It started the second Patrick Mahomes released his 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to beat the 49ers in Las Vegas.
That marked the headwaters of the 49ers’ flood of 2024 misfortune, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday’s edition of the Adam Schefter Podcast.
“It just feels like the whole season has been off,” Schefter said. “From the moment they lost the Super Bowl, a game they probably shouldn’t have lost but did lose in overtime, it feels like almost nothing has gone right.”
From contractual issues with top players Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams, to the shooting of rookie first-round selection Ricky Pearsall a week before the regular season, the 49ers had to corral an avalanche of offseason bad news.
Then, hours before kicking off their season on Sept. 9, news broke that McCaffrey’s calf strain and Achilles tendinitis that sidelined him the entirety of the preseason would eventually push him to injured reserve. McCaffrey went to Germany this week in hopes of getting back on the field soon.
And that didn’t even include the game they lost on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, Schefter said.
“Now, there are few games in a season where a team dominates another team and then loses, and it’s got to be just soul-crushing to lose a game the likes of which the Niners lost on Sunday to the Rams.”
With George Kittle and Deebo Samuel out with injuries, wide receiver Jajuan Jennings registered 11 receptions for 175 yard and three touchdowns, helping the 49ers enjoy a double-digit lead most of the game until Xavier Smith – who couldn’t get a single college scholarship offer – returned a punt to set up a walk-off field goal.
“They were controlling the ball, controlling the clock and yet, somehow, the Rams find a way to get back into the game and win!” Schefter said.
Following the Rams loss, San Francisco learned quarterback Brock Purdy needed an MRI on an injured back. He should appear on the injury report Wednesday in advance of the team’s home game against New England (1-2) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX). Plus, the team lost one of its best defensive linemen, Javon Hargrave, to a season-ending torn triceps.
“Is there anything that’s gone right for this team so far?” Schefter asked. “I would say no. The vibes have been bad all offseason; they continue to be bad. There’s so much talent there that you think they can turn it around, and will turn it around, but it just feels like it’s one of those things where there’s a leak on the boat and every time you plug one hole, there’s a leak somewhere else.
“That’s just how it feels to me. And it’s so hard, it’s so hard to win it when you get there; you’ve got to do that when you can. And they’ve had chances. They didn’t get it done last year and it’s just not feeling like their year this year. Let’s see if they can get it turned around but, boy, really discouraging for the 49ers right now.”