Despite a forgettable 2024 campaign, one former 49ers great isn’t jumping off the bandwagon. Ed McCaffrey, who helped the Niners win a Super Bowl back in 1994, still believes his son Christian McCaffrey’s team is built to contend. Injuries may have derailed their season, but in Ed’s eyes, San Francisco remains one of the NFL’s most dangerous squads.
“You lose a few games, and people forget what you’re capable of,” McCaffrey said. “But this team was just in the Super Bowl not long ago. And they’re about to pay Brock Purdy like a franchise QB—because he is one.”
Last year was rough. Christian McCaffrey only played four games. Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL. And on defense, the team was missing key pieces like Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga. Even All-Pro tackle Trent Williams missed significant time. The roster was decimated, plain and simple.
But now? The 49ers are healthier. They’ve got reinforcements coming in from a defense-heavy draft. George Kittle is locked in through 2029. And with Purdy poised to get a major extension, San Francisco’s core remains intact.
“They had four Pro Bowl or Hall of Fame-caliber guys out,” McCaffrey said. “Last season was an outlier.”
Despite the Rams being a factor in the division, McCaffrey says most analysts still see the 49ers as the NFC West favorites—and it’s hard to argue. Prior to 2024, they’d made it to at least the NFC Championship Game three years in a row.
The 49ers are counting on health and depth to put them back in the hunt. If Ed McCaffrey’s right, last season will be nothing more than a footnote in their Super Bowl journey.
Ed McCaffrey Defends 49ers as NFC West Favorites Despite 6-11 Season
