49ers still processing Super Bowl loss, falling short again
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As various San Francisco 49ers filed through the locker room at their facility, less than 48 hours removed from losing Super Bowl LVIII to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, the enormity of that devastating defeat had already sunk in. They just didn’t want to believe it.
At one end of the locker room, defensive end Nick Bosa told reporters he needed time to digest the loss before looking to next season. At the other, left tackle Trent Williams, usually one of the team’s most thoughtful and expansive interviews, had little to say. Others — such as running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, receiver Deebo Samuel, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and quarterback Brock Purdy — described their upcoming grieving process.
All of them — including coach Kyle Shanahan — had declined to rewatch what took place at Allegiant Stadium. None were sure they’d be able to stomach it anytime soon. But they made it clear that what happened in Vegas certainly won’t stay there.
“It really hit me, and then it would go away then it hit me again and it’s just like it don’t even feel real,” Samuel said. “It’s a different type of feeling. Like I don’t even have the answer. … It’s like one of the biggest heartbreaks you can deal with.”
Dealing with heartbreak has become an unwanted offseason tradition for the 49ers. It started with their loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV to conclude the 2019 season. In 2021, they fell short in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. In 2022, they played most of another NF
In each season, the Niners had taken a diffC Championship Game without a healthy quarterback in what became a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.erent, occasionally circuitous path to get back on Lombardi’s doorstep. The final defeat was always difficult to swallow but was often buoyed by an internal belief they could return.
To their credit, the Niners have put action behind those beliefs. But Super Bowl LVIII seemed to hit the hardest. Not just because they lost a game that was there for the taking, but also because of the cumulative effect of the previous near misses. And they might be running out of chances to rectify them, at least in their current iteration.
“It’s gut-wrenching,” general manager John Lynch said. “And ultimately, we’re going to have to live with for a lifetime the reality that we didn’t get it done this time. But I say this time because that’s this time. It hurts. And right now, everyone’s grieving.
“It’s not just going to be OK right away, but you understand that the only thing you can do is use this fuel to propel us forward. And that’s where our mindsets are at, or at least where they will arrive at some point.”
Getting to that point might take a little longer this time given just how close the Niners came to winning the franchise’s long-coveted but elusive sixth Lombardi Trophy. The memories of a third-quarter punt bouncing off cornerback Darrell Luter Jr.’s foot, the missed protection by guard Spencer Burford against Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones on a key third down in overtime, the Chiefs blocking Jake Moody’s fourth-quarter extra point and countless other plays that could have swung the game in San Francisco’s favor will linger.
