The 2018 season was the San Francisco 49ers' 69th in the National Football League (NFL), their 73rd overall, their fifth playing their home games at Levi's Stadium and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch.
After finishing 6–10 from an 0–9 start the previous year, the 49ers entered the season with high expectations and looked to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013. However, the 49ers' season ended with a record of 4–12 and were plagued by multiple season-ending injuries, including running back Jerick McKinnon tearing his ACL in training camp and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tearing his ACL in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. In Week 15, however, the 49ers upset the Seahawks 26–23 in overtime at home, snapping the 49ers' 10–game losing streak to them that dated back to the 2013 NFC Championship Game. The win also stopped the Seahawks from clinching a playoff spot that week. The 49ers failed to improve on their 6–10 record from last year. The 49ers also went 0–8 on the road for the first time since 1979.
The 49ers defense would also go on to set multiple NFL records for futility. During the entire 16 game schedule of the 2018 NFL season, the 49ers defense would accumulate just two interceptions, breaking the previous mark of three. Incredibly, that included strike shortened NFL seasons. Putting that into perspective, a total of 40 different players throughout the league would go on to have more interceptions than the entire 49ers team. The 49ers would also have just seven total takeaways on the season, smashing the previous record of 11. Both records would stand until 2025, when the New York Jets would surpass both marks with zero interceptions and four turnovers in an even longer 17-game regular season. The 49ers were also last in the league with a −25 turnover differential, the worst mark since 2008.
The 2018 49ers would go on to set one more notable "futility" mark after the team went 8–0 to start the following season, thus giving the 2018 49ers the worst record in NFL history of any team that went on to go undefeated that far into the following season.
Offseason
Roster changes
Free agency The 49ers entered free agency with the following: Position Player Free agencytag Date signed 2018 Team Notes DE Cornellius Carradine UFA March 17, 2018 Oakland Raiders OT Garry Gilliam UFA February 27, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 2-year contract SS Eric Reid UFA September 27, 2018 Carolina Panthers Signed 1-year contract C Daniel Kilgore UFA February 14, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 3-year contract ILB Brock Coyle UFA March 14, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 3-year contract G Brandon Fusco UFA March 14, 2018 Atlanta Falcons Signed 3-year contract CB Leon Hall UFA March 30, 2018 Oakland Raiders RB Carlos Hyde UFA March 15, 2018 Cleveland Browns Signed 3-year contract OLB Mark Nzeocha UFA January 26, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contract DT Leger Douzable UFA WR Louis Murphy UFA QB Jimmy Garoppolo UFA February 8, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 5-year contract CB Asa Jackson UFA TE Logan Paulsen UFA March 21, 2018 Atlanta Falcons Signed 1-year contract C Tim Barnes UFA FS Antone Exum UFA June 6, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 1-year contract OLB Cassius Marsh UFA February 7, 2018 San Francisco 49ers Signed 2-year contract CB Dontae Johnson UFA April 11, 2018 Seattle Seahawks DE Aaron Lynch UFA March 15, 2018 Chicago Bears Signed 1-year contract RB Raheem Mostert RFA March 9, 2018 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 2017 Team Date signed Notes CB Richard Sherman Seattle Seahawks March 11, 2018 Signed 3-year contract P Jeff Locke March 12, 2018 Signed 1-year contract RB Jerick McKinnon Minnesota Vikings March 14, 2018 Signed 4-year contract C Weston Richburg New York Giants March 14, 2018 Signed 5-year contract DE Jeremiah Attaochu Los Angeles Chargers March 15, 2018 Signed 1-year contract G Jonathan Cooper Dallas Cowboys March 20, 2018 Signed 1-year contract LB Korey Toomer Los Angeles Chargers April 4, 2018 Signed 1-year contract G Mike Person Indianapolis Colts May 9, 2018 Signed 1-year contract CB C. J. Goodwin New York Giants May 15, 2018 Claimed off waivers G John Flynn July 25, 2018 Signed 2-year contract DT Will Sutton July 25, 2018 Signed 1-year contract DT Cedric Thornton Buffalo Bills July 25, 2018 Signed 1-year contract TE Wes Saxton July 31, 2018 Signed 1-year contract G Chris Gonzalez August 5, 2018 Signed 1-year contract RB Alfred Morris Dallas Cowboys August 14, 2018 Signed 1-year contract Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's season.
Departures Position Player Date Notes C Daniel Kilgore March 15, 2018 Traded T Trent Brown April 27, 2018 Traded G Zane Beadles May 7, 2018 Released WR DeAndre Carter May 15, 2018 Waived S Don Jones July 25, 2018 Waived CB C. J. Goodwin July 31, 2018 Waived LB Eli Harold August 23, 2018 Traded
Draft
Notes The 49ers finished with the same overall record and strength of schedule as the Oakland Raiders at the end of the season, and their selecting order was determined by way of a coin flip at the NFL Scouting Combine in early 2018. Both teams will then rotate with the Miami Dolphins, selecting 9th, 10th and 11th in each round. The 49ers won the coin toss.
