Every January, the San Francisco 49ers arrive at the same intersection of urgency and uncertainty. And the expectations never change.
The names on the marquee rarely do, either.
Christian McCaffrey. Trent Williams. George Kittle. Brock Purdy. Nick Bosa. Fred Warner. This era of Niners football has been defined by star power and sustained contention, but also by fragility —seasons bent and reshaped by injuries, depth tested to its limit, margins thinning when January arrives.
That reality frames this playoff run as the Niners prepare to travel across the country for Wild Card Weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles.