I saw Caleb Williams start off his 2025 season, on Monday Night Football, looking every bit like the second coming of Patrick Mahomes that he was advertised to be. He completed his first 10 passes. He was so deft on his feet that Minnesota pass rushers could never get home. And he spread the wealth, completing passes to five different receivers on his first drive alone.
Some of the more reactionary members of the fan base actually believed the 49ers were tanking the season after retooling their roster. What they really did was make themselves better and kept their contention window open for at least two more years.
"We were in a competitive moment. Tempers flared. We tried to push the guys to the edge. They went a little bit over. But at the same time, that's the edginess you have to play with when we have these opportunities."