The 2025 NFL season is barely halfway over, but it already has been a long campaign for 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

It feels like San Francisco has left every matchup with some sort of devastating injury, from Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams suffering season-ending ACL tears to Fred Warner dislocating and breaking his ankle in Week 6. But after the 49ers made it out of their 42-26 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday unscathed, Shanahan could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Yes, definitely,” Shanahan told reporters via conference call Monday when asked if it was a strange feeling. “I’m still not totally believing it, so I’m going to wait until Wednesday to make sure nothing creeps up. But, it’s looking that way two days in a row, so hopefully that’ll be the case.”

So far it seems like good news on all fronts for the 49ers, despite the final score against their NFC West division rival. Linebacker Tatum Bethune, who took over the starting role after Warner’s season-ending injury, went to the blue medical tent briefly during Sunday’s game, but assured reporters afterward that he is OK.

Even though San Francisco didn’t have any players leave the game in Week 10, it was evident the team’s mounting injuries caught up to it on defense as Matthew Stafford threw for 280 yards with four touchdowns. Rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins was ruled out before the game with a hip injury, and even some of the 49ers who suited up for the contest weren’t at full strength.

Still, Shanahan believes the 49ers had a shot if they could have just played at the level they’re capable of.

“Yeah, I think when we know what our issue’s been for a while now, I think a lot of those guys got banged up during the practice week which I think made it tough,” Shanahan said. “Especially losing Alfred before the game, both of our linebackers being extremely limited throughout the week. I think that stuff does catch up. But, when you play against a good team, a really good offense like that, and you are in this situation we’re in, you better play at your best. And we didn’t do that at all. …

“So, we need to make sure that we play as good as we can each week, and when we do, I know this is a team that can win a lot of games regardless of who we play. Whether it’s a team that’s looking to try to have a real high seat in the playoffs or whether it’s a team that’s not going to the playoffs, I don’t see much difference. I see every game very similar and that we’re capable of beating anyone in this league in this situation we’re in. But, if you don’t play good, we’re also capable of losing to any team in this league, too. And that’s what we’ve got to make sure that we do a really good job over these next seven weeks, that we play as good as we can.

“And if we do, I really like our chances.”

Things won’t get any easier on the injury front for the 49ers, but they certainly face an easier opponent with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 at State Farm Stadium. It remains to be seen if starting quarterback Brock Purdy or wide receiver Ricky Pearsall return for the divisional clash, though both are expected to practice this week.

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