Hall of Famer Predicts 49ers Will Lose Their Division to This Team

The San Francisco 49ers endured a rough 2024 campaign, thanks in large part to a slew of injuries that destroyed them from the get-go. Over the offseason, they have shed quite a bit of talent, with the goal being to sign star quarterback Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension. While they inked him to a five-year, $265 million deal, it remains to be seen whether San Francisco has what it takes to get back to the top of the NFC West.

Right now, it feels like any team could win the NFC West, with the Los Angeles Rams having won the division last year, and the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals both looking like dark-horse squads. In the eyes of Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis, he believes it’s a two-team race, with one squad in particular having the upper hand over the 49ers.

Jerome Bettis Thinks Rams Will Win NFC West Over 49ers in 2025

Despite having a revolving door at the quarterback position for the better part of 15 years, the 49ers have remained one of the top teams in the NFL during that time. They’ve consistently made deep playoff runs, even advancing to the Super Bowl on three occasions during that stretch. However, they still haven’t won a championship since all the way back in 1994 when Steve Young was still under center.

The hope is that Purdy will help San Francisco get back to the top of the mountain after he was so close to doing so in Super Bowl LVIII. Since that defeat, though, San Francisco has undergone a slew of changes, and it remains to be seen how that impact them in 2025. They still have a ton of talent at their disposal, but will that be enough for them to prevail in their division?

Bettis, who started his NFL career with the Rams, doesn’t seem to think so. After seeing L.A. nearly take down the eventual champion last season, the Philadelphia Eagles, in their divisional round matchup, Bettis believes that not only are they capable of taking down the Eagles, but that they also will beat out the 49ers for the division title for the second straight year.

“In their division, they are the favorites,” Bettis told DJ Siddiqi of RG.org. “I think the Niners are going to be good, but not great. The Rams definitely have an advantage on that side. I think the team they’re going to have to beat is going to be the Eagles. They’re going to be right back at it again. They’re built to beat the Eagles, and if they can slow down the running game, they’ve got a chance.”

Can the 49ers Beat the Rams in the NFC West?

Even with several of their key players finding new homes this offseason, San Francisco has enough talent to make a run this season. Purdy is still leading the way under center, and he is surrounded by Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings to name just a few playmakers. And after attacking the defensive side of the ball in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Niners may feature a young, upstart unit that could surprise a lot of folks.

The Rams have spent their offseason fine-tuning their own roster, and considering how dangerous they looked in the postseason last year, it’s fair to wonder whether or not the 49ers have enough firepower to get past them. Time will tell, but San Francisco cannot be ruled out just yet, even though they haven’t exactly had an explosive offseason.