Super Bowl LX is slated for Feb. 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. But if the San Francisco 49ers plan to be there, they’re going to have to prove it with a youth moment this offseason, according to Jerry Rice.
The Hall of Fame wideout is not optimistic about his former team’s roster moves coming off last season’s 6-11 struggles that followed a Super Bowl appearance the previous campaign.
“I just feel like we added on too many pieces. The reason why I say that is these guys are young guys,” Rice said recently, via the San Jose Mercury News. “I would have preferred to sort of leave everything like last year, add on to that, and have a chance for this coming year.”
The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick and let several other veterans go elsewhere in free agency. Brandon Aiyuk is returning from a season-ending knee injury after signing a mega extension last fall and fellow wideout Jauan Jennings wants a new contact entering the final year of his current deal.
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“A lot of young guys,” Rice said. “Now, can Kyle Shanahan pull it together and can these guys jell? We have to wait and see. But there’s this big question mark if it’s going to work. I’m always going to go Niners no matter what. But we’re bringing in so many young players. It’s going to take a while for that team to jell. If it doesn’t happen this year, then maybe the next couple of years.”
The 49ers prioritized re-signing three core starters with contract extensions — quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner — and welcomed back former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who called the plays in San Francisco from 2017 to 2020.
San Francisco’s 11 draft picks included six additions on defense, featuring 11th overall pick Mykel Williams out of Georgia and Alfred Collins in the second round, a mainstay in the middle of the Texas defensive line previously.
The rest of the offseason consisted primarily of cost-effective additions and freeing up cap space, including agreements with cornerback Tre Brown and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. That’s part of the reason Rice is skeptical of the 49ers’ shot at being a competitor in the NFC when others — including several in San Francisco’s own division — were more active in free agency and roster enhancements.
Rice, a three-time Super Bowl champion, is certainly entitled to his opinion. He was a 12-time Pro Bowl performer over 16 seasons with San Francisco before playing the final four years of a 20-year career in Oakland and Seattle.
Rice is the NFL‘s all-time leader in catches (1,549), receiving yards (22,895) and receiving touchdowns (194).
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Author: Brad Crawford
July 14, 2025 | 12:46 pm
