49ers Using Injury Excuse for Losing to the Seahawks is Shameless

Losing brutally to the Seahawks in the playoffs has the 49ers shamelessly hanging onto excuses.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) blocks Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Losing to the Seattle Seahawks 41-6 in the divisional playoff round should've been gutwrenching for the San Francisco 49ers.

To lose in that way to a division rival is heartbreaking and enraging. The 49ers should've been upset, disappointed, and fiery after the loss.

But that wasn't the messaging or vibes from the players. Instead, many of them, like Trent Williams and Deommodore Lenoir, shamelessly held onto the injury excuse.

49ers are hugging the injury excuse

Trent Williams downplays the notion that this Seahawks defense "has the 49ers' number."

“We’re down the best tight end in the world, right? There’s a lot we’re up against — not just Seattle.” pic.twitter.com/JO54tkeLTL

— KNBR (@KNBR) January 18, 2026

"When you're playing with guys you're signing off the practice squad, guys you taking off the street - you got to temper expectations a little bit," said Williams.

Lenoir added to that when he was asked if the results would be different if the 49ers were healthy. "Landslide," he said (h/t KNBR).

"To have those guys, (it would have been) a totally different game. But I mean, we can't make no excuses. We had enough guys in here to get the job done, so I feel like it didn't just go in our favor."

It's one thing if Lenoir says it would've been closer, but a landslide? Does he know what the score was? And the way his demeanor is when he's asked, it's as if the 49ers didn't just get destroyed.

Deommodore Lenoir said tonight's game would have been a "landslide" if the 49ers had been healthy.

"To have those guys, [it would have been] a totally different game. But I mean we can't make no excuses. We had enough guys in here to get the job done." pic.twitter.com/G9vOZ8eQgr

— KNBR (@KNBR) January 18, 2026

No one showed any typical emotion that a playoff beatdown loss would invoke. They were all rather lackadaisical, and it's because the 49ers just chalked it up to injuries.

It's one thing if fans and pundits say it. But the players who are out there going to war on the gridiron cannot. They need to express how they needed to be better.

By saying it would've been a "landslide" if they were healthy, especially when Week 1 was a struggling win, is giving arrogance. Some players on the 49ers don't feel the sting of the loss.

It's indicative of their mindset going into their matchup with the Seahawks. To jump so quickly to this excuse means they didn't think they had a legitimate chance to win.

Brock Purdy emotional as the 49ers trail the Seahawks in the playoffs 💔

(📺 FOX) pic.twitter.com/CbCQp1LBqq

— ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2026

The only player who visibly showed any disappointing emotions from the loss was Brock Purdy. The broadcast cut to a dejected Purdy getting hugged by defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.

You can see how upset Purdy was, and you have to love that. He's a true competitor. He probably blames himself for not playing better, even though he had a fairly solid game.

Ricky Pearsall was the lone player who didn't hang onto the injury excuse. He's the one player who can, since he's literally playing through a PCL sprain, but he chose to pass on the excuse. What a guy.

Losing horrifically to the Seahawks should've left the 49ers sour. Instead, they viewed it as playing with "house money" the whole time. It's sad how this team is stooping down to being content with participation trophies.

That mindset had to have factored into this embarrassing loss.

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