Are there any positives that can be taken away from the 49ers' Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs?
Star cornerback Charvarius Ward -- who has been on the winning and losing side of a Super Bowl during his NFL career -- certainly believes so.
During an interview with Kay Adams on the "Up & Adams Show," the All-Pro defensive back explained how one silver lining from a Super Bowl defeat is eradicating any potential complacency heading into the next season.
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"It [will] make you a little hungrier," Ward explained to Adams. "Obviously [you've] got to change something because you didn't win the Super Bowl. You can't go in there and be the exact same team and do the exact same stuff and expect to win the Super Bowl the next year.
"So I think the losses, they make you stronger, they make you go harder, they challenge you to be better at something. Maybe we don't know what we got to be better at yet, but obviously got to go in there and work, and figure it out to dethrone the champions."
Nothing can take the sting away from San Francisco falling just shy of hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the second time in four years, but as the 49ers prepare to embark up the treacherous climb of another season, there still remains plenty to be optimistic about.
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Ward is among the star-studded cast of fellow All-Pro players on San Francisco's roster who understand the gravity of maximizing the window of contention the 49ers find themselves in with one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.
It is reasonable to expect quarterback Brock Purdy to further improve his game on the heels of a record-breaking campaign with a full offseason that won't be derailed by the rehab he dealt with in 2023.
While it will be a long road for Ward and San Francisco to return to the Super Bowl, you can be sure there's an added level of motivation as the 49ers gear up for another grueling campaign.
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