San Francisco 49ers 2025 midseason awards for players and coaches

Now that the San Francisco 49ers are at the halfway point of the season, it is a good time to look back on the first nine weeks and assess where the team was and where they are now. Who are the big award winners in San Francisco this year?

MVP: Christian McCaffrey

It is almost funny to list McCaffrey as the team MVP because he is having his worst year as a rusher from an efficiency standpoint. His success rate and explosive runs are down. However, that is because he essentially is the offense at this point. He ranks in the top ten in both receiving and rushing yards, and his value in the pass game likely overshadows his run game. Just that he provides any value on the ground stamps in that he is the man.

San Francisco 49er — Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Rookie of the Year: Alfred Collins

When the 49ers came into the season, Collins was the least likely player to win this award. He did not have a strong preseason and was not hitting expectations. Some of the other rookies have struggled, but he made a game-changing play to win Week 5, and he has been getting more work every week. He is ascending into a real contributor.

San Francisco 49ers — Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Most Improved Player: Ricky Pearsall/Kendrick Bourne

Through four weeks, this was obviously Pearsall, but he has not been on the field for a quarter of the 49ers' season. Kendrick Bourne is only really playing because Pearsall is hurt. However, he already has his most yards and yards per route run since 2021. When Pearsall plays, he is breaking out; when Bourne plays, he is throwing back. Both have exceeded expectations.

Best Offseason Addition: Mac Jones

The San Francisco 49ers are 5-2 with Mac Jones as their starting quarterback this season. Jones is making less than backups such as Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson this season. There are few new faces making a bigger impact, especially at the dollar per value, that Jones is delivering.

Best Team Performance: Week 5 at the Rams

The 49ers were over a touchdown underdog, they just lost Nick Bosa, and they were on a short week against a division rival. Kyle Shanahan put together his best game plan of the season, the defense forced timely turnovers, and Sean McVay had his group nervous in the biggest moments. It was a dream sequence for 49ers fans and a win that should be celebrated no matter what happens this year.

Coach of the Year: Robert Saleh

The 49ers are 2-1 without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The unit is not nearly as good as when they were in there, but it is still better than last year with a different coordinator. They play fast, they play smart, and they make timely turnovers and stops. This is a credit to Saleh.

Offensive Player of the Year: Trent Williams

You can argue that all four offensive line spots, aside from Williams, have been a bit of a disappointment compared to expectations. However, the future Hall of Famer continues to be steady, reliable, and more than anything, healthy.

Defensive Player of the Year: Deommodore Lenoir

Who else do you choose? Warner and Bosa are out. Lenoir is clearly the third-best player. The pass defense is bad, but this is mostly due to the pass rush falling apart. More than that, teams throw at Renardo Green often; they throw at Upton Stout often. Opponents forced Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock off the field. Teams go out of their way to pick on the other names, but Lenoir is only targeted when they have to.