23-04-2025
49ers Star Offers Excuse for Team's Struggles in 2024
The San Francisco 49ers struggled mightily last season, suffering from injuries and poor play at key positions.
While the team continues to re-tool the roster and coaching staff in anticipation of 2025, star quarterback Brock Purdy offered somewhat of an excuse as to why the team finished 6-11, last in the NFC West and missed the playoffs.
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During an appearance on the Built 4 More podcast, Purdy said the team was "tired."
"That season is no joke, and when you go from July of training and everything, all the way to the end of February, and then you really get five weeks off or so [until] you've got to report back, and then you're going again, guys are tired. They're still beat up, their bodies."
Certainly, injuries add up and contribute to losses on the field.
Per San Francisco was the most injured team in the NFL last season if adjusted by games lost. To compare, in 2023 the 49ers had the fourth-fewest adjusted games lost to injury in the NFL.
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Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, Javon Hargrave, Talanoa Hufanga and Trent Williams played a combined 31 games. Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Deebo Samuel, Deommodore Lenoir and Nick Bosa all missed at least two games.
Then there's Dre Greenlaw who played in just two games after a ruptured Achilles disrupted his season.
Only the Kansas City Chiefs have played in more games than the San Francisco 49ers from 2021-23. Purdy didn't arrive until the 2022 NFL Draft.
Related: 49ers Could Set Early Deadline for Star Wide Receiver Trade
But there's no question that games played can have a huge impact on injuries and performance on the field.
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