The San Francisco 49ers are bracing for another impressive NFC run in 2024. Unfortunately, the Brock Purdy-Christian McCaffrey-led team lost Super Bowl 58 25-22 to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, great things are on the horizon for the franchise.
San Francisco is making a generational change at one of its executive spots. Franchise CEO Jed York will receive the principal owner title after buying some of his mother Denise DeBartolo York's equity, per Sports Business Journal's Ben Fischer.
The NFL still needs to approve the transaction, but the move signifies a pivotal ownership transition.
Denise DeBartolo York took ownership of the 49ers in 2000 from her brother Edward Jr., who owned the team for 23 years. Now, her son will spearhead SF into an exciting new era.
The 49ers have a bright future
San Francisco has three Super Bowl appearances in 11 years under the leadership of the York family. The team faced a Ray Lewis-led Baltimore Ravens squad in 2013's Super Bowl 47. Then after missing the playoffs for six-straight years, San Francisco advanced to Super Bowl 54 at the end of the 2019-20 season.
The 49ers are coming off another impressive run against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in 2024. Sadly, San Francisco lost all three of their championship matchups. Nevertheless, the franchise has some promising players that can lead them over the hump.
Rising third-year quarterback Brock Purdy had a stellar year in 2023-24. The former Iowa State standout amassed 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and boasted a QBR of 72.8 during the regular season, all of which were top-five NFL rankings.
As a result, Purdy earned his first Pro Bowl honor and looks to continue to lead SF as one of the best QBs in the league. The 24-year-old is paired with another coveted offensive weapon.
Christian McCaffrey will enter his eighth season in the NFL in 2024-25, and the star running back is only getting more elite. McCaffrey led the league with 1,459 rushing yards in 2023-24. In addition, he carried the ball 272 times and scored 14 TDs.
McCaffrey's dominant ground game helped open things up for Brock Purdy and the rest of San Francisco's offense. He and Purdy's stout production garnered consistent consideration for the MVP award.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson won the 2023-24 award, but with Purdy and Christian McCaffrey at the helm, the 49ers will continue to have a bright future.
How will San Francisco handle the rest of the 2024 offseason?
San Francisco has some major pieces returning to the team but still has decisions to make. One of the most important points of emphasis is star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's contract.
If the 49ers do not extend Aiyuk, they could keep him on his fifth-year option, which will set him up for free agency during the 2025 offseason. John Lynch has repeatedly praised Aiyuk and emphasized the 49ers' interest in keeping him on the team.
In late March, Lynch stated that San Francisco was “actively talking” with Aiyuk about retaining him for the future. Keeping Aiyuk on the books would give the 49ers another excellent offensive option alongside Purdy and McCaffrey.
The 26-year-old comes off a season where he totaled a career-high 1,342 receiving yards (ranked seventh in the NFL). Aiyuk has steadily improved and only increases the 49ers' chances of success.
All in all, San Francisco's executive leadership is in a position to help the team ascend to a higher level. It will be interesting to see what is in store for the franchise in 2024-25 and beyond.
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