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nto 2026. After upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the NFL Wild Card round, the San Francisco 49ers came crashing down to Earth in the Divisional Round, seeing their season end with a brutal 41-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Ending a season that saw the 49ers go far despite dealing with a rash of injuries, the franchise goes into the offseason with a lot of work to do in order to get back to championship contention.
But after the playoff loss, one 49ers player made his plans for 2026 very clear. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams said after the game that he will return to the team in 2026 instead of retiring, squashing any worries about the 49ers losing their soon to be 38-year-old star blindside protector. Entering the season, there was uncertainty if 2025 would be Williams’ last season, but now that the team knows he will be back, they can plan their offseason accordingly.
Williams Confirms Plans for ’26
After the game, Williams was asked about his plans for next season and while it is common for players his age to deflect the question, Williams was not shy about announcing his return to the NFL for next season, forgoing his retirement plans. A key part of the team since the 49ers acquired him in a trade ahead of the 2020 season, Williams’ return will be a very welcome sign for a team still needing to figure out its new identity.
“Yes, that’s accurate,” Williams said when asked if he would be back. “[This season] was extremely special to me because I’ve never been part of a team that was so behind the eight-ball that just found a way to compete every week. We went against so many rosters that were fully loaded while we were playing with guys who we got a week ago, two weeks ago.”
“I’m just proud of this team. We have a lot of young guys who contributed a lot to our success and they have really really bright futures. I’m really proud of this team. It didn’t go the way we wanted it to, but the future is really bright,” Williams added.
Struggling with injuries in 2024, Williams stayed healthy this season and continued to play at a high level, earning his 12th Pro Bowl selection and fifth All-Pro selection. Considered one of the greatest tackles of all-time, Williams will be a first ballot Hall of Famer whenever he decides to hang them up.
Kyle Juszczyk Announces His Return as Well
Williams was not the only 49ers star to announce his return to the team next season. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who has been with the team since 2017, announced after the loss to the Seahawks that he would return to the team next season as well. Dealing with a contract whirlwind last offseason, cut by the 49ers before resigning to a two-year deal, Juszczyk plans to play out the final year of his contract.
“I still feel great, I’m still having fun,” Juszczyk said. “And I’ve played a whole season of post season games too so it’s really like a 14-year career.”
49ers Superstar Confirms He Will Return in 2026