49ers’ title window shrinks after Super Bowl loss vs. Chiefs
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LAS VEGAS — Given a chance to put the narrative that has surrounded them for most of the past five years to rest, the San Francisco 49ers instead funneled all of it into a much larger question after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LVIII:
If not now, when?
These battle-tested and scarred Niners were built to win the franchise’s long-awaited sixth Lombardi Trophy, and they made bold moves over the past two years to do it. They traded four draft picks for running back Christian McCaffrey. They gave $40 million guaranteed to tackle Javon Hargrave to help plug a hole in the middle of their defense. And they found and developed 2022 seventh-round pick Brock Purdy, whom they steadfastly believe is their long-term answer at quarterback.
Even the travails of the past four years — a blown 10-point fourth-quarter lead to Kansas City in Super Bowl LIV, an injury-ravaged 6-10 pandemic season and back-to-back disappointing losses in the NFC Championship Game — were seen inside the walls of the Niners’ facility as fuel to strengthen their resolve.
Instead, the Chiefs stamped themselves as the league’s newest dynasty with a 25-22 overtime win for their third Super Bowl title in five seasons, with the Niners on the miserable end of two of them.
Sunday’s loss added one more devastating defeat to San Francisco’s ever-growing pile of them…
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