49ers news: Are the Niners Super Bowl favorites again now that the band is back together?

The band is back together. Following an entire offseason without Christian McCaffrey practicing due to injury and Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams’ contract negotiations, all three have returned to practice in preparation for their clash with the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

The team has its sights on another run at a Lombardi. Still, skeptics continue to ask: Are the 49ers suffering from a Super Bowl hangover, or have the contract situations impacted their chances to finally finish the job?

NFL.com polled their writers and on-air talent to predict the Super Bowl winner in 2024, and the 49ers finished second behind the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs received nine votes to three-peat in New Orleans, with only Chad Reuter predicting a rematch from last year’s Super Bowl with the same result.

The 49ers received five votes from Mike Band, Jeffri Chadiha, Marcas Grant, Michelle Magdziuk, and former 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci. Band and Mariucci have the 49ers finally beating Kansas City in their third Super Bowl matchup. At the same time, the other three believe the 49ers will top the Cincinnati Bengals in a throwback to older 49er Super Bowl victories over Cincinnati.

Mariucci added to his prediction by saying: “Meeting in this game for the third time in the last six seasons, the 49ers finally get it done by leaning on their veterans and executing in all three phases. A more experienced Brock Purdy shows poise and sets himself up for a big payday when he leads the Niners to the mountaintop for the first time in three decades.”

Grant believes Cincinnati sends Kansas City packing and adds: “Cincinnati slays the Mahomes dragon to reach the Super Bowl, but ultimately, Kyle Shanahan buries his own postseason demon thanks to Brock Purdy and a sound defense.”

Joe Burrow and Tom Brady are the only two quarterbacks to eliminate Patrick Mahomes from the playoffs in his career. Brady has done so as a member of the Patriots and Buccaneers, with Burrow knocking Mahomes out the year following the Chiefs Super Bowl loss in Tampa.

The 49ers have their work cut out for them as they try to climb the mountain again, but their experience in years past can only benefit them with reinforcements on the way of Dre Greenlaw and others during the season. Just one final hurdle to climb.