Kyle Shanahan may have reached the point where the 49ers are better off letting Brock Purdy put the ball in the air more often.
That idea is hard to ignore after San Francisco’s 2025 rushing numbers came in so flat. The 49ers finished 10th in rushing attempts with 481, yet they ranked only 30th in yards per carry at 3.8. That kind of gap between volume and production is a warning sign, especially for an offense built for efficiency.
The passing game, by contrast, has kept doing its job. San Francisco ranked 10th in the NFL in passing attempts in 2025 with 574 and sixth in net passing yards per attempt at 6.9.
That was actually a step back from the previous four seasons in relative efficiency, when the 49ers were 22nd or lower in attempts from 2021 to 2024 but finished first in net yards per attempt twice and never worse than fourth. Even with more throws in 2025, the offense still held up as a top-six unit through the air.
That’s what makes the case for a bigger passing load so compelling. Shanahan has long been known for leaning on the run, but the numbers suggest he may be getting the same or better results while asking less of his quarterback than he could.
Since 2021, according to Fantasy Points' Ryan Heath, Shanahan ranks near the top of the league in adjusted net yards per attempt. Only former Ravens offensive coordinator and current Browns head coach Todd Monken is higher on a per-attempt basis.
The run game is also trending in the wrong direction beyond just one season. Over the past five years, San Francisco has finished top 10 in rushing attempts four times, but it has only cracked the top 10 in yards per carry twice.
With Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams both entering the back half of their careers, the 49ers can’t assume volume alone will keep the ground game afloat. If the efficiency keeps sliding, simply hammering the run more often may not solve anything.
Purdy’s growth makes the argument even stronger. His completion percentage has risen from 67.1% as a rookie in 2022 to a career-best 69.4%, and he has now posted that mark in back-to-back full seasons. Those two seasons also happen to be his most productive by touchdown percentage, both at 7.0% in 2023 and 2025.
Through nine starts in 2025, Purdy completed 197 of 284 passes for 2,167 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Over four seasons, he is 30-15 as a starter with 84 touchdown passes and 37 interceptions. The numbers point to a quarterback who has become efficient, steady and capable of handling a heavier workload.
Shanahan also has enough around him to make that shift work. McCaffrey remains one of the league’s best receiving threats out of the backfield, and the 49ers have a strong group of pass catchers in Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Christian Kirk and 2026 rookie De'Zhaun Stribling.
The passing game is already producing. Purdy is no longer the question. With the run game aging and the air attack still humming, the next move may be finding a better balance - one that asks more of the quarterback and less of a ground game that no longer looks like the safest bet.
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The secondary has its own set of questions, and those could be just as revealing. Renardo Green is facing real pressure at cornerback from Jack Jones and rookie Ephysians Prysock, while at safety Malik Mustapha appears set, leaving JiAyir Brown, Marques Sigle and Ashtyn Davis to sort out the other starting role. With so much competition clustered in a few spots, camp will not just determine who starts, but how much flexibility the 49ers have when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]