What the 49ers Need to Learn From the NFC Championship Game

The 49ers better have watched the NFC Championship game so that they could've been reminded of this important factor.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs after a catch against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers had to have been rooting for both teams to lose in the NFC Championship game. Watching two division rivals duke it out for a spot in the Super Bowl has to be nauseating for them, assuming anyone watched.

Hopefully, the 49ers did watch the game. Both the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams showed the 49ers something in the game that they need to learn from.

Seahawks/Rams taught the 49ers a lesson

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) scores a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

They need a true No. 1 wide receiver. Jaxon Smith-Njigba proved how invaluable he is to the Seahawks. His impact opens up their offense so much.

The same goes for the Rams with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, which is overkill with two dominant receivers. Just one of them is enough for the Rams' offense to be elite.

And that's all the 49ers need. It was supposed to be Brandon Aiyuk before that situation came crumbling down. You can't fault the 49ers too much when they did try to have a No. 1 receiver.

When that became clear, Aiyuk wasn't going to stay; the 49ers turned their attention to Ricky Pearsall in training camp. That is probably why they hyped him up so much during that phase.

Pearsall was only healthy for four games, and in those games, he showed how skilled a player he is. But is he as dominant as Aiyuk was? Or even close to Smith-Njigba, Nacua, and Adams?

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) makes a catch against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) during the second half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Not at all. Even if he was, Pearsall is an unreliable player. He's always hurt. It's not a hot take to say that he's an injury-prone player. The 49ers need to view him as a No. 2, and that's okay.

He'd be a great complementary receiver, but now the 49ers have to go find that lead guy. The NFC Championship acts as a lesson and reminder to them that they need one.

Kyle Shanahan can only scheme decent players open so much. Eventually, when it comes to high-pressure games against strong defenses, it's talent that wins, not scheme.

Imagine if the 49ers had Aiyuk against the Seahawks. They would've scored at least one touchdown. No one was getting open against Seattle's defense.

Even against the Philadelphia Eagles, the 49ers needed Demarcus Robinson to have an outlier All-Pro performance. Without that, they lose in the Wild Card round.

Having a No. 1 receiver is pivotal. Addressing it in the draft isn't enough, and there isn't a clear dominant player (Mike Evans, maybe) in free agency either. A trade will be the avenue they need for it.

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