Draft trades The 49ers traded a second-round selection (43rd overall) to New England in exchange for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers traded their third-round selection in 2017 (67th overall) to New Orleans in exchange for New Orleans' second-round selection (59th overall) and their seventh-round selection in 2017 (229th overall). The 49ers traded their first-round selection in 2017 (2nd overall) to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's third-round selection (70th overall), and their first-, third- and fourth-round selections in 2017 (3rd, 67th and 111th overall). The 49ers traded their fourth-round selection (109th overall) to Denver in exchange for Denver's fifth-round selection in 2017 (177th overall) and running back Kapri Bibbs. The 49ers traded their fifth-round selection (148th overall) and tight end Vance McDonald to Pittsburgh in exchange for Pittsburgh's fourth-round selection (128th overall). The 49ers traded cornerback Rashard Robinson to the New York Jets in exchange for the Jets' fifth-round selection (143rd overall). The 49ers traded their seventh-round selection (227th overall) and center Daniel Kilgore to Miami in exchange for the seventh-round selection Miami acquired from Tampa Bay (223rd overall). The 49ers traded cornerback Kenneth Acker to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's seventh-round selection (240th overall). The 49ers traded their fifth-round selection (143rd overall) and OT Trent Brown to New England in exchange for the third-round selection (95th overall).
Undrafted free agents 2018 San Francisco 49ers undrafted free agents Position Player College Notes WR Steven Dunbar Houston TE Ross Dwelley San Diego QB Jack Heneghan Dartmouth OL Alan Knott South Carolina Waived August 14 OT Jamar McGloster Syracuse Waived July 25 DL Zach Franklin Frostburg State S Terrell Williams Houston S Corey Griffin Georgia Tech Waived August 5 CB Tarvarus McFadden Florida State CB Emmanuel Moseley Tennessee OL Najee Toran UCLA OL Coleman Shelton Washington RB Jeff Wilson North Texas DL Blaine Woodson Delaware Waived July 25
Personnel Staff / Coaches
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Dallas Cowboys W 24–21 1–0 Levi's Stadium Recap 2 at Houston Texans L 13–16 1–1 NRG Stadium Recap 3 at Indianapolis Colts L 17–23 1–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 Los Angeles Chargers L 21–23 1–3 Levi's Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 9 at Minnesota Vikings L 16–24 0–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 2 September 16 Detroit Lions W 30–27 1–1 Levi's Stadium Recap 3 September 23 at Kansas City Chiefs L 27–38 1–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 4 September 30 at Los Angeles Chargers L 27–29 1–3 StubHub Center Recap 5 October 7 Arizona Cardinals L 18–28 1–4 Levi's Stadium Recap 6 at Green Bay Packers L 30–33 1–5 Lambeau Field Recap 7 October 21 Los Angeles Rams L 10–39 1–6 Levi's Stadium Recap 8 October 28 at Arizona Cardinals L 15–18 1–7 State Farm Stadium Recap 9 Oakland Raiders W 34–3 2–7 Levi's Stadium Recap 10 New York Giants L 23–27 2–8 Levi's Stadium Recap 11Bye 12 November 25 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 9–27 2–9 Raymond James Stadium Recap 13 December 2 at Seattle Seahawks L 16–43 2–10 CenturyLink Field Recap 14 December 9 Denver Broncos W 20–14 3–10 Levi's Stadium Recap 15 December 16 Seattle Seahawks W 26–23 4–10 Levi's Stadium Recap 16 December 23 Chicago Bears L 9–14 4–11 Levi's Stadium Recap 17 December 30 at Los Angeles Rams L 32–48 4–12 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Minnesota Vikings
Three interceptions by Jimmy Garoppolo, who earned his first loss as an NFL starter, would hurt the 49ers in the end. The 49ers lost 24–16, with the difference being a Garoppolo pick-six as well several key drops by receivers. With the loss, the 49ers started their season 0-1 for the second consecutive season.
Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions Despite the Lions' attempted comeback in the fourth quarter, the 49ers would hang on to win 30-27 as the team earns their first win of the season behind 2 touchdowns from Garoppolo and Matt Breida's 138 yards rushing. With the win, the 49ers evened their record to 1-1
Week 3: at Kansas City Chiefs Not only did the 49ers lose the game, Jimmy Garoppolo got carted off in the fourth quarter with a serious knee injury. The next day, an MRI further revealed that Garoppolo had torn his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season. The devastating loss dropped the 49ers to 1-2 on the season.
These two teams would meet again the following season in Super Bowl LIV, with the 49ers falling short 31–20.
Week 4: at Los Angeles Chargers
The first post-Garoppolo game of the season was a surprisingly competitive game, mostly due to safety Antone Exum getting a pick-six in the first quarter, but the 49ers still lost 29–27 and dropped to 1–3 on the season and 0–1 after Garoppolo's injury.
Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals
Playing a winless Cardinals team desperately seeking a win, the 49ers held rookie quarterback Josh Rosen in check, but were hurt by five offensive turnovers, one of which resulted in a defensive touchdown for Arizona. The 49ers dropped to 1–4 (0–2 since Garoppolo's injury) heading into a Monday Night road game against the Packers.
Week 6: at Green Bay Packers
The 49ers held a 30–23 lead in the final three minutes, but Aaron Rodgers threw a touchdown pass to Davante Adams to tie the game with less than 2 minutes left. On the 49ers' next drive, a critical C. J. Beathard interception plus an illegal contact penalty on Richard Sherman in the final minute led to a 27-yard game-winning field goal by Mason Crosby to send the 49ers to a 33–30 loss and a 1–5 record heading into next week's home game against the undefeated Rams.
Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Rams
The loss to their NFC West and interstate rivals had the 49ers fall to 1-6 and 0-3 since Jimmy Garoppolo's injury. The 29-point margin was the 49ers' worst loss until Week 12 of the 2024 season.
Week 8: at Arizona Cardinals
With the loss, the 49ers dropped to 1–7 and last place in the NFC West. They were also swept by the Cardinals for the 4th consecutive season.
Week 9: vs. Oakland Raiders