While the faithful have enjoyed their fair share of wins, the 49ers have not won a championship in 30 years, and one glaring issue looms over the franchise: San Francisco's star players have spent more time on the bench than on the field.

Although it's a bit of hyperbole, the 49ers cannot stay healthy. Every season, headlines rise out of the Bay Area that someone is dealing with some sort of ailment.

The 2023 NFL season was the healthiest San Fransico had been in the last decade, yet disaster struck again on the biggest stage.

Fan favorite linebacker Dre Greenlaw made it only a little over a quarter through the Super Bowl, as he tore his Achilles running onto the field with 9:26 to go in the second quarter. 

This freak injury stole all the momentum from the 49ers, who at that point had complete control of the game. Backup linebacker Oren Burks struggled to contain Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, which proved costly as he played a key role in defeating San Francisco 25-22 in overtime. 

Instances like this have proved not only costly for the team but also highly frustrating to a fanbase.

The severity of the injury to Greenlaw wasn’t anything new to the 49ers either, as defensive end Nick Bosa had torn his ACL during the 2020 season. A few seasons later, quarterback Brock Purdy’s incredible rise to relevancy was cut short in the NFC championship game after tearing the UCL in his elbow. 

With other minor sprains, strains and fractures scattered across other stars like George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams and others, the organization hoped that the 2025 season would turn a new leaf when it came to staying on the field.

While fans were skeptical, knowing their team’s history, training camp came and went without a hitch, and the team was ready to roll in Week 1 against the division rival Seattle Seahawks.

While San Francisco left Seattle with a win, the injury theme followed close behind. Tight end George Kittle left the game with a hamstring strain and was eventually placed on short-term injured reserve, and Brock Purdy suffered a toe injury that left him in and out of the lineup to this day.

The shorthanded team then traveled to New Orleans to take on the Saints, with backup quarterback Mac Jones leading them to a win and avoiding any serious injuries.

Week 2, however, was the only week that San Francisco avoided health ailments, as Bosa tore his ACL yet again in the team's home opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

A big blow sure, but one the team was confident they could overcome with such a deep defensive line. Soon, though, other players followed suit and took trips to the blue medical tent.

Wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings both suffered injuries against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and in what seemed to sum up the 49ers “curse.”

In an almost comical moment on the sideline, as doctors checked up on Jennings, Pearsall was injured and attempted to walk in, just to come face to face with his teammate.

It’s incredibly rare to see a team with so many injury designations, and almost unfathomable to need more than one tent on the sideline. For the Niner faithful, it almost felt like just another Sunday.

San Francisco pulled off an unexpected upset in Week 5 against the Rams in Los Angeles, giving the fanbase hope that leaders like Fred Warner could carry the load while the team's household names rested up.

That was the case until the following week, as Warner joined the injury club for the first time in his career. While attempting to make a tackle on Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White, safety Ji’Ayir Brown rolled up on Warner’s lower leg, dislocating and fracturing the star linebacker's ankle, effectively ending his season.

This injury felt a little different for the franchise, as Warner was the one guy who seemed immune to the trend, having only missed one game since being drafted in 2017, and was one of the vocal leaders of the locker room.

To lose someone who is not only one of the NFL’s best on either side of the ball, but also to lose the leadership he brought as the focal point of the defense, was yet another thorn in the 49ers' side.

While the season is far from over, San Francisco has managed to reach a 4-2 record and currently sits atop the NFC West. However, working without both of their defensive superstars is proving to be a difficult task.

The 49ers now look toward an Atlanta Falcons team on Sunday Night Football that just handed the Buffalo Bills its second loss of the year.

 In what should be a competitive game, some reinforcements should be on their way for San Francisco. George Kittle has been cleared to return from his hamstring injury, and there is potential for Brock Purdy to get back on the field as well, depending on how his week of practice goes.

It remains to be seen what kind of season these 49ers will end up having, but the question of just how many more injuries can happen to one team is starting to become increasingly significant. 

Expect the Bay Area’s team to be fighting for a playoff spot, as long as they can still field a 53-man roster.