"[It] has to be good": Chris Broussard names key factor in 49ers' Super Bowl chase under Kyle Shanahan 

Kyle Shanahan took over as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. Under his guidance, they have had two Super Bowl appearances, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in both games. After an appearance in Super Bowl LVIII, the team had to address several injury concerns to key players last season.

This led to Shanahan's team finishing with a disappointing 6-11 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs. However, with the return of these key players, fans expect the 49ers to make another playoff run this year.

On Friday, Chris Broussard shared his thoughts on the 49ers ahead of the 2025 season. During an appearance on FS1's "First Things First," he highlighted a key factor that will determine if the 49ers can win their division this season and potentially go on a run in the playoffs.

"Look, obviously, Purdy has to be great," Broussard said (Timestamp: 1:47 onwards). "McCaffrey, you need him to be very good. But I'm going to go with the defense because that defense last year was the worst in the Kyle Shanahan era. ...With Robert Saleh back as defensive coordinator, I don't want to overstate his importance, but he's a good DC.

"And they drafted six rookies defensively, so maybe some of them will get some time. And then you still have Fred Warner, Nick Bosa. So that defense has to be good. I think the offense will be good, but I think the key is the defense," he added.

In this year's draft, the 49ers spent the majority of their picks on bolstering the defense. They acquired EDGE Mykel Williams in the first round, followed by Alfred Collins, Nick Martin, Upton Stout and CJ West in the second, third and fourth rounds, respectively. It was the first time since 1981 that they spent their first five draft picks on defensive players.

---

John Middlekauf defends Kyle Shanahan amid questions about his future with the 49ers

After a disappointing 6-11 campaign in 2024, some fans started questioning whether Shanahan was the right person to lead the team. Earlier this month, one fan brought out this question on John Middlekauf's "3 and Out" podcast.

Middlekauf addressed the question by defending Shanahan and the job he has done so far with the 49ers.

"You have to understand that Kyle Shanahan took over one of the worst teams I've ever seen," Middlekauf said (Timestamp: 21:27 onwards). "The 49ers were a f**king joke. Their roster was pitiful. Their culture was an embarrassment... So when you say a loaded roster, he built the thing.

"From 2019, goes to the Super Bowl... Two years later, he's in the NFC championship game again. And the other thing... he's winning these playoff games with Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy, not with some great quarterback," he added.

The 49ers begin their 2025 campaign with a showdown against the Seattle Seahawks in September.

How do you think the San Francisco 49ers will fare next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.