December 23rd 2024.
It was a bittersweet return for the San Francisco 49ers to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Five years had passed since their heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl LIV, and now they were back, facing the Miami Dolphins in what turned out to be a cruel twist of fate. Despite their best efforts, they were eliminated from playoff contention even before the game began, as both the Los Angeles Rams and the Washington Commanders had secured victories earlier in the day.
This meant that the 49ers, who had been projected to have less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs, were now just playing out the rest of the season. Their final home game would be against the Detroit Lions, and then they would close out the season on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, who had also been eliminated from contention. "We still have two weeks of football left," said tight end George Kittle, "and if I have football in front of me, I'm going to play as hard as I possibly can, and I'm going to try to get the guys around me to do the same."
The game against the Dolphins had many familiar themes for the 49ers this season: injuries to key players, an alarming number of penalties, an inability to force turnovers, and struggles on special teams. These issues, along with a late interception from quarterback Brock Purdy, ultimately led to their defeat. It was a disappointing result for the team's first meeting with the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium since 2016.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and several players acknowledged that the team had already been dealing with the reality of not making the playoffs, as it had essentially been sealed after their loss to the Rams the previous week. However, the official confirmation before the game did not affect their approach. "We still went into this game with the same mindset," Shanahan said. "Unfortunately, we just lacked concentration on offense and committed too many penalties."
Linebacker Fred Warner echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of creating turnovers. "One takeaway in the last five games is just not going to get it done," he said. "I challenged the defense at halftime, saying we needed to take the ball away to win the game, and we didn't do that."
The 49ers' struggles on the field were compounded by more injuries, with linebacker Dre Greenlaw leaving the game early, along with left tackle Jaylon Moore and left guard Aaron Banks in the second half. It was a familiar pattern for a team that has dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, and Shanahan acknowledged the need to protect Greenlaw from further harm. "We need to protect him from himself," he said.
Despite the disappointing result, there were some standout performances from the 49ers. Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, both stalwarts on the team, put in impressive efforts. Kittle reached 967 receiving yards for the season, and Samuel recorded 96 receiving yards and 25 rushing yards, along with a powerful touchdown catch in the first quarter. "George and Deebo, their heart and fight for our team and trying to get things going for us, you see it," Purdy said. "I'm very, very proud to play with them and their love for everybody on the field."
The second half of the game seemed to encapsulate the 49ers' season, with a starter getting injured, a costly penalty, and special teams mistakes. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't overcome these challenges, and Purdy was even playing behind a makeshift offensive line in the fourth quarter. "It hurts going through it," Purdy said, "but I still have all the faith in the world in what we can do moving forward."
Their defeat at the hands of the Dolphins also marked the end of an era for the 49ers, as it was the first time since he joined the team that they had no chance of making the playoffs. "Just have to appreciate playing this game," said defensive end Nick Bosa. "I don't think I've played a game where we don't really have a chance in the playoffs, so it was a different feel."
In the end, the Dolphins emerged victorious, thanks in part to five field goals from Jason Sanders. The 49ers had surrendered their only lead in the third quarter, and despite a late comeback attempt, they were unable to overcome their injuries and mistakes. It was a disappointing end to a season that had promised so much, but the 49ers will have to regroup and come back stronger next year. As for now, they can only reflect on what could have been.
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