The 2016 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 67th in the National Football League (NFL), their 71st overall, their third playing their home games at Levi's Stadium and their only season under head coach Chip Kelly. The season saw the 49ers attempting to rebound from their 5–11 record the previous year, but they finished 2–14, with both wins coming against their division rival Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers also nearly became the first team (and only the second since the AFL–NFL Merger in 1970) since the 2001 Carolina Panthers to win their opener and lose the remainder of their games, prior to the 49ers' Week 16 win over the Rams. Consequently, the 49ers became the first team to achieve this dubious distinction twice, having previously achieved this 2004, when they also finished 2–14, both wins against the Arizona Cardinals. The 49ers' 1–7 home record tied the worst home record in franchise history (not including the strike-shortened 1982 season). As a result, the 49ers fired Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke.
The 49ers defense also set an NFL record by allowing a 100-yard rusher in seven straight games and easily finished last in the league in rush defense.
Offseason
Coaching changes After the 2015 season ended, the 49ers fired Jim Tomsula as head coach. On January 14, 2016, the 49ers hired Chip Kelly as their head coach. Kelly had spent the previous three seasons as head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and had been fired before finishing what would turn out to be a disappointing 7–9 Eagles season.
Roster changes
Free agency The 49ers entered free agency with the following: Position Player Free agencytag Date signed 2016 Team Notes G Alex Boone UFA March 10, 2016 Minnesota Vikings Signed 4-year contract WR Anquan Boldin UFA July 26, 2016 Detroit Lions - TE Garrett Celek UFA February 23, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 4-year extension DT Ian Williams UFA March 23, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contract G Jordan Devey ERFA April 4, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Tendered one-year contract HB Kendall Gaskins ERFA June 20, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed two-year contract ILB Michael Wilhoite RFA March 8, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Tendered one-year contract K Phil Dawson UFA March 14, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contract OLB Ray-Ray Armstrong RFA March 8, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year extension RB Reggie Bush UFA August 1, 2016 Buffalo Bills Signed 1-year contract RB Shaun Draughn UFA March 2, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contract DE Tony Jerod-Eddie RFA April 4, 2016 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contractRFA: Restricted free agent, UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent LEGEND Light green background indicates a player has been re-signed by the 49ers. Light red background indicates a player has departed the 49ers.
Signings Position Player 2015 Team Date signed Notes WR Eric Rogers Calgary Stampeders (CFL) January 20, 2016 Signed 2-year QB Thad Lewis Philadelphia Eagles March 10, 2016 Signed 1-year G Zane Beadles Jacksonville Jaguars March 22, 2016 Signed 3-year WR Ryan Whalen Minnesota Vikings August 23, 2016 Signed 1-year Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's season.
Departures Position Player Date Notes RB Jarryd Hayne May 15, 2016 Retired
Draft
2016 San Francisco 49ers draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes1 7 DeForest Buckner Defensive end Oregon 28 Joshua Garnett Guard Stanford From Chiefs 2 37Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs 3 68 Will Redmond Cornerback Mississippi State 4 105Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs 133 Rashard Robinson Cornerback LSU Compensatory pick5 142 Ronald Blair Defensive end Appalachian State From Chargers 145 John Theus Tackle Georgia 174 Fahn Cooper Tackle Ole Miss Compensatory pick6 178Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs From Cowboys 207 Jeff Driskel Quarterback Louisiana Tech From Broncos 211 Kelvin Taylor Running back Florida Compensatory pick 213 Aaron Burbridge Wide receiver Michigan State Compensatory pick 7 249 Prince Charles Iworah Cornerback Western Kentucky From Chiefs Notes The 49ers traded their second-, fourth- and sixth-round selection (Nos. 37, 105 and 178 overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for their first- and seventh-round selection (Nos. 28 and 249 overall). The 49ers acquired an additional fifth-round selection as part of a trade that sent their 2015 first-round selection to the San Diego Chargers. The 49ers acquired a sixth-round selection in a trade that sent their 2015 seventh-round selection to the Dallas Cowboys. The 49ers traded tight end Vernon Davis and their 2016 seventh-round selection to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos' 2016 sixth-round and 2017 sixth-round selections.
