Head coach Kyle Shanahan and president of football operations/general manager John Lynch met with reporters following the conclusion of the 2025 season, reflecting on a year shaped by roster turnover and a sustained push to remain competitive. As the organization transitions into the offseason, both leaders shared perspective on where the team stands and what lies ahead.
Here are the top takeaways from Shanahan and Lynch as the 49ers closed the 2025 season:
Navigating a Challenging Roster Cycle
Shanahan addressed the broader context surrounding the roster after significant turnover and financial constraints entering the season. He shared that the hardest part wasn't simply the number of injuries to the roster, but the added constraint of the many quality players who departed.
"Last year was a huge challenge," Shanahan said. "Salary cap-wise and what we've gone for, for numbers of years, you can't do that every year. That's the way it's set up. And we had done that too many years in a row so we had to make a decision to cut on money last year. That wasn't us being cheap or anything. We actually spend more, almost as much, or more than everybody. That's what you have to do in the cycle of how it's all based. And more so than the injuries, that was the hardest thing to overcome is how many good players we had to let go out of this building that went and helped a lot of other teams. That's why when we did have significant injuries to some very good players, it was more daunting than it was in years past because some of the guys we would've hung on, when you lose a guy like Fred Warner or you lose a guy like Nick Bosa those guys we lost because of free agency and stuff that we had to do because of the previous year. So yes, if you would've told me that we lost those guys before the season with what we were going into, I wouldn't have expected us to have the record and stuff that we did."
While the roster changes and injuries created a thinner margin for error, Shanahan emphasized that the team never lost belief internally. The head coach expressed pride in how the team competed even as the challenges mounted week after week.
"There were very few Sundays that we felt by the time we got there that we didn't have a chance to win. And I thought we did play well. I thought our players grinded and overcame a ton of things this year and it gave us a chance to make the playoffs... We always expect to try to compete for the playoffs. We know some seasons are going to be harder than others, which we thought this would be. And I am proud to a degree of what we accomplished."
That competitiveness, even in a season the organization knew would test its depth, became a point of pride for the head coach as the team pushed its way into postseason contention. From the front office perspective, Lynch echoed that sentiment, pointing to the reality that roster turnover is often a byproduct of success. Lynch highlighted the team's success in investing in both cornerstone players and emerging talent.
"A lot of guys left. I think that spoke to how good our roster was and people want what we've kind of created and we've built. What our players have built, what Kyle has built. And that's tough to watch that," Lynch said. "We did sign our franchise quarterback to a big deal. We signed George Kittle and Fred Warner to extensions. We signed Colton McKivitz that we felt like was a really smart move for our roster and needed... We had an 11-person draft class. All 11 of those guys are still in this building. We got great contributions from a lot of them... We really are excited about the impact that that class is going to have moving forward. A lot of guys, because of the injuries, had opportunities to play, then we get guys back, we've got to keep them back. But, we put that all together and we're excited. We will have a little more flexibility this year and we're excited about that."
Defensive Coordinator Search and Staff Continuity
With Robert Saleh departing, Shanahan confirmed the team is already working through the process of finding a replacement at defensive coordinator.
"I wouldn't say it's a real wide net, but I mean, Gus (Bradley) is the obvious one to everyone and is to us too. Gus would be the main internal candidate. We feel very fortunate to get Gus and great about that."
Bradley currently serves as the 49ers assistant head coach of defense. He previously held the role of defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts for three seasons (2022-24) where his 2024 Colts tied for the third-most forced fumbles (17) and tied for the fifth-most interceptions (16) in the NFL. He's also spent time as defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders (2021), Los Angeles Chargers (2017-20), and Seattle Seahawks (2009-12). Bradley's resume includes a stop at the Jacksonville Jaguars where he spent more than three seasons (2013-16) as the team's head coach.
Shanahan noted that while Bradley is a strong option, the team will still complete a full evaluation.
