Broadcaster Colin Cowherd has raised significant concerns about the San Francisco 49ers' prospects for the upcoming 2026 NFL season, suggesting the team may be on a downward trajectory. Cowherd articulated his views on Monday during "The Herd," where he compared the team's potential collapse to the movie "Thelma & Louise."
Cowherd pointed to the 49ers' roster as being the oldest in the league, with several key veteran players returning from significant surgeries. He identified Trent Williams, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans, and Fred Warner as crucial players facing age and recovery challenges.
Specifically, Kittle is working back from Achilles surgery with an uncertain Week 1 availability. Running back Christian McCaffrey is on a managed workload schedule during practice, following a 2025 season where he led the NFL in total touches, scrimmage yards, and touchdowns. The report also notes Bosa is recovering from his second surgery, and Warner also underwent surgery. Williams is noted to be 38 years old, and Evans is described as "often banged up."
Further complicating the team's outlook, Cowherd highlighted injuries to recent high draft selections. He stated that Ricky Pearsall, one of the team's last two first-round picks, is out for the year due to injury. Mykel Williams, another recent first-round selection described as a talented young player, is also reportedly dealing with an injury that will prevent him from playing in Week 1.
Cowherd contrasted the 49ers' draft performance with that of their NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. He suggested that both the Seahawks and Rams have drafted more successfully in recent years, leading him to believe that the 49ers might be underdogs in at least four of their matchups against division opponents.
The team's early-season schedule includes home games against the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals after their trip to Australia. However, Cowherd remains skeptical about San Francisco's ability to remain competitive over a full 17-game season, expressing doubt about their playoff potential. He stated, "I don't think they're a playoff team. I love the coach. I love McCaffrey. I love the organization. I think they're heading right for a cliff."