Jerry Rice Sounds Off on Why 49ers Haven’t Won Super Bowl this Century

Jerru Rice's comments have some substance.

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers former wide receiver Jerry Rice before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers have come close to winning a sixth Super Bowl multiple times over the years.

Their last triumph came in 1994, more than 30 years ago. But they’ve reached the Super Bowl twice in Kyle Shanahan’s era, a stretch since 2017 that could have been a dynasty.

There are multiple reasons why the 49ers haven’t won the ultimate prize — questionable play-calling in high-stakes moments, coaching decisions, and more. But the franchise’s greatest wide receiver, Jerry Rice, weighs in on why San Francisco hasn’t been able to get over the hump.

Jerry Rice cites two reasons for the 49ers’ Super Bowl drought

Feb 14, 2025; Oakland, California, USA; Jerry Rice before the celebrity game ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Oakland Arena. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Speaking ahead of the new documentary "Rise of the 49ers,” Rice was asked why the organization has yet to win again despite reaching three Super Bowls since its heyday.

“I wish I knew, but I think it’s going to come down to the players," said Rice.

"The players, the leaders and those guys are going to have to totally commit to winning the whole thing.

"You know, the coaches, they can make the calls and all of that, but it’s still up to the players to go out there and make it happen.

"That’s what we did back in the day. We made it happen. Because we wanted to do it for the City of San Francisco. I’m serious. It was important for us to win for this city and Eddie DeBartolo, the greatest owner ever.

"The way we would travel, stay in the best hotels, do all of that, all Eddie wanted us to do was win. And that’s what we did.”

That viewpoint places much of the blame on the players, which is fair to a degree. However, the difference may lie in organizational structure. The DeBartolo era is long over, and the 49ers no longer operate with the same level of decisiveness or ruthlessness under current owner Jed York.

Another factor is that the 49ers no longer play anywhere near San Francisco. Levi's Stadium feels built for corporate comfort rather than football tradition, lacking the soul and character that defined Candlestick Park. As a result, the city of San Francisco no longer has an NFL home, and long-time fans feel a disconnect.

San Francisco has waited ages for another Super Bowl, but with all the near-misses lately, it feels like the sixth one might be just around the corner. The 49ers need to win one with Kyle Shanahan at the helm.