports that Darnold hadn’t thrown much in practice due to an oblique issue, the 49ers didn’t prepare any differently.
“I didn’t even know about it,” West said. “I didn’t really care about it, either.
Hurt or not, we’ve still got to play damn ball, no matter who’s playing, so we didn’t focus on it. Nobody even brought it up.”
A Pass Rush That Never Arrived
Let’s be honest - the 49ers’ pass rush never found its rhythm this season. The team finished dead last in the league with just 20 sacks. That’s a shocking number for a unit that once prided itself on relentless pressure.
Safety Malik Mustapha provided a rare spark on Saturday, flying off the edge for his first career sack and hitting a top speed of 18.39 mph in the process - the second-fastest speed recorded by a 49ers defender on a sack since Next Gen Stats began tracking in 2016. (Fred Warner still holds the top spot at 19.06 mph, also against Darnold.)
Mustapha’s speed and energy were a glimpse of what the 49ers hope to build on moving forward.
“The better team won,” Mustapha said. “As a man, when you take defeat, make sure when the opportunity comes again, be ready for it. … Can’t wait for the opportunity, and we’re going to have to wait a little longer, but I know guys will be ready for them when the time comes.”
Defensive Line in Flux
If the 49ers want to return to contender status, the defensive line will need a serious overhaul. Bosa and Williams are both recovering from knee injuries, and several rotational players - including Yetur Gross-Matos, Clelin Ferrell, and Sam Okuayinonu - are heading into free agency.
Gross-Matos, in particular, was a disappointment. He played in just eight games and failed to record a sack or tackle for loss, all while carrying a hefty $9.5 million cap hit.
The 49ers desperately need a game-changer up front - someone who can flip momentum and collapse pockets. That’s the kind of impact they hoped Lenoir would bring in the secondary, but the defense as a whole failed to generate takeaways down the stretch. They went the final four games without forcing a single turnover.
A Locker Room That Fought Until the End
Despite the final score and the laundry list of injuries, this was a 49ers team that never stopped fighting. Lenoir echoed that sentiment as players cleaned out their lockers on Monday.
“It hurts, just knowing the fight that these guys have in this locker room,” he said. “This year has been next man up.
Just plugging guys in that have barely been here, just trying to fight, just giving each other a chance. I was proud that we came out and fought.”
That “next man up” mentality gave valuable reps to a wave of young players - and that could pay dividends next season. Rookies like CJ West, Alfred Collins, Marques Sigle, and Upton Stout (who emerged as a standout nickel corner) all got playoff experience under their belts.
“Just using these last few games - playoff experience is something that’s real special,” West said. “Not everybody gets that opportunity.
Using these last few games to help my offseason and know what I need to work on. Go into the offseason strong, come back next season prepared to win it all.”
What’s Next?
The 49ers have decisions to make - on the coaching staff, on the defensive line, and on the future of several young players who showed promise under pressure. But one thing is clear: this season, for all its pain and inconsistency, revealed a locker room full of grit and heart.
They didn’t get the ending they wanted. But the foundation for what comes next? That might’ve quietly been built in the fire of this playoff loss.