"We are going to go through the whole process. There are requirements we have to do and stuff that we want to do also. So, hopefully we can get it settled sooner than later. But, I see working throughout this next week on it."
Shanahan also acknowledged the desire for stability after multiple coordinator changes.
"I would love some continuity. I definitely don't like doing this for the fifth year in a row. I really would like to go on vacation, but these D-Coordinators keep making me have my family wait and get mad at me for it. But it is what it is. We've had some real good coaches and I'm very happy for Saleh and his family that they got what they deserve... It's part of having good people around here, so we'll find another good one. We have a lot of good guys in our building as we've talked about already and we'll end up figuring out and being okay."
Areas of Focus
Both Shanahan and Lynch identified key areas where improvement is needed, starting with team speed.
"We noticeably were slower this year than we have been in year's past," Shanahan said. "Sometimes that's substituted for a better football player. That doesn't mean you're always worse because of that. But, you definitely need more speed out there to handle things week-in and week-out for some of the situations that come up versus certain schemes and certain defenses, certain offenses too."
While overall speed was a point of emphasis across the roster, Lynch pointed specifically to the defensive front as an area where improvement must show up most consistently. The president of football operations/general manager addressed the team's pass rush, emphasizing that his philosophy remains unchanged at that position.
"We've got to be better there. We understand that," Lynch said. "That's always been at the forefront of our philosophy to make life miserable on opposing quarterbacks and to wreak havoc and we need to do better there and we intend on doing that."
Beyond scheme or philosophy, Lynch noted that the defensive line's effectiveness often relies on players who elevate the unit as a whole.
"Certain players, it's not only their impact, but they're force multipliers. They make everybody else around them better. And I think Nick Bosa was that, I think Mykel Williams was just catching on."
Lynch added that improvement is an ongoing process across the roster.
"There's a lot of attrition in this league. There always is... We need to continue to improve this team and get better and that's exactly what we intend to do. We're really excited about that opportunity."
Injury Updates and Recovery Timelines
Shanahan and Lynch also shared updates on several players as the team transitions into the offseason, offering cautious optimism across multiple position groups.
Bosa is "tracking really good" in his recovery and is trending toward a return by training camp, though no official timeline has been set. Rookie Mykel Williams is expected to be back around the same time as Bosa, according to Lynch.
"The fact that he's had Bosa and Fred around to kind of be in his ear and be mentored in a sense as they go through their rehab together has been an awesome deal for him," Lynch said. "He's a worker and so he's going to work tirelessly. Surgery went well and all that. Had to be patient up front, but now he's really starting to crank and he's going to do well. I know that."
Lynch also expressed optimism regarding George Kittle's recovery from an Achilles injury, citing the location of the tear and Kittle's approach to rehab. The tight end has already been around the team, and Lynch said he quickly shifted his focus toward recovery.
Elsewhere on the roster, tight end Jake Tonges would hypothetically be sidelined for approximately three weeks with plantar fascia. Running back Christian McCaffrey dealt with a stinger but checked out fine. Rookie linebacker Nick Martin has fully cleared the concussion protocol.
Defensive lineman Alfred Collins may require offseason surgery after suffering a shoulder injury in the postseason, though Shanahan expects the rookie to be back around training camp.
Perspective on the Season
Reflecting on the ups and downs of the year, Shanahan highlighted the team's ability to respond to adversity.
"The fact that we never lost two in a row, I think is what allowed us to do all that stuff," Shanahan said. "You could just feel every time we lost a game this team was a little different.
"You've always got a shot to get in the playoffs and you've always got a chance to win a playoff game."
Lynch closed by emphasizing pride in the group and optimism moving forward.
"I've never had a group, and I've been around the league for a long time, that I'm more proud of for their fight, for their resolve," Lynch said. "They didn't blink. I think and know that a large part of that's the leadership Kyle displayed in projecting that and really believing that. We had a lot of belief in these guys when a lot of people didn't and all they did was fight. We'll be better for that moving forward and we get everyone back. It leaves you really excited about what's to come."
