The 2025 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 76th in the National Football League (NFL), their 80th overall, their 12th playing their home games at Levi's Stadium, and their ninth under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. The 49ers improved on their 6âÂÂ11 record from 2024 following a Week 11 victory against the division rival Arizona Cardinals and clinched a return to the playoffs after a one-year absence when the Detroit Lions lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. The 49ers won all three games on the road against the Rams, Seahawks, and Cardinals. The 49ers clinched their fourth winning season in five years after a Week 13 win against the Cleveland Browns.
This season marked the return of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator, replacing Nick Sorensen, who was fired by the team after a single season. Saleh had previously coordinated the 49ers' defense from 2017 to 2020, after which he spent three full seasons as the head coach of the New York Jets before being relieved of his position just five games into the 2024 season.
The 2025 offseason saw a number of significant departures in free agency, among them linebacker Dre Greenlaw, guard Aaron Banks, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and cornerback Charvarius Ward. Additionally, the 49ers traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. This is the team's first season since 2018 without either Samuel or Greenlaw on its roster.
The 49ers entered the playoffs as a Wild Card team for the first time since 2021. They opened their playoff run by pulling off an upset and defeating the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round. They then faced the division rival and top-seeded Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round, where their season ended with a 41âÂÂ6 blowout loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, their second-most lopsided playoff defeat in franchise history behind only their 49âÂÂ3 loss to the New York Giants during the 1986 NFC Divisional Round.
At the end of the season running back Christian McCaffrey won the AP Comeback Player of the Year award as he finished sixth in the league with 102 receptions for 924 yards to go with 1,202 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns (10 rushing and 7 receiving). This was after he was limited to just four games the previous season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was also nominated for AP NFL Coach of the Year for leading the 49ers to 12 wins and a playoff birth despite the team finishing with the 3rd most man games lost to injuries.
The San Francisco 49ers drew an average home attendance of 71,422, the 9th-highest of all NFL teams.
Free agency: The 49ers entered free agency with the following:
Draft trades
With their fourth straight win in Seattle, the 49ers started 1âÂÂ0 for the third consecutive season.
49ers kicker Eddy Piñeiro made a game-winning 35-yard field goal as time expired, giving the 49ers a 16âÂÂ15 victory. Despite the win, it was later revealed that defensive end Nick Bosa would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
The 49ers lost to the Jaguars for the first time since the 2005 season and recorded their first-ever home loss to them. Following the game, Jaguars coach Liam Coen and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had to be separated during a heated postgame exchange, after Saleh made a remark earlier in the week about the Jaguars 'legally stealing signals.'
With the hard fought win, the 49ers improve to 4âÂÂ1 while securing their first win over the Rams since Week 2 of 2023, snapping a three-game losing streak to them.
With the loss, the 49ers fell to 4âÂÂ2. Following the game, it was revealed that linebacker Fred Warner would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a dislocated and broken ankle midway through the game.
The 49ers rebounded from their loss to Tampa Bay to improve to 5âÂÂ2 overall and 2âÂÂ1 against the NFC South.
The 49ers faced off against Texans' head coach DeMeco Ryans, who served on San FranciscoâÂÂs coaching staff from 2017 to 2022. The 49ers ended an NFL-record streak of 14 consecutive games without an interception, spanning 469 pass attempts, when cornerback Deommodore Lenoir intercepted Texans quarterback C. J. Stroud on the final play of the first half. The 49ers also finished with 10 rushing attempts, setting a franchise-low record.
With their first loss to Houston since 2009, the 49ers dropped to 5âÂÂ3 and 0âÂÂ2 against the AFC South.
With the win, the 49ers matched their win total from 2024 and improved to 6âÂÂ3.
With their fourth loss in their last five games against the Rams, the 49ers fell to 6âÂÂ4.
Brock Purdy made his return after suffering a toe injury on September 28 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although the 49ers were outgained by more than 200 yards, they still dominated the Cardinals. With the victory, San Francisco surpassed its win total from the previous season.
Running back Christian McCaffrey faced his former team, the Carolina Panthers, whom he played for from 2017 to 2022, for the first time since being traded during the 2022 season. McCaffrey recorded 142 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, helping the 49ers overcome three first-half interceptions by Purdy to secure the win.
Late in the game, Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig struck Jauan Jennings in the groin following a run play. After the game, Jennings responded by punching Moehrig in the helmet. The NFL subsequently suspended Moehrig for one game without pay, while Jennings was fined $12,172 for his actions. With the win, the 49ers finished 3-1 against the NFC South.
With another dominant win, the 49ers improved to 9âÂÂ4 entering their bye. This was also their first victory in Cleveland since 1984.
With the win, the 49ers improved to 10âÂÂ4 and 1âÂÂ2 against the AFC South.
Earlier in the afternoon slate of games, the Lions' loss to the Steelers meant the 49ers clinched a playoff berth.
The 49ers' offense dominated the Colts' defense. Brock Purdy completed 25-of-34 passes for 295 yards as San Francisco totaled 440 yards of offense. Christian McCaffrey rushed 21 times for 117 yards and added six receptions for 29 yards and two touchdowns. George Kittle recorded seven receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown, and the team did not punt at any point during the blowout win against the Colts. It was the first time the 49ers beat the Colts since 2001. With the win, the 49ers finished 2âÂÂ2 against the AFC South (3âÂÂ2 against the AFC) and 7âÂÂ2 on the road.
The Bears and 49ers engaged in a shootout, with the game decided on the final play when Bears quarterback Caleb Williamsâ last-ditch pass to wide receiver Jahdae Walker fell incomplete in the end zone from San FranciscoâÂÂs 2-yard line, sealing the 49ersâ victory. With the win, the 49ers improved to 12âÂÂ4 (8âÂÂ2 against the NFC), putting them one win away from clinching the NFC West title and the NFC's No. 1 seed.
The 49ers' high-powered offense was stuffed by the Seahawks defense, being limited to 173 total yards, their fewest in any regular-season game under head coach Kyle Shanahan. With the loss, the 49ers dropped to 12âÂÂ5, finishing 9âÂÂ3 against the NFC (4âÂÂ2 against the NFC West), and 5âÂÂ3 at home. They were also denied the division title and the NFC's #1 seed.
With the Rams defeating the Cardinals the following day, the 49ers fell to the sixth seed and were scheduled to face the Eagles in the Wild Card Round.
|- ! | January 11 | at Philadelphia Eagles (3) | W 23âÂÂ19 | 1âÂÂ0 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |- ! | | at Seattle Seahawks (1) | L 6âÂÂ41 | 1âÂÂ1 | Lumen Field | Recap
With the upset win, the 49ers earned their third Wild-Card victory in 5 years, and defeated the Eagles in the postseason for the first time since 1996. Unfortunately for San Francisco, tight end George Kittle left the game in the second quarter with what was later revealed to be a season-ending Achilles tear.
With their first Divisional Round loss since 2002, the 49ers' season came to an end. This also marked their first playoff loss to the Seahawks since 2013 and their first loss in Seattle since 2021. Beginning with the Seahawks' Rashid Shaheed returning the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown on the opening play, they were dominated in all phases of the game. The 35-point margin of defeat marked their second largest playoff loss ever in franchise history, only behind a 49âÂÂ3 shellacking against the Giants in the 1986 NFC Divisional Round.