A costly mistake that can ruin the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl dreams in the future too? It has been over 5 months since the Super Bowl LVIII declared their winner – Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs. But still, the 49ers and their faithful can’t forget the wounds they faced during this battle.

Many claim it’s the lack of understanding of Super Bowl overtime rules, while many point out Kyle Shanahan’s arguably poor strategy as the reason for their defeat. But if you ask the five-time Super Bowl champ and former 49ers linebacker, Charles Haley, he would give you another answer.

That one mistake….

In a recent episode of Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on July 19, 2024, Hall of Famer Charles Haley joined the show to talk about the charity golf event and the NFL. Among multiple questions, Adams asked Haley about the 49ers’ chances to bounce back in the game. The 5x Super Bowl champ expressed confidence in their potential, highlighting the mental aspect of the game. However, he emphasized on the team’s costly mistake of last season, “The negative part about the 49ers is the offensive line. I don’t know how good they are anymore.”

The 49ers’ offensive line struggles due to “inconsistent investments in top-tier linemen, opting instead to prioritize skill players in early draft picks.” This strategy, while producing elite offensive talent, has led to crucial breakdowns in key moments, like in the Super Bowl LIV and NFC Championship Games. This highlights a major problem of coach Kyle Shanahan’s system, which is built to mask the O-line’s weaknesses rather than directly addressing them.

So, although Haley admitted the crucial weakness of the franchise, he made it clear that Shanahan is “the best offensive coach in the league.” He noted his ability to turn any situation into a positive one. Haley also emphasized the abundance of offensive weapons at Shanahan’s disposal, making the team a tough challenge for opponents. But still their O-Line fails when it comes to tougher competition like that with the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. As Brock Purdy himself admitted, “We have to score touchdowns, and we had opportunities to do so. I think we shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and the operations and stuff.”

The Niners and their offensive failure philosophy!

The San Francisco 49ers needed offensive line help. The NFL draft was full of O-line talent, and the Niners had a first-round pick for the first time since 2021. Many expected them to pick a right tackle or a versatile guard or center. Instead, they chose a wide receiver and a cornerback in the first two rounds. This strategy is consistent with Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch’s approach since they took over in 2017. They rarely use early picks on offensive linemen.

Despite a frustrating free agency period with no starting-caliber linemen added, offensive line coach Chris Foerster emphasized investing in players who can score touchdowns. He believes they can find solid offensive linemen in the later rounds. Fans, desperate for a sixth Lombardi Trophy, have seen the offensive line struggle in key moments. Despite these issues, the 49ers trust their elite skill players to compensate for an offensive line that isn’t always dominant.

The team boasts stars like Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle, with left tackle Trent Williams leading the line. And this is all because Foerster’s confidence lies in Shanahan’s system, which creates opportunities for runners and pass catchers.

While the Niners’ offensive approach has produced great results, questions remain about their pass protection in crucial moments. Their pass block win rate was low in 2023 (56%), but they hope to reduce mistakes and rely on their stars to make big plays when it matters most.

And the irony is, the 49ers are betting on this balance to achieve their championship dreams. But till when?