49ers May Not Play Another Road Game All Season Including The Playoffs And Super Bowl
No NFL team has ever played entire postseason at home
In a season in which they've overcome more injuries to consequential players than any team has a right to endure, the San Francisco 49ers may just do something amazing the next few weeks.
By beating the Chicago Bears in perhaps the best NFL game of the season Sunday night, the 49ers took a step toward playing their regular-season finale, the entire playoffs and the Super Bowl at home in Levi's Stadium.
49ers Must Win No. 1 Seed
The thing Kyle Shanahan's team has to do to begin enjoying such a gargantuan advantage in the postseason is beat the Seattle Seahawks next Saturday night in a game that will determine the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
And if the 49ers win that game that will be played, you guessed it, at Levi's Stadium, they will not get on a charter flight or sleep in a hotel bed again even if they reach Super Bowl LX, which will be played at Levi's Stadium.
"We'd love an opportunity to never leave here again this year," Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said after the victory over the Bears.
Shanahan: A Game We Want
The 49ers have authored a 12-4 record and will host Seattle for the NFC West title and the conference’s No. 1 overall seed at 8 p.m. on ABC and ESPN Saturday.
"It's a hell of a deal to have the opportunity to play for the No. 1 seed," Shanahan said. "I mean, we've earned this. This is the game that we want. We love that it's here."
A victory would give the 49ers a first-round bye in the wild-card round of the postseason. They would host a divisional round game at Levi's Stadium on Jan. 17-18. If they win that game, they would host the NFC Championship game Jan. 25 at Levi's Stadium.
If the 49ers make it, they would play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 at Levi's Stadium.
You don't think the jeans company is rooting for a lot of 49ers success the next few weeks with all that free marketing at stake?
The rise of artificial intelligence and AI platforms like ChatGPT has been useful. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Niners Feat Would Be Unprecedented
And this is where we turn to some AI help to see if this has ever happened before. Let's see…
The Los Angeles Rams played Super Bowl XIV in Los Angeles. But they played at the Rose Bowl and their home stadium was the Coliseum back then. Plus, the Rams were on the road throughout the playoffs, so they don't count here.
The 49ers played Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium, which made the game something of a home game. But their home field was Candlestick Park back then, so, nope, that would not match this feat.
Bucs, Rams Played Home Super Bowls
The Buccaneers played Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium and that is indeed their home field. But the Bucs were on the road throughout the playoffs, so that doesn't match what the 49ers might do.
The Rams won Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium and that is their home field. But they also played a playoff game on the road in Tampa. So again, that would not match what the 49ers might do.
The fact is no other team has spent the entire postseason at home.
"For us to be in this position is really cool," quarterback Brock Purdy said. "We're all grateful for it but at the same time, we've got to do something about it. We've got to watch the film, get better, and go execute and win."