The 2023 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 74th in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th overall, their tenth playing their home games at Levi's Stadium and their seventh under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. This was the team's first season since 2013 and 2016, respectively, without safety Jimmie Ward and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster; Garoppolo signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 17, while Ward signed with the Houston Texans the following day.
The team had a 5–0 start that left them, along with the Philadelphia Eagles, as the last undefeated teams remaining. The 49ers lost to the Cleveland Browns in Week 6, their first of three consecutive losses heading into their bye week. Following the bye, the 49ers won 6 games in a row and, with a week 14 win over the division rival Seattle Seahawks, coupled with the Green Bay Packers' loss to the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, became the first team to clinch a playoff berth in 2023, their fourth in five seasons. The following week the 49ers clinched the NFC West in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2011–2012 with a 45–29 win over the Arizona Cardinals. With a 27–10 Week 17 win over the Washington Commanders, and the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles losing, the 49ers clinched home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2019. Despite clinching the number one seed, the team failed to match their 13–4 record from the previous year, going 12–5, following their season finale loss to the Los Angeles Rams. After a close 24–21 win in the divisional playoffs against the Green Bay Packers, the 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the 19th time overall, hosted their record 11th NFC Championship Game, the fourth time in five seasons, the fourth time they had made it in three consecutive seasons, after 1988–1990, 1992–1994, and 2011–2013. In the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions, the 49ers came back from a 24–7 halftime deficit to win 34–31, setting an NFL record for overcoming the largest halftime deficit in a championship game. Coincidentally, the 49ers had been the most recent team to overcome a 17-point deficit in a championship game (but which was not a halftime deficit), which happened in 2012 against the Atlanta Falcons. The win allowed the 49ers to make their second Super Bowl appearance in 5 seasons, and their eighth appearance overall. The 49ers faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, which was a rematch of Super Bowl LIV. However, they were once again defeated by the Chiefs by a final score of 25-22 in overtime, failing to win the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994.
The 49ers finished the season in the top 10 in multiple offensive and defensive categories. On offense, the 49ers finished with 491 points scored, which was third most in the league and the second most points scored in franchise history (behind the 1994 team which scored 505 points). They finished second in the league in total offense with 398.4 yards per game, which included finishing fourth in pass yards per game (257.9) and third in rush yards per game (140.5). They also established an NFL record by becoming the first team in league history to have four players with over 1,000 scrimmage yards, with Deebo Samuel (1,085), George Kittle (1,022), Christian McCaffrey (2,023) and Brandon Aiyuk (1,317) all surpassing the mark. On defense, the 49ers finished third in the league in scoring defense, giving up just 17.5 points per game and finished first in the league with 22 interceptions (tied with the Chicago Bears).
Not only were eight of the 49ers' 12 victories against teams that finished with a winning record, they also defeated every team that made the playoffs in their conference, the first time this has happened since 1993 by the Chiefs. The 49ers defeated the Rams, Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Eagles in the regular season, while defeating the Packers and Lions in the playoffs.
The San Francisco 49ers drew an average home attendance of 71,655 in 8 home games in the 2023 NFL season.
Offseason Roster changes Free agency The 49ers entered free agency with the following: Position Player Free agencytag Date Signed 2023 Team Notes FS Jimmie Ward UFA March 18, 2023 Houston Texans Signed two-year contract QB Jimmy Garoppolo UFA March 17, 2023 Las Vegas Raiders Signed three-year contract DE Samson Ebukam UFA Indianapolis Colts Signed three-year contract CB Emmanuel Moseley UFA March 16, 2023 Detroit Lions Signed one-year contract OT Mike McGlinchey UFA March 15, 2023 Denver Broncos Signed five-year contract LB Azeez Al-Shaair UFA March 20, 2023 Tennessee Titans Signed one-year contract K Robbie Gould UFA OT Daniel Brunskill UFA March 20, 2023 Tennessee Titans Signed two-year contract DT Hassan Ridgeway UFA March 18, 2023 Houston Texans Signed one-year contract DE Kerry Hyder UFA April 17, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract TE Tyler Kroft UFA May 9, 2023 Miami Dolphins Signed one-year contract DT Maurice Hurst Jr. UFA March 18, 2023 Cleveland Browns Signed one-year contract FS Tashaun Gipson UFA March 15, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract QB Josh Johnson UFA May 22, 2023 Baltimore Ravens DE Jordan Willis UFA March 20, 2023 Las Vegas Raiders Signed one-year contract LS Taybor Pepper UFA February 28, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed three-year