While the San Francisco 49ers deal with the contract situations of standout Trent Williams and another key player in Brandon Aiyuk, it’s hard to imagine they care that Manti Te’o got brutally honest about why they are not the NFC West favorite.

But Te’o chimed in anyway, saying the 49ers look tired — even though it’s the preseason — according to Good Morning Football via nbcsports.com.

“There's a look that you see when somebody truly believes they're better than you,” Te'o said. “And I think for the past five to 10 years, we've got so accustomed to the San Francisco 49ers walking around not only the NFC West, but the NFL in general, as these big bullies.”

Former LB Manti Te’o doesn’t like 49ers

San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Manti Te'o (50) defends during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. The Chargers defeated the 49ers 38-35.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Te’o played for the Chargers, Saints, and Bears in an eight-year nondescript career. He decided to watch some preseason games and came away unimpressed with the 49ers.

“Well, I flipped on the TV and watched their past two preseason games when their starters played, and I just see an emotionally drained team,” Te’o said. “They've been to the NFC Championship four (of) the past five years. They've been to the Super Bowl twice, and they lost the Super Bowl to the same team. We just saw the Seattle Seahawks' preseason game, and you see that party that's in there. It's not the same when I watch the San Francisco 49ers, so they're not the favorite for me this year.”

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But while the 49ers might have a little less wind in their sails than other seasons, they still have a supremely talented roster. They have also shown resilience in overcoming tough injuries and still produced division-winning seasons. Plus, they’ve overcome contract situations before — most notably with Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa.

Unlike Te’o, ESPN gave the 49ers a 68% chance of winning the division. But they are fighting history, trying to become the first three-peat West champion since the Seahawks in 2007. However, the 49ers have the second-highest chance of winning their division, topped only by the Chiefs at 74 percent.

If the 49ers are unseated, the Rams may be the best bet. The Seahawks and Cardinals seem more like long shots.

If the 49ers fall short, it may be the offensive line that causes the issue. That’s especially true if they can’t get Williams back in the fold. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said finding good linemen is always a chore, according to espn.com.

“You look at (every option) every single year and you try to become the best team possible with the situation that you're in,” Shanahan said. “You don't just say, ‘Hey, we're upgrading here this year.' You've got to make sure that's available. And if it's not, then you get stronger in a different area. There's lots of ways you can win. You just have to keep trying to find that way.”

The 49ers rank No. 24 in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.