For the first time since the 2020 NFL season, the 49ers head into their final two games having already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Only outside the building is there talk of star players needing to protect themselves from injury by not playing in the game. In the 49ers’ locker room, there is not even a hint of less pressure or effort to prepare for a Monday night visit from the Detroit Lions, especially from coach Kyle Shanahan.
“Got to tell them welcome to the reality of the world,” Shanahan said when asked how he is directing his team. “I think that’s a credit to some of the situations we’ve been in here the last few years. But that’s not the only reason you play. This is your job, you’re putting on a 49er uniform.”
Shanahan believes the 49ers’ approach to the game has not changed since discovering that their playoff hopes were over just prior to kickoff of their Week 16 loss to the Dolphins. The writing already was on the wall after San Francisco’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15.
Nick Bosa and Fred Warner both are adamant that the mentality of the locker room is as locked in as always, even with the realization that their season is over after just two more games.
“I think it’s good,” Bosa said. “It’s obviously not where you want to be this time of year. It’s different. Especially watching where we were at last year against this team. Just that feeling of December, January football is a feeling that I’ve gotten used to.
“Being really competitive and being in the mix but I think we are doing a good of staying engaged and obviously this is our job so we are going to finish it strong.”