contract TE Ross Dwelley UFA March 20, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract C Jake Brendel UFA March 15, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed four-year contract CB Jason Verrett UFA LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles RFA March 16, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract DT Kevin Givens RFA March 13, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract OT Colton McKivitz RFA March 9, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed two-year contract SS Tarvarius Moore UFA March 17, 2023 Green Bay Packers Signed one-year contract DE Charles Omenihu UFA March 16, 2023 Kansas City Chiefs Signed two-year contract DT T. Y. McGill UFA March 17, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract WR Willie Snead UFA May 1, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year contract WR Jauan Jennings ERFA April 17, 2023 San Francisco 49ers Signed one-year tenderRFA: 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 2022 Team Date signed Notes DT Javon Hargrave Philadelphia Eagles March 16, 2023 Signed four-year contract QB Sam Darnold Carolina Panthers Signed one-year contract DE Clelin Ferrell Las Vegas Raiders Signed one-year contract CB Isaiah Oliver Atlanta Falcons Signed two-year contractS Myles Hartsfield Carolina Panthers March 20, 2023 Signed one-year contract C Jon Feliciano New York Giants March 21, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Austin Bryant Detroit Lions March 23, 2023 Signed one-year contract OT Matt Pryor Indianapolis Colts March 27, 2023 Signed one-year contract WR Chris Conley Tennessee Titans April 17, 2023 Signed one-year contract QB Brandon Allen Cincinnati Bengals May 8, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Marlon Davidson Atlanta Falcons TE Troy Fumagalli May 8, 2023 Signed one-year contract LB Darryl Johnson Seattle Seahawks June 6, 2023 Signed one-year contract CB Terrance Mitchell Tennessee Titans July 25, 2023 Signed one-year contract LB Kyahva Tezino July 27, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Taco Charlton August 1, 2023 Signed one-year contract CB Anthony Averett Las Vegas Raiders August 3, 2023 Signed one-year contract LB Daelin Hayes Baltimore Ravens August 4, 2023 Signed one-year contract RB Jeremy McNichols Pittsburgh Steelers August 8, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Breeland Speaks August 11, 2023 Signed one-year contract CB Nate Brooks August 12, 2023 Signed one-year contract LB LaDarius Hamilton August 19, 2023 Signed one-year contract DT Tomasi Laulile RB Brian Hill August 21, 2023 Signed one-year contract WR Anthony Miller August 22, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Austin Bryant August 30, 2023 Signed one-year contract DE Kerry Hyder Jr. CB Anthony Brown September 19, 2023 Signed one-year contract G Ben Bartch November 21, 2023 Signed one-year contract Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's season.
Departures Position Player Date Notes WR Shae Wyatt June 6, 2023 Waived S Avery Young Waived RB Ronald Awatt August 8, 2023 Waived LB Daelin Hayes August 12, 2023 Waived RB Khalan Laborn August 19, 2023 Waived DT Tomasi Laulile August 21, 2023 Waived WR Dazz Newsome August 22, 2023 Waived QB Trey Lance August 26, 2023 Traded CB Nate Brooks August 27, 2023 Waived LB LaDarius Hamilton DE Breeland Speaks LB Kyahva Tezino DE Spencer Waege WR Chris Conley August 29, 2023 Released TE Troy Fumagalli RB Brian Hill DE Kerry Hyder Jr. DT T. Y. McGill RB Jeremy McNichols WR Anthony Miller WR Willie Snead IV DE Alex Barrett Waived FB Jack Colletto DE Marlon Davidson OT Joey Fisher OT Alfredo Gutiérrez S Myles Hartsfield C Keith Ismael CB D'Shawn Jamison S Qwuantrezz Knight OT Corey Luciano OT Ilm Manning WR Tay Martin LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball OG Jason Poe LB Curtis Robinson CB Tre Swilling OT Leroy Watson WR Isaiah Winstead
Draft
+ 2023 San Francisco 49ers draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 29 Traded to the Miami Dolphins 2 61 Traded to the Carolina Panthers 3 87 Ji'Ayir Brown S Penn State From Vikings 93 Traded to the Carolina Panthers 99 Jake Moody K Michigan 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection 101 Cameron Latu TE Alabama 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection 102 Traded to the Minnesota Vikings 2020 Resolution JC-2A selection 4 132 Traded to the Carolina Panthers 5 155 Darrell Luter Jr. CB South Alabama From Dolphins 164 Traded to the Minnesota Vikings 173 Robert Beal Jr. LB Georgia Compensatory selection 6 207 Traded to the Houston Texans 216 Dee Winters LB TCU Compensatory selection 7 222 Traded to the Minnesota Vikings From Broncos 247 Brayden Willis TE Oklahoma 253 Ronnie Bell WR Michigan Compensatory selection 255 Jalen Graham LB Purdue Compensatory selection
+ 2023 San Francisco 49ers undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. Ronald Awatt RB UTEP Jack Colletto FB Oregon State Joey Fisher OT Shepherd D'Shawn Jamison CB Texas Khalan Laborn RB Marshall Corey Luciano OT Washington Ilm Manning Hawaii Mariano Sori-Marin LB Minnesota Spencer Waege DE North Dakota State Isaiah Winstead WR East Carolina Shae Wyatt Tulane Avery Young S Rutgers
Draft trades
Personnel Staff / Coaches
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 13 at Las Vegas Raiders L 7–34 0–1 Allegiant Stadium Recap 2 Denver Broncos W 21–20 1–1 Levi's Stadium Recap 3 Los Angeles Chargers L 12–23 1–2 Levi's Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule