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Commentator Colin Cowherd on the red carpet for a 2022 party.
The San Francisco 49ers, when healthy, are one of the elite teams in the NFL. They are coming off a 12-win season despite being one of the most injured teams in the league yet again. However, age and injury history could be an issue for this team if the cards don’t fall their way in 2026.
Of course, Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd has spotted this team’s weakness. While he believes in the greatness of the team’s best players, he doesn’t exactly trust their track record. At least, that’s the opinion he shared via Fox Sports’s The Herd on Wednesday.
The San Francisco 49ers Are Due a Healthy Year
GettySan Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has yet to play a full season in the NFL.
Here is what Cowherd had to say about his lack of trust in the 49ers:
“They’re really old and really expensive and really brittle. The issue is that is hard in pro sports. Older players get hurt more often and take longer to recover, and in football, you know you’re getting tackled…I’m not denying the greatness of the aforementioned players…I think the Niners have gotten kind of nostalgic…When I look at the Niners, I just don’t get the plan.”
Colin Cowherd on the 49ers roster:
“When I look at the Niners, I just don’t get the plan. It doesn’t feel or look right. Old, brittle and expensive do not age well in the NFL.”
Cowherd did mention All-Pro players like tight end George Kittle, running back Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and newly-signed wide receiver Mike Evans as older players who have an injury history. These players will all likely be in the Hall of Fame one day. However, their age and health have failed them at certain points, which is partially why everyone, except Evans, has failed to win a Super Bowl. Will the same thing happen this season?
Kyle Shanahan Is Running Out of Time With the Current Core
Getty49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has yet to win a Super Bowl ring in his coaching career.
Not only have injuries been an issue for the Niners, but age is starting to become that, as well. The aforementioned players above, along with linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, are 29 years of age or older. As good as this group is, the time to win a Super Bowl is running out. NFL players have short career spans, so once they near their thirties, they are playing on borrowed time. But it isn’t just time being against the Niners. It is also the rest of the NFL fighting them, which is an issue.
The NFC West could very well be the best division in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl last season after going 13-4, and the Los Angeles Rams and 49ers both posted 12 wins. While the Arizona Cardinals won just three games in 2025, they can’t be much worse in 2026. The rest of the NFC has the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and other dark-horse teams in the running for a deep playoff run. Sure, the 49ers are in the title conversation. But if this team has to fight against time and health, the odds will be against them.
Tim Lindsey A Chicago-area native, Tim Lindsey has covered the world of sports through a variety of different lenses. More specifically, he has been an NFL writer for sites such as Sports Illustrated and PFSN. Notable teams like the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers have been a major point of emphasis for the longtime writer in the past. More about Tim Lindsey