Steve Young Explains Why Winning 'Dogfights' Will Boost 49ers' Super Bowl Hopes

Interesting.

January 19, 2020; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers former quarterback Steve Young before the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

On paper, the San Francisco 49ers have had enjoyed perfect start to 2026 as they're 6-0 for the season so far.

However, the game is played on grass, and San Francisco is dealing with a temporarily depleted offense, including injury concerns for key veterans Mike Evans and Nick Bosa.

The Atlanta Falcons arrive for Week 7, then a bye week, but the second half of the season brings tough games against the Minnesota Vikings, the Seattle Seahawks, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers could be tough games too, but the former has placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on season-ending IR while Justin Herbert has yet to perform to his previous standards. Who knows what will happen for these matchups.

Former 49ers quarterback Steve Young believes that, despite San Francisco boasting the best record possible, certain games will still provide tricky tests. The last thing he wants is to see the team repeat what happened against the Washington Commanders, when they built a 23–3 lead only to nearly surrender it following an inspired late comeback.

“We’re 6-0, but I want to make sure that we lock things down because we’re not we don’t have that. The team in ’23 was by far the best roster in football. That’s the fact," said Young on KNBR’s Sports Leader show.

"And we were just running people out of the state. We’re just running them out. And that’s not what’s going to happen this year. So, we’re going to get in some dogfights, maybe more than we want to. And so, I don’t want to get in dogfights by allowing teams that are down and out ways to live again.

“Like, all the games where we want to just put people away or the games where we’re not in the dogfight, and I think there’s dogfights coming, and I always want to make sure we’re ready for them.

There are games coming up that the 49ers simply cannot afford to lose, particularly against opponents they are expected to beat.

Tougher tests later in the season mean the occasional defeat may be inevitable, but dropping a winnable game could come back to bite them. Defeating both the Rams and the Seahawks gives a buffer, but questions about whether they can do it again could be raised.

San Francisco must be smart with its veteran players, manage injuries carefully and ensure its key contributors are available for the games that will ultimately define its season. Case in point: future Hall of Famer Mike Evans.

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