Why are 49ers out of the playoffs? Exploring 3 turning points in San Francisco's 2024 season

The San Francisco 49ers will not be playing in this season's playoffs. The NFC powerhouse franchise was eliminated from playoff contention before their Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins. Ahead of their last game of the season, let's highlight when the 49ers' season made a turn for the worst.

Why are the San Francisco 49ers out of the playoffs?

Here are three turning points in the 49ers' 2024 season:

#1. Christian McCaffrey's injury

Ahead of their season's opening game, star running back Christian McCaffrey was ruled out because of calf and Achilles injury. It initially looked like a mere hiccup, but it soon became apparent that McCaffrey would be out for a while.

Eventually, last season's Offensive Player of the Year played just four games before he was shut down for the rest of the season. McCaffrey is a major part of Kyle Shanahan's side, and the team looked lost for major stretches in his absence.

#2. Brandon Aiyuk's injury

Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers were involved in a tough negotiation over his new contract. The Pro Bowler wide review eventually inked a four-year, $120 million deal.

Unfortunately for both parties, Aiyuk suffered season-ending ACL and MCL injuries in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. What's worse is that he had also been in poor form, with notable drops and his training camp absence being discussed loudly by fans and analysts.

Aiyuk's injury left Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings as the 49ers' only fit veteran wide receivers. Aiyuk's absence was clear throughout the season, as the 49ers' offensive game plan looked rather predictable.

#3. Two three-game losing streaks

The NFC West was very competitive this season, with all four teams having Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks and talented head coaches. Hence, any losing streak could knock a team out of playoff contention.

Hence, the 49ers' playoff hopes took a major hit when they suffered not just one but two three-game losing streaks after their bye week. They lost three games from Week 11 to 13 and Week 15 to 17. They were officially eliminated when they lost their first game in the second losing streak.

The 49ers will now need to enter the offseason with concrete plans for retooling and building around players who are less likely to regress or suffer significant injuries. Kyle Shanahan remains one of the most brilliant offensive minds in the league, so he'll likely relish the challenge.