49ers RBs Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason both headed to IR
"After McCaffrey departed, Mason capably filled in, much like he has all season. Mason had 13 carries for 78 yards against Buffalo, despite the ankle injury and, at one point, being evaluated and cleared for a concussion.
Mason finishes his season while leading the Niners in rushing with 789 yards and three touchdowns through the team's first 12 games. McCaffrey posted 202 rushing yards and no touchdowns in his abbreviated action. Mason is set to be a restricted free agent after the season with McCaffrey under contract at a cap charge of $9.8 million for 2025."
49ers Injuries: McCaffrey not the only season-ending injury
"But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Shanahan confirmed that the 49ers had at least one, and probably two other season-ending injuries. Defensive tackle Kevin Givens tore his pectoral and Jordan Mason suffered a high ankle sprain. Both will go on injured reserve, as will McCaffrey.
As for everyone else, Aaron Banks and Jordan Elliott are still in concussion protocol. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) is day-to-day, while Deommodore Lenoir (knee) should practice Wednesday.
Both Nick Bosa and Trent Williams are in the same boat and will be evaluated this week. Dre Greenlaw will continue to practice with his 21-day practice window opened, and Talanoa Hufanga will have his 21-day practice window opened Wednesday. He'll have to use a device or brace to play through his wrist injury."
49ers look a lot like their 2020 snakebit selves in snowy, blowout loss to the Bills (paywall)
"Afterward, the 49ers said they were surprised by how badly the weather deteriorated but wouldn't use that as an excuse.
"At the end of the day, they played on the same field we played on," Samuel said."
Kittle identifies 49ers' two biggest weaknesses this season
"I feel like we've been very, very below average in the red zone, and we have a ton of turnovers," Kittle told reporters after Sunday's loss. "I don't think our run attack has been very great this entire season until tonight, I think we were moving the ball really well. Whether that's because Christian [McCaffrey] was out the first nine weeks, he was a big part of our offense and we had to change a lot of stuff because we couldn't have him in even though [Jordan] Mason was running really well."
Kawakami: The 49ers have fallen and they're not getting back up
"And you never know which backups might give evidence that they shouldn't be backups anymore. The 49ers might have found something in tackle Jaylon Moore, who has stepped in at left tackle for Trent Williams and looked solid. Could Moore, still only 26, be the answer at right tackle next season, and maybe as the heir apparent on the other side when Williams retires? And 26-year-old Ben Bartch, forced into the left guard spot with Aaron Banks out, looked pretty good on Sunday, too. Could he take over that position next season? This a potential head start for the tougher decisions the 49ers will have to make in the spring.
In a thematic way, they can approach the offseason the way the Eagles approached last offseason after their collapse late in 2023 and then in an early playoff exit. They didn't panic. They didn't tear everything up. They brought in two good coordinators, they reset some other pieces, they signed MVP candidate Saquon Barkley, and they also kept calm after a mediocre start to 2024. Now they've won eight consecutive games and are 10-2, battling the 11-1 Lions for the top seed in the NFC.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni isn't nearly as accomplished or heralded as Shanahan (not counting the angry 49ers fans currently chanting for a firing), but I think there's a lesson or two worth examining here. For the next five games, Shanahan can take a broader look at Nick Sorensen's defense, which definitely isn't at the 49ers' lofty standards of just a few years ago. And Shanahan can start a self-evaluation, too, instead of grinding every second just to hold on to 2024."
Where 49ers would pick in 2025 NFL Draft if season ended today
"There's a very realistic scenario where the 49ers finish the season earning a selection somewhere in the middle of the first round.
The bright side is that San Francisco appears to have added multiple difference makers with a few of its 2024 draft picks, and could have a valuable opportunity to retool an aging roster by adding an impact player near the top of the first round -- something the 49ers haven't done since taking Bosa in 2019."
How 49ers are supporting Williams, Ward through unthinkable tragedies
"He did a little bit of that last week," Shanahan said of Williams' absence at the facility, with a slight crack in his voice. "Something that happened that last week and he was there at the hospital with her and got to meet him and say bye. And then he had to cremate him on Friday, so he's been dealing with that and he's working through it. But we're all just trying to be here for him through it all."
Shanahan believes that players being around each other during these incredibly sorrowful events can offer much-needed support for each other. While it's difficult, they often can find solace with their brothers.
"When you've got to deal with tragedies like this, it's hard as a coach, it's hard as a friend, it's hard as a family member, it's hard for everybody," Shanahan said. "But we spend a lot of time with each other, and that's what's cool about a football team.
"Whatever you go through, the good or the bad, we go through it together. I do like that they have this, they have a group of guys they can go to, a group of guys that could see them every day. And you can't ever escape that full grief, but I do think it's nice for those guys to have another avenue to get out on the football field, to get around teammates and things like that."
San Francisco 49ers Williams, wife, grieve loss of stillborn son
"Posting to her Instagram account over the weekend, Sondra Williams said Trenton Jr. was stillborn 35 weeks into her pregnancy, adding that the couple lost Trenton's twin earlier in her pregnancy.
"Thank God for allowing us to bond for 35 weeks and for me to birth you so I could hold you in my arms," Sondra Williams wrote. "I'm at peace knowing you will never have to suffer."
In the post, Sondra Williams said Trenton Jr. had been diagnosed with trisomy 13, also known as Patau syndrome. According to the National Institute of Health, trisomy 13 is "a type of chromosome disorder characterized by having three copies of chromosome 13 in cells of the body, instead of the usual two."