Feb. 11, 2026, 6:45 p.m. PT
The San Francisco 49ers didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of winning Super Bowl 60, but they did surprise some people along the way, winning 12 games and eliminating the defending Super Bowl champions a wild-card upset.
San Francisco’s roster and coaching staff will undergo several changes over the coming weeks and months, but some already believe the team can reach new heights.
Among those believers, is ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado, who picked the 49ers to beat the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 61 on Wednesday.
“The 2025 season was a grind, with multiple injuries to key players such as edge rusher Joey Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle,” Maldonado wrote. “Yet the 49ers still piled up 12 wins and won a playoff game. A roster that’s already battle tested under that level of adversity should be a contending team once its health stabilizes.”
On top of that, she also chose 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey as her pick for 2026 NFL MVP.
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“McCaffrey is the engine of the Niners’ offense. He posted 1,202 rushing yards, had 924 receiving yards and carried the Niners through injuries all season,” Maldonado said. “If San Francisco stays mostly healthy and wins 12-plus games again, voters will reward the league’s most complete offensive playmaker.”
It’s been three decades since the 49ers last won a Super Bowl, and they’ve lost three since then. Winning one would be huge for this team, ownership, front office, coaching staff, quarterback, roster and fanbase.
However, to do that, they’ll have to overcome some big challenges.
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