No One Saw the 49ers Coming: San Francisco’s Remarkable Resurgence Defies Expectations, Including Nick Wright and “The Committee™️”

No One Saw the 49ers Coming: San Francisco’s Remarkable Resurgence Defies Expectations, Including Nick Wright and “The Committee™️”

As the 2025 NFL regular season concludes on January 1, 2026, the San Francisco 49ers stand at 12-4, poised to host the Seattle Seahawks in a winner-take-all Week 18 showdown for the NFC West title and the coveted No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. This position—complete with a first-round bye and potential home-field advantage through the conference playoffs, including Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium—represents one of the most improbable turnarounds in recent NFL history. After a disastrous 6-11 campaign in 2024 marred by injuries and roster turnover, few prognosticators, including FS1’s Nick Wright and his infamous “Committee™️,” envisioned the 49ers as legitimate Super Bowl contenders entering 2025. Yet, here they are: an offensive juggernaut overcoming catastrophic injuries, defying doubters, and emerging as the NFC’s most dangerous team heading into January.

The phrase “no one saw the 49ers coming” has become a rallying cry among Faithful fans on social media and in Bay Area discourse, directly nodding to Wright’s preseason skepticism and mid-season dismissals. On “First Things First,” Wright repeatedly downplayed San Francisco’s ceiling, citing aging stars, injury risks to Christian McCaffrey, and questions around Brock Purdy’s contract extension. His “Committee™️”—the anonymous group of seven advisors Wright consults for his weekly NFL tiers—often overruled or tempered his takes, but even they placed the 49ers outside the top tier of contenders early on. As late as November 2025, Wright warned that the 49ers’ defense was “garbage” and their success unsustainable without key returns. Fast-forward to New Year’s Day 2026, and the 49ers have forced a reckoning: They’ve won six (or more) straight, scored prolifically, and positioned themselves for a dream playoff run—all while navigating injuries that would have sunk lesser teams.

The Injury Apocalypse: How the 49ers Defied the Odds

The 2025 season began with tempered expectations. Coming off a 6-11 record—the worst under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch—the 49ers faced significant roster reset. Key departures in free agency included linebacker Dre Greenlaw, guard Aaron Banks, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and cornerback Charvarius Ward. Preseason odds had them as NFC West favorites but not overwhelming Super Bowl picks, with many analysts (Wright included) predicting a bounce-back to 9-10 wins at best.

Then the injuries hit like a tidal wave:

• Quarterback Brock Purdy missed eight games with a turf toe injury sustained in the opener against Seattle.
• Edge rusher Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending torn ACL.
• Linebacker Fred Warner, the defensive heartbeat, was lost for the year with a fractured ankle.
• Rookie edge Mykel Williams (2025 first-round pick) also tore his ACL.
• Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk missed the entire season.
• Intermittent absences for George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and others.

Backup quarterback Mac Jones kept the ship afloat during Purdy’s absence, but the defense ranked near the bottom in yards allowed for stretches. By mid-season, the 49ers were relying heavily on rookies and depth pieces, prompting Wright to label them a “fringe contender” at best in his tiers. The Committee™️ reportedly pushed for higher placement based on Shanahan’s coaching, but Wright held firm: “Perpetually injured awesome players” like McCaffrey wouldn’t hold up.

Yet, the turnaround began in Week 11 with Purdy’s return. Since then, San Francisco’s offense has been the NFL’s hottest: Only the Jaguars scored more points in that span, and the 49ers led in passing success rate. A dramatic 42-38 Sunday Night Football victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 17—featuring multiple lead changes and a game-sealing stop—catapulted them into the No. 1 seed conversation. McCaffrey, defying Wright’s “perpetually injured” tag, dominated with elite rushing and receiving. Purdy elevated his play, posting MVP-caliber numbers down the stretch. Shanahan’s scheme, blending play-action, motion, and McCaffrey’s versatility, overwhelmed defenses.

Defensively, coordinator Robert Saleh (returning mid-season) adjusted brilliantly, forcing turnovers and limiting points despite personnel losses. Rookies stepped up, and veterans like Dee Winters delivered pick-sixes in clutch moments.

