The grades are in following the NFL's annual player survey release.
The latest NFLPA report card is in, and the San Francisco 49ers landed squarely in the middle of the pack, ranking 14th overall among 32 teams.
On the surface, the grades reflect a well-run organization with respected leadership and strong internal culture, but dig a little deeper, and one glaring issue stands out, it’s not one most would expect.
Let’s start with the positives.
As anticipated, head coach Kyle Shanahan received an A-, reinforcing what many around the league already believe: players view him as one of the premier coaches in football.
His offensive coordinator also earned an A-, while the defensive coordinator and position coaches all pulled in A-level marks.
That’s no small feat considering the amount of turnover San Francisco has experienced on its staff in recent years.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh received an A despite mixed on-field results, a testament to his communication skills and leadership.
With Saleh moving on and Raheem Morris stepping into the role in 2026, Shanahan’s ability to once again build a coaching staff players trust will be crucial in this next Super Bowl window.
Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer earned a B+, the lowest mark among the coaching group, yet still a strong endorsement.
San Francisco’s special teams unit showed noticeable improvement this past season, even as injuries forced players into unfamiliar roles late in the year.
Off the field, the organization excelled in several categories. Ownership, the general manager, and team travel all received respectable marks.
The dining area (A), weight room (A), strength coaches (A), and Levi’s Stadium game field (A-) highlight a franchise investing heavily in player comfort and performance.
The natural grass surface at Levi's Stadium deserves special praise. Once criticized after the stadium opened, it’s now one of the league’s highest-rated playing surfaces, but then there’s the training room.
Both the training room and training staff were graded at a concerning C-. For a team whose recent seasons have been defined as much by injury reports as highlight reels, that rating is impossible to ignore.
Whether it’s a matter of space, resources, medical philosophy, or simple communication breakdowns, players clearly feel something is lacking.
To be fair, outsiders don’t have full visibility into the day-to-day operations. Training staff members often operate under the direction of team doctors and organizational policies.
Still, perception matters, and in this case, perception isn’t favorable.
If the 49ers are serious about maximizing their championship window, this offseason must include a hard look at their medical infrastructure.
The coaching staff has earned trust. The facilities, for the most part, are impressive. But if the injury narrative continues and these grades don’t improve next year, it would represent a significant organizational misstep.
For now, the 49ers remain a respected franchise, just one with a clear area of need that demands immediate attention.