Five things 49ers fans should be thankful for this holiday season

The San Francisco 49ers are only 5-6. With several critical losses, they seem to be on the wrong end of the wild-card equation as they look toward a potential late-season playoff push. However, even in the middle of a disappointing season, there are plenty of things 49ers fans can be thankful for. Here’s a list of five:

1. Kyle Shanahan

The 49ers have sure had their fair share of struggles over the years, and head coaching carousel’s were constantly at the center of it. While Jed York has made plenty of mistakes during his time at the helm of the franchise, he deserves a decent amount of credit for learning from some of his biggest mistakes. It’s clear that York’s decision to side with Trent Baalke and fire Jim Harbaugh set the franchise back for several seasons, and it left Yok.

Shanahan has some glaring weaknesses, and perhaps they will prove to be too significant to ever lead the Niners to a Super Bowl title. However, for a franchise that has seen the disastrous tenures of head coaches like Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan, Mike Singletary, Jim Tomsula, and Chip Kelly, a clearly competent coach who consistently keeps his players motivated and builds a competitive team is something worth being thankful for.

2. Fred Warner

There are plenty of players the Niners fanbase should be thankful for, but few have been a consistent impact player for longer than Fred Warner. A Day 1 starter who made it easy for San Francisco to deal with an ill-fated free agent investment in Malcolm Smith, Warner has easily been the 49ers best top three-round draft pick since Kyle Shanahan arrived.

Warner is on pace for his seventh consecutive season with at least 118 tackles. He will likely be selected a first-team All-Pro for the fourth time in his career, tying him with Navorro Bowman on the franchise’s all-time linebacker rankings and leaving him just one first-team selection away from tying Patrick Willis.

Oh yeah, and he’s apparently been playing through a fractured ankle this season.

3. The last three rounds of the draft

Despite the success of Shanahan’s tenure, it’s no secret that the top of the draft has had plenty of big misses. Luckily, or perhaps to the credit of the team’s scouting staff, they have been able to compensate for some of those mistakes with an incredible track record of late-round selections. George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Deommodore Lenoir, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and Jauan Jennings were all taken in the final three rounds of the draft. When you include undrafted free agents like Jordan Mason, and players who have since gone elsewhere (D.J. Jones, D.J. Reed, Azeez Al-Shaair, and Kendrick Bourne), it’s quite an impressive collection.

4. The Cowboys being the Cowboys

It’s fun for 49ers fans to watch their favorite team thrive, but for many fans, it’s even more enjoyable to watch the Dallas Cowboys (and their fanbase) flail in misery. As bad as things have gone for the 49ers this season, it’s gone worse in Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-7, five games back of the Eagles in the NFC East, just as buried in the race for the wild card, and have an aging core without a clear long-term plan. With the Eagles and emerging Commanders in their division, it is looking more and more likely that Jerry Jones will never get to see another Cowboys championship in his lifetime.

5. The 49ers 5 Championships

With every passing year, a smaller portion of the Niners’ fanbase has ever seen the team hoist the Lombardi Trophy. However, for plenty of folks, they can still look back in their memory to Joe Montana or Steve Young leading San Francisco to a victory in the big game. It sure may look like the 49ers are at risk of becoming the 90s Bills of the modern era, but at least the franchise has some championship history to hold onto. In a league where more than a third of franchises (12 to be exact), have never won the Super Bowl, it’s worth taking a moment to enjoy rooting for a team that has some history that is always fun to watch on NFL Films.

Related Posts

🚨 BREAKING BRETT FAVRE SENDS HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO STEVE MCMICHAEL’S FAMILY AFTER HIS PASSING FROM STAGE 3 CTE, a tragic loss that has left the NFL community in mourning, Favre honors the legacy of McMichael’s courage and his wife Misty’s powerful gesture of donating his brain for groundbreaking research, this emotional moment is shaking the league to its core 👇👇👇

Green Bay, WI – NFL legend Brett Favre has expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Steve McMichael after receiving the sad news of his former…

🚨 BREAKING NEWS CLARK HUNT FIRES BACK AT KANSAS GOVERNOR’S BOLD OFFER FOR THE CHIEFS’ FUTURE, a high-stakes exchange that could determine the direction of the franchise, insiders say this response sets the stage for a pivotal moment in the Chiefs’ legacy, the pressure is on to make a game-changing decision 👇👇👇

Kansas City, MO – April 7, 2026 – Just 12 hours after Governor Mike Kehoe rejected the proposed $120 million expansion of the Arrowhead Training Complex, Clark Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, received…

49ERS BOMBSHELL JUST EXPLODED: Dexter Lаwrence Receіveѕ Mаѕѕіve Inѕіder Uрdаte Amіd Exрloѕіve Trаde Sрeculаtіon — Sаn Frаncіѕco on the Verge of а Blockbuѕter Move!

The ѕаn Frаncіѕco 49erѕ could hаve аn oррortunіty to bolѕter theіr defenѕe even more аѕ the Nіnerѕ аre vіewed аѕ а toр lаndіng ѕрot for New York…

49ERS JUST WENT ALL-IN: CBS Sports Confirms They’re Trading Their 2026 First-Round Pick to Sign 2x NFL Defensive Player of the Year Superstar DE — Defense About to Become UNSTOPPABLE!

The San Francisco 49ers are entering a critical phase, with the intent to win now. Key players like Mike Evans, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams are aging,…

🚨 EXCLUSIVE DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS BRING THE GLAMOUR TO EL PASO AS SWAN LAKE TAKES CENTER STAGE, a must-see lineup of events that will electrify the city and draw attention from fans and visitors alike, El Paso is about to light up with star power and unforgettable performances 👇👇👇

Comedy is king this weekend with comedians from the Killers of Kill Tony podcast and later on in the week with up-and-coming comedian John Crist. The Killers…

🚨 BOMBSHELL 49ERS INSIDER REVEALS COMMANDERS MAY BE TAMPERING WITH WR BRANDON AIYUK, whispers of illegal activity are stirring as Washington shows interest in the star receiver, this could be the start of a heated battle for Aiyuk’s future in the NFL, the league is watching closely 👇👇👇

Getty San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Just when the end seemed to be in sight to the dramatic, season-long saga between the San Francisco 49ers and…