02 Jul State of the Franchise Recap
Well, well, well. It’s back. The annual San Francisco 49ers State of the Franchise is back! There were many things discussed during Wednesday’s event, so let’s gets started from the top.
San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido started off the evening, and the most important point was that Levi’s Stadium will be at full capacity this year. This is great news. Last time the 49ers had full capacity was the 2019 NFC Title game. It was electric and I can’t wait to have the fans back at full strength. He also announced 49ers legendary DL Bryant Young is entering the 49ers Hall of Fame, which is a long time coming. Young is a true professional and one of the best at his position to do it, not only for the 49ers but the league in general. He truly exemplified what it was to be a 49er.
Next, GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan had a sit down with Greg Papa. They discussed the faithfulness of the fans and how supportive they’ve been throughout it all (pandemic, bad seasons, etc.). They stated the ultimate goal is to still win a Super Bowl. That’s been Shanahan’s ultimate goal — not only this upcoming year but every year — staying focused and keeping the goal at the forefront. Shanahan enjoys the fact that the 49ers were able to bring a lot of key guys back and also bring in new vets to help out. Lynch emphasized “pre-season doesn’t count, but it does matter.” Feeding off the fans and being able to have those games is important to team energy. They both feel the depth of the team has improved and is more talented now than at the end of the 2019 Super Bowl run.
Next was my favorite portion — George Kittle and Fred Warner stepped into the room and talked with Greg Papa. Both players were late-round picks. They emphasized it didn’t matter to them where they were drafted. They come to work day in and day out and “be the same person everyday” no matter what. They just put in the work consistently. They joked about the first time they met and how Kittle beat Warner off the line in practice — both have a laugh at that (whether or not Warner agreed is up for debate). Warner discussed how he took it personally the way experts and analysts viewed him when he first came in the league. Kittle stated he’ll continue to take advantage of his situation and try to have a lasting impact on the team and league. Both stars agreed to stay humble throughout the process.
Warner stated the state of the defense is, “scary, they have something to prove.” With new DC Demeco Ryan’s stepping in, it’s going to be interesting to see how they play and scheme now. Kittle stated the state of the offense will also be exciting, and how they didn’t get a chance to gel or really come together last year like they wanted. Having OTA’s with everyone for another year, and building that cohesiveness will definitely help the team get a rhythm going and come together.
Lastly, 49ers CEO Jed York sat down in the 49ers HOF Museum with a few legends — WR John Taylor and LB Patrick Willis. He announced these two have officially been inducted into the 49ers HOF. There was a large, well-earned round of applause. They were both legends at their positions, and two of the best 49ers to ever strap on a helmet and don the red and gold uniform. They both were in Super Bowls, Pro Bowls, All-Pros, All Decades teams. Welcome to the 49ers Hall of Fame gentlemen, I can’t wait to see the ceremony!
So there you have it, a quick wrap up of the 2021 San Francisco 49ers State of the Franchise. I’m extremely excited for the future of this team and the upcoming season. Oh wait… by the way, did I forget to mention the 75th Anniversary Red Jersey reveal? The 1994 Red Throwback Jerseys were released with the 75th logo diamond patch on the left shoulder. They are available for sale online, so make sure you get yours here before they sell out!
Sprinkle me mane 💎#94Niners x #FTTB
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) July 1, 2021
No Comments