The 49ers have been on the cusp of Super Bowl glory several times in recent seasons, only to fall short of the NFL mountaintop.
And while that might be frustrating for San Francisco fans, former NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels recently put things into perspective for the Faithful during an interview at Super Bowl Radio Row in Phoenix.
“This feels like a Napa Valley question -- it’s like, ‘Man, this cabernet is just not as good as I was hoping it would be. The ones over in Sonoma are a little bit better over there, sometimes.’ It feels like a good problem to have, is what I’m trying to say,” Rosenfels told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan for the latest episode of "49ers Talk."
In other words, things could be worse in the Bay. Even though the 49ers have yet to capture their sixth Vince Lombardi trophy, they find themselves in contention year after year.
Since coach Kyle Shanahan’s arrival in 2017, San Francisco has lost one Super Bowl and two NFC Championship Games. Some teams aren’t as lucky to have made it that far, that often.
“I just did a Chicago interview before this -- I mean, they’ve been a disaster of a franchise since the ‘85 Bears, basically,” Rosenfels told Maiocco and Chan. “... So, I think getting close is better than being not in the hunt at all. Of course you want those Lombardis, you want those trophies.
“But, man, it’s pretty nice to go to a football game or to watch a football game knowing that you’ve got one of the best teams in the National Football League, you’re in the hunt, and it’s really, really hard to win in this league.”
San Francisco 49ers
So, yes, losing big games isn’t fun for the players on the field or the fans watching in the stands and at home. But it’s much easier to do than winning, which the 49ers certainly have down to a science.
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And eventually, the 49ers Faithful’s patience will pay off.
“If I was a 49ers fan, yes, you want those Lombardis, but, man, it’s nice to be in the playoffs almost every year and NFC Championship Games and the Super Bowl every other year,” Rosenfels said. “That’s a pretty good problem to have.”