The San Francisco 49ers have won six straight games, but their latest victory left Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young with some concerns. San Francisco held off the Washington Commanders 23-17 on Monday night, yet its second-half struggles raised questions about whether head coach Kyle Shanahan’s injury-hit roster can maintain its dominance against tougher competition.
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Young acknowledged the significance of the undefeated start while warning that the 49ers cannot afford to ease up as the season progresses.
“We’re six and0, but I want to make sure that we lock things down because we’re not we don’t have that. The team in ’23 was by far the best roster in football. That’s the fact. And we were just running people out of the state. We’re just running them out. And that’s not what’s going to happen this year. So, we’re going to get in some dogfights, maybe more than we want to. And so, I don’t want to get in dogfights by allowing teams that are down and out ways to live again.
“Like, all the games where we want to just put people away or the games where we’re not in the dogfight, and I think there’s dogfights coming, and I always want to make sure we’re ready for them,” Young said on KNBR’s Sports Leader show.
The former 49ers quarterback believes the team has enough talent to compete for a Super Bowl, provided it can keep its key players healthy. Young’s concerns come despite San Francisco sitting at 6-0 and holding a commanding lead in the NFC West. The 49ers have already beaten the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, putting themselves in a strong position early in the race for the division title.
San Francisco had control of Monday’s game until Washington fought back after halftime. The 49ers had to lean on their defense to finish the job. Young also pointed to the injuries piling up, especially when the offense is without a player like Mike Evans.
“We get people hurt, we’re not full speed, we don’t have everyone on the field,” Young said. He also praised younger players who have stepped up, including rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton, whose impact plays have helped the team navigate its personnel problems.
Young questioned whether the 49ers can consistently perform at an elite level when injuries leave them vulnerable against stronger opponents. “Are we a top-five defense?” he asked, suggesting that San Francisco can reach that level when everyone is available.
His warning also comes as former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White questioned Shanahan’s ability to win a Super Bowl. Appearing on Up & Adams on October 21, White argued that the coach’s aggressive play-calling can become a liability in high-pressure situations.
“They start like this every year. That team starts very fast every year…I think, me personally, that he’s a great offensive mind. But in tough situations, in pressure situations, the over-aggressive play calls always get him in trouble. And I think that’s just his mentality. He doesn’t play situational football well. That’s the only thing that I think that’s really like a knock on his game, and the thing that he does—he doesn’t play situational football well,” White said.
Shanahan has reached three Super Bowls as an offensive coordinator or head coach, including two with San Francisco, but has yet to win one. The 49ers will now look to extend their unbeaten run against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7.
For Young, the priority is not simply protecting the perfect record. He wants San Francisco to keep pushing for wins without losing sight of the bigger challenge ahead.
“I don’t want to take the foot off the pedal,” Young said. “I want to sprint to as many wins as we can, and then be as healthy as we possibly can.”
The 49ers have given themselves an ideal start. Young’s message is that they must turn that momentum into a complete, battle-tested team before the games that matter most arrive.