2-0, But What’s the Catch?
This post is pretty off the dome, but it’s something that I’ve been toying with for the past week and a half or so.
The 2025 NFL season is well underway, with the Niners starting off 2-0. A 17-13 nail-biter against the Seahawks, and a 26-21 slugfest against the Saints, of all teams. The 2-0 record seems sweet just looking at it, but there’s layers to everything. During week one, George Kittle went out with a hamstring injury, keeping him out for most of that game, and at least 3-5 weeks after. Brock Purdy came down with a toe injury, and he’s landed on the IL for 1-3 weeks. Now, Kyle Juszczyk came out of the game with a concussion. It seems like every year, this team CANNOT stay healthy, no matter what. I’m really not sure what the issue is, but it’s a glaring one that the Niners and their fans feel every single year. Christian McCaffery last year, Brock Purdy in the NFC Championship in 2023. Trey Lance and Jimmy G in that same season. Where and when does it end? Who’s responsible? It never seems like any other teams in the league suffer from injuries quite like the Niners. Last year, they were the most injured team in the league, which resulted in a 6-11 season and no playoffs.
Who’s to blame? At some point, we have to start looking at the athletic training staff. Yes, I understand that football is a contact sports, and injuries are bound to happen. My question is simply what do other trainers around the league do that the Niners don’t? Obviously, changing how they tend to players isn’t going to make them invincible, but it has to at least decrease the chances of injuries. Another point that has been racking my head lately is the shape in which these players are in. They’re freak athletes, but can the be more efficient with their recovery, training, and health before they arrive at training camp? Who really knows.
I’m not taking anything away from how this team is playing right now. To be winning ANY games without their QB1, TE1, WR1, and multiple other notable injuries all over the offensive line, and entirety of the defense, is pretty unreal. Mac-10-Jones played out of his mind today, Jennings showed why he got that extension just a few weeks ago, and Pearsall has really started to come into his own, being a super consistent target at any time. Don’t even get me STARTED on the defense. 2 game ending forced fumbles with the opponent deep in your territory? Unreal. Robert Saleh has rejuvenated this defense, and it’s certainly starting to look like the 49ers defense of old.
15 more games to make a statement. 15 more games to show why they want it. When this team is healthy, there’s not a whole lot that can stop them.
Go niners.