Undrafted free agents Position Player College Notes DT Darren Lake Alabama released August 27 DT Demetrius Cherry Arizona State released September 3 S Jered Bell Colorado waived August 23 WR Bryce Treggs California released September 3 WR Devon Cajuste Stanford released September 3 LB Kevin Anderson Stanford waived May 12 LB Wynton McManis Memphis released August 27 DE Lenny Jones Nevada DE Jay Fanaika Utah K John Lunsford Liberty released August 27 OL Blake Muir Baylor released August 27 OL Alex Balducci Oregon released September 3 OL Norman Price Southern Miss released September 3
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The 49ers' preseason opponents and schedule were announced April 7, 2016. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 14 Houston Texans L 13–24 0–1 Levi's Stadium Recap 2 August 20 at Denver Broncos W 31–24 1–1 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 3 August 26 Green Bay Packers L 10–21 1–2 Levi's Stadium Recap 4 September 1 at San Diego Chargers W 31–21 2–2 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Los Angeles Rams W 28–0 1–0 Levi's Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at Carolina Panthers L 27–46 1–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap 3 September 25 at Seattle Seahawks L 18–37 1–2 CenturyLink Field Recap 4 October 2 Dallas Cowboys L 17–24 1–3 Levi's Stadium Recap 5 Arizona Cardinals L 21–33 1–4 Levi's Stadium Recap 6 October 16 at Buffalo Bills L 16–45 1–5 New Era Field Recap 7 October 23 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–34 1–6 Levi's Stadium Recap 8 Bye 9 November 6 New Orleans Saints L 23–41 1–7 Levi's Stadium Recap 10 November 13 at Arizona Cardinals L 20–23 1–8 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 11 November 20 New England Patriots L 17–30 1–9 Levi's Stadium Recap 12 November 27 at Miami Dolphins L 24–31 1–10 Hard Rock Stadium Recap 13 December 4 at Chicago Bears L 6–26 1–11 Soldier Field Recap 14 December 11 New York Jets L 17–23 1–12 Levi's Stadium Recap 15 December 18 at Atlanta Falcons L 13–41 1–13 Georgia Dome Recap 16 at Los Angeles Rams W 22–21 2–13 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 17 January 1, 2017 Seattle Seahawks L 23–25 2–14 Levi's Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Los Angeles Rams
49ers kicked the season off at 1-0
Week 2: at Carolina Panthers
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-1
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-2
Week 4: vs. Dallas Cowboys
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-3
Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers wore their black alternate uniforms for this game as part of Color Rush.
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-4
Week 6: at Buffalo Bills
Days prior to Week 6, Head Coach Chip Kelly confirmed that quarterback Colin Kaepernick would start in place of Blaine Gabbert. This was Kaepernick's first start of the season.
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-5
Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-6
Week 9: vs. New Orleans Saints
With their 7th consecutive loss, 49ers fell to 1-7
Week 10: at Arizona Cardinals
With the loss, 49ers fell to 1-8 and extended their losing streak to 8 games.
Week 11: vs. New England Patriots
With their 9th loss in a row, the 49ers fell to 1-9. As of 2024, this marks the 49ers last loss to New England.
Week 12: at Miami Dolphins
With their 10th straight loss, the 49ers fell to 1-10 and they were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention for the third consecutive season. An attempted rally by the 49ers was stopped short of the end zone in the final seconds.
Week 13: at Chicago Bears
With their 11th straight loss, 49ers fell to 1-11
Week 14: vs. New York Jets
With their 12th consecutive loss, the 49ers fell to 1-12 and finished 0-4 against the AFC East.
Week 15: at Atlanta Falcons
With another blowout loss, the 49ers extended their losing streak to 13 games and finished 0-4 against the NFC South.
Week 16: at Los Angeles Rams
With the win, the 49ers snapped their 13-game losing streak and swept the Rams on the season, while going 0–13 against the rest of the league. With the Cleveland Browns standing 0–14 before this week, the 49ers win also ended the possibility of two teams finishing 1–15 for the first time, or becoming the first team since the 2001 Carolina Panthers to win their opener and lose the remainder of their games.
Week 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks
With the loss, the 49ers ended their season 2–14, their worst record since 2004. This was Colin Kaepernick's last game as a 49er.
Standings
Division
Conference
See also List of organizational conflicts in the NFL
References
External links