Frelund admits that, even with questions at quarterback before the season, she predicted the 49ers to make the playoffs as a Wildcard. That has changed. Despite their current second-place spot in the NFC West standings, the respected analyst believes the Bay Area squad will overtake the division-leading Seattle Seahawks en route to the postseason.
Frelund acknowledges that the NFC seems wide-open, and the 49ers could be in the mix at the end.
"When I'm looking to see the situation for the Niners, this feels like a very good Niners team that the only time I saw them play poorly was when the entire defense wasn't playing," Frelund told Brian Renick, Al Sacco, and Zain Naqvi. "I love to fake hate that Kyle; he doesn't owe us anything. He doesn't give us anything. He says the funniest stuff, like, 'We don't even know if we're going to be here Sunday.'"
Frelund is referring to a response Shanahan provided in 2021 when a reporter asked if the coach could guarantee quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would be on the roster come Sunday, the day after the draft.
"I can't guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday, so I can't guarantee who will be on our roster on Sunday. So, that goes for all of us," Shanahan responded, much to the media's amusement.
Several 49ers players texted Shanahan after the draft to tell him they were alive. Like those players, Frelund finds those exchanges amusing, sharing the connection between that past Shanahan comment and what she envisions to be the motto for the second half of this season.
"This feels like a very Ninersy 'I will see you in Glendale' (for Super bowl 57) situation," Frelund added.
You can listen to the entire interview with Frelund below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers vs. Bills injury report: Purdy very limited; Bosa, Williams, other stars don't practice
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 13 contest against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Quarterback Brock Purdy was spotted throwing a couple of short passes during the portion of Wednesday's practice open to the... -
Vernon Davis: 49ers can win NFC West but may have missed championship window
Despite a 5-5 record, the San Francisco 49ers remain in contention for the NFC West title thanks to a tightly contested division. While currently in last place, they are just one game behind the first-place Arizona Cardinals, who sit at 6-4. Former 49ers tight end Vernon Davis... -
Kyle Shanahan on 49ers' fatal flaw: We have to finish in the 4th quarter
Not long ago, the San Francisco 49ers were considered Super Bowl favorites. As they prepare for Week 12 with challenging road matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills ahead, those expectations have drastically shifted. However, the division-leading Arizona... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan on blocking out online noise: 'Don't make someone else's reality your reality'
Kyle Shanahan takes a pragmatic approach to handling online criticism—he ignores it. The San Francisco 49ers head coach recently opened up about his mindset during a challenging season for his squad, which was once considered a Super Bowl favorite but is now 5-6 and...