Nick Wright and The Committee™️: From Skeptics to Forced Admiration

Nick Wright’s relationship with the 49ers narrative has been contentious. Preseason, he predicted Chiefs over Buccaneers in Super Bowl LX, barely mentioning San Francisco. As injuries mounted, he doubled down: On “What’s Wright?,” he described their season as a “slow, painful death” leading to a “mini reboot.” He questioned Purdy’s ceiling, McCaffrey’s durability, and Shanahan’s ability to overcome roster holes.

The Committee™️—Wright’s secretive panel of seven (rumored to include friends, family, and even actor Eric Stonestreet)—occasionally tempered his bias. In past years, they’ve overruled him on teams like the Saints or Bills. For the 49ers, early tiers placed them in “fringe contenders” or lower. As late as Week 17, Wright’s podcast weighed the NFC West race but favored Seattle or the Rams.

Post-Bears win, however, Wright unveiled updated tiers on December 31, 2025, acknowledging: “NO ONE saw the 49ers coming as possible No. 1 seed.” He placed them atop or near the summit, admitting the offense’s dominance and Shanahan’s coaching mastery. The Committee™️ reportedly pushed for this elevation, highlighting complementary football and late-season momentum. Wright conceded: “This is Shanahan’s best work yet—overdue for Coach of the Year.”

Clips from “First Things First” went viral: Wright warning the NFC that a synced 49ers team (especially with home-field) is “scary.” Fans trolled him relentlessly on X, resurrecting old quotes about the 49ers’ “garbage” defense.

Why the 49ers Were Overlooked: Preseason Narratives and the Chaos of 2025

The 2025 NFL season has been “unhinged,” as The Athletic dubbed it—expected powers like the Eagles (defending champs) slumped mid-season, the Chiefs dealt with Mahomes’ ACL tear, and surprises like the Bears and Seahawks dominated early power rankings.

Preseason focus was on:

• NFC West rivals: Seahawks and Rams seen as deeper.
• Purdy’s contract looming.
• Injury history: McCaffrey’s wear-and-tear, Kittle’s age.
• Defensive losses: Bosa and Warner irreplaceable.

Analysts like Wright prioritized “talent on paper,” underrating Shanahan’s adaptability and Purdy’s growth. ESPN simulations had them missing playoffs or as low seeds. Bleacher Report and NFL.com bought low on their rebound potential.

But resilience shone: Purdy’s return unlocked the offense; McCaffrey stayed healthy and explosive; young players like Dominick Puni on the O-line excelled. Wins over contenders (split with Rams/Seahawks, blowouts elsewhere) built momentum.

The Week 18 Showdown and Playoff Path: A Dream Scenario Unfolds

Saturday’s game against Seattle decides everything: Winner gets No. 1 seed, bye, and home-field (potentially all the way to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara). A plausible path keeps playoffs entirely in the Bay Area—Wild Card bye, Divisional at Levi’s, NFC Championship at Levi’s, Super Bowl at Levi’s.

Odds shifted dramatically: From +1300 post-midseason to +950 (or shorter) entering Week 18. Experts now call them the NFC’s scariest team, with an offense peaking and defense opportunistic.

Shanahan, long snubbed for Coach of the Year (runner-up in 2019/2022), has his strongest case. Purdy silenced extension doubters. McCaffrey proved durable.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Vindication for the Faithful

No one—not Nick Wright, not The Committee™️, not the preseason odds-makers—saw this 49ers surge coming. From injury-ravaged also-rans to No. 1 seed contenders, San Francisco embodies NFL chaos and resilience. If they seize home-field and ride this momentum, Super Bowl LX could crown them champions in their backyard—a storybook ending to an improbable season.

The doubters, led by Wright, have eaten crow. As Fred Warner said post-Bears win: “We having a chance at the No. 1 seed? That’s us.” The 49ers didn’t just arrive—they crashed the party uninvited, and now they’re favorites to stay till the end.