Steve Young Urges the 49ers to Address this Critical Weakness

This needs to be done.

Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Steve Young attends the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A recurring theme in Kyle Shanahan’s offenses is a relative lack of investment in the offensive line.

The reality is, the San Francisco 49ers need to start investing in the offensive line. This is the perfect time to start spending the big bucks.

It’s always been an area Shanahan has neglected, as he’s stated before that he doesn’t believe the offensive line needs to be exceptional for a quarterback to thrive in his system.

Steve Young believes the 49ers need to invest heavily

Steve Young will play in the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament this summer at Edgewood Tahoe. | Jim Krajewski/RGJ / USA TODAY NETWORK

While the 49ers reached the Super Bowl twice during his tenure, former quarterback and legend Steve Young believes this is a critical area that still needs to be addressed. San Francisco ranked 18th in the NFL with a 67.0 team pass-blocking grade in 2025.

Additionally, Trent Williams will be 38 before the start of the season, meaning this could be his final opportunity to secure the Super Bowl ring that has eluded him throughout his career.

"I thought they had some great games this year, but we need to get back to the 2019 offensive line, where they're the best in the league—top three," Young said on Bay Area radio station KNBR.

"It's not fair to say, 'Oh, he's [Williams] going to be the rock of our offensive line,'" Young said. "And so, I think we've got the makings of a great offensive line.

"If quarterback is the position in the NFL that needs to be prioritized, then the offensive line needs to be the second."

There's no better time than to invest in a competent offensive line

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan leaves the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The 49ers have fully committed to the Brock Purdy era after signing him to a five-year, $265 million contract last offseason.

Regardless of how one evaluates him as a quarterback, this is the ideal time to surround him with more support. Purdy has already battled a UCL injury in his right elbow and turf toe, two significant injuries early in his career.

Williams won’t be around forever. Although he has stated he plans to play in 2026, he’s a once-in-a-generation talent who probably had his worst year in 2025, though it was still a strong season.

Purdy has proven what a battler he is on the field. He played a key role in leading a depleted offense to a playoff victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions and ultimately took the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

But against the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to the Super Bowl, he struggled to make an impact. This happened twice.

The 49ers need to give him more support.

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