The San Francisco 49ers have come close to hoisting the franchise's sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy. They fell just short during the 2012 season, losing 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens. Seven years later, they fell short again, collapsing in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl and watching as the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated a championship.
Last season, the 49ers were a play or two away from returning to sports' biggest stage, falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game.
San Francisco can't get over the hump. On Monday, the Bay Area celebrated the Golden State Warriors' seventh championship as thousands of fans swarmed Market Street for the parade. It's an inspiring sight for the championship-hungry 49ers.
"Yeah, it's definitely inspiring seeing those guys celebrate and seeing what a championship does for this city and the Bay Area as a whole," defensive lineman Arik Armstead said this week on the Jim Rome Show. "People take a lot of great pride in our sports teams there, so if we were able to bring a championship, that would be a special moment, and I know the city would go crazy for sure."
The 49ers own a talented roster. However, they are transitioning at quarterback from veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to second-year player Trey Lance. While there are bound to be some growing pains along the way, Armstead knows Lance won't have to carry the team alone.
"I'm expecting great things from him," Armstead said. "I'm excited to see what he's going to do, but he's not alone when he takes the field. Our team is very talented, and it's not just 'The Trey Lance Show.' He's surrounded by a lot of talented, great players, and we're all going to go out there and do what we can to help us win games. It's not just going to be on his shoulders."
Garoppolo helped the 49ers reach a Super Bowl and two NFC title games. Fans are hoping that Lance can one day get the team over the hump and replicate the magic of the Warriors' recent success.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Armstead below.