Yes, the 49ers are playoff-bound. Monday’s Colts game starts the road to the No. 1 seed
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- 49ers clinched a playoff berth after Steelers and Seahawks delivered key wins.
- Win Monday moves 49ers to 11-4 and helps in the No.1 seed chase.
- Loss would drop 49ers to No.6, force reliance on Rams and Seahawks results.
The rest of the NFL handed the San Francisco 49ers much-needed help during Week 16 leading into their game on “Monday Night Football” against the Indianapolis Colts.
Thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Detroit Lions on Sunday, the 49ers are in the playoffs. This was after the Seattle Seahawks also did the 49ers a favor on Thursday with their win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Not only are they in the playoffs, the can secure the No. 1 seed. That means they would have all home playoff games and, should they get that far, play in the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.
Win all, No. 1 guaranteed
But San Francisco must keep winning to get the top spot in the conference, which comes with a first-round bye as well as home field advantage.
A win for the 49ers Monday over the Philip Rivers-led Colts would push them to 11-4. They would jump the Rams (11-4) for the No. 5 seed via division record tiebreaker. That No. 5 spot could be beneficial because in the Wild Card round they would play the winner of the NFC South, where the Carolina Panthers currently are the top seed in the division with an 8-7 record, which includes a road loss to San Francisco Nov. 24.
Should San Francisco win their remaining three games — including the season finale at home to the Seahawks — they would lock up the No. 1 seed regardless of what the Rams do the rest of the way thanks to the divisional record tiebreaker.
Lose to the Colts, drop to No. 6
The 49ers are currently 4-1 in the division and would finish with the best record against NFC West opponents should they beat Seattle Week 18. Both Seattle and L.A. have two losses within the division.
A loss to the Colts would keep the 49ers in the No. 6 seed and would mean they no longer control their own fate when it comes to the No. 1 seed. They would need to win their final two games, have Seattle drop their game against the Panthers Week 17 and have the Rams lose at least one of their final two games.
Suffice to say, the 49ers are in a favorable position. Their best path to the No. 1 seed is winning the rest of their games and they won’t need any help more help from other teams.
How to watch
The game is on ESPN, begins at 5:20 p.m.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 3:45 PM.
