49ers hand Trent Williams richest contract ever at OL
FILE - San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, in Glendale, Ariz., in this Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, file photo. The San Francisco 49ers locked up their biggest potential free agent for the long term by agreeing to give star left tackle Trent Williams the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman. (AP Photo/Jennifer Stewart, File)SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Francisco 49ers locked up their biggest potential free agent for the long term by agreeing to give star left tackle Trent Williams the richest contract ever for an offensive lineman. “Trent’s a game changer,” said fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who signed a five-year contract to stay in San Francisco earlier in the week. Williams was graded as the top left tackle by Pro Football Focus and is now being paid that way as well.
Kittle dismisses 'chatter' about Niners trading Garoppolo
(AP Photo/Scott Eklund)George Kittle dismissed talk about the San Francisco 49ers possibly trading Jimmy Garoppolo the way he sheds tacklers after making catches. I think it’s chatter,” Kittle said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “I think it’s his second or third year of dealing with these exact same rumors every single offseason,” Kittle said. Garoppolo, Kittle, cornerback Richard Sherman, edge rusher Nick Bosa, running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Deebo Samuel all missed at least half the season. I think that was a struggle for us, especially because we have a young team on offense as well.
Jets hire 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as coach
FILE - San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is shown during an NFL football game against Arizona Cardinals, in Santa Clara, Calif., in this Sept. 13, 2020, file photo. The search for a new coach continues for the New York Jets after they completed an in-person interview with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, without apparently reaching a deal. The Jets reached an agreement in principle with the popular and energetic San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Thursday night to hire him as their head coach. The 20th coach in franchise history, Saleh beat out Smith, Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, New Orleans defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn, former Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis, and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. He’s also the fifth former defensive coordinator to get the job among New York’s last six hires, with Gase the only exception.
From season-altering to bizarre, injuries hit NFL yet again
From the season-altering (Dak Prescott, Barkley) to the bizarre (Tyrod Taylor, Trent Brown), injuries are playing their traditionally significant role in the NFL. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)ARLINGTON, Texas – From the season-altering to the bizarre, injuries are playing their traditionally significant role in the NFL. Brown also recently went back on the COVID-19 list, a newcomer among potential ailments with the NFL playing during a pandemic. Few teams have had the volume of injuries that have hit defending NFC champion San Francisco. New Orleans' star receiver, Michael Thomas, has had a tumultuous season in part because of ankle and hamstring injuries.
Aaron Rodgers leads Packers past undermanned 49ers, 34-17
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, bottom left, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrate after connecting on a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Aaron Rodgers took advantage of the undermanned San Francisco 49ers rather than sympathizing with the team that dominated his Green Bay Packers twice last season. Rodgers threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns and the Packers overwhelmed the depleted 49ers 34-17 on Thursday night. DEPLETED ROSTERThe run of injuries and coronavirus rules left the 49ers with a shell of a roster, especially on offense. 49ers: CB K’Waun Williams (ankle) and S Jaquiski Tartt (toe) left the game and didn’t return.
AP source: Garoppolo, Kittle out indefinitely for 49ers
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Francisco 49ers will be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and All-Pro tight end George Kittle for an extended period of time after they got hurt against Seattle. A person familiar with the injuries said Monday on condition of anonymity that Garoppolo’s ankle injury and Kittle’s foot injury will sideline them indefinitely. San Francisco already has been forced to play without defensive ends Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Solomon Thomas; top cornerback Richard Sherman, No. He hurt his shoulder in New England in 2016 and had a season-ending injury for San Francisco in 2018. San Francisco also traded linebacker Kwon Alexander to New Orleans on Monday in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso and a conditional fifth-round draft choice.
NFLPA asking teams to change all fields to natural grass
The NFL Players Association president cited the league’s official injury reports from 2012-2018 to state his case that natural grass fields provide a much lower risk for injuries, compared to artificial surfaces, during practices and games. “Anecdotally, I know how my body responds playing on turf versus grass,” said Tretter, who graduated from Cornell University. Seventeen NFL teams play their home games on grass, while 15 franchises do so on artificial turf. In his new role, Tretter says lobbying for grass fields will be a key talking point in any labor negotiations with the league. “If we know grass is significantly more safe than synthetic turf, it’s about continuing to push forward and making it a priority,” Tretter said.
49ers complain about playing surface at MetLife Stadium
Players gather around an injured person during the first half of an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the San Francisco 49ers at a nearly empty MetLife Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)The San Francisco 49ers contacted the NFL on Monday about the conditions of the playing surface at MetLife Stadium after several players went down with injuries in a victory over the New York Jets. The new artificial surface was used in a game for the second time on Sunday. The Niners will play again at MetLife Stadium on Sunday when they visit the New York Giants. Giants coach Joe Judge says his team held several walkthroughs and two scrimmages on the field before the opener, with no one complaining about the surface. “But as far as MetLife field, I think it is fine.
Barkley, 49ers hit with potentially season-ending injuries
Start with running back, where Giants star Saquon Barkley is believed to have torn the ACL in his right knee early in their loss at Chicago. The 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo tried to play through a right ankle injury before Nick Mullens took over for the second half. Tevin Coleman also left San Francisco's win over the Jets with a late knee injury. Along with Lock and Sutton, the Broncos lost defensive end Dre'Mont Jones to a knee injury in their defeat at Pittsburgh. Washington guard Brandon Scherff, who left early in Arizona with a knee injury, was among the offensive linemen hurt around the NFL on Sunday.
49ers blast Jets 31-13, but lose Garoppolo, Bosa, Mostert
It was a costly victory for San Francisco, which was already short-handed before losing Garoppolo to an ankle injury and Mostert to an injured knee. Defensive end Nick Bosa and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas were both carted off the field two plays apart with left knee injuries in the first quarter. Bosa was carted off the field with a left knee injury. Two plays later, Thomas needed to be carted off — also with a left knee injury —after an 8-yard reception by Chris Hogan. The drive was prolonged by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Henry Anderson when the Jets appeared to have stopped San Francisco on third-and-8.
The Latest: Seahawks' Diggs ejected for helmet-to-helmet hit
(AP Photo/John Froschauer)The Latest on Week 2 in the NFL (all times EDT):___8:55 p.m.Seattle safety Quandre Diggs was ejected late in the first quarter Sunday night for a helmet-to-helmet hit on New England’s N’Keal Harry. Multiple flags were thrown and after a few minutes of deliberation, referee Craig Wrolstad announced Diggs had been ejected. Watkins made an 11-yard catch to convert a third down when Desmond King started to bring him down and Denzel Perryman landed a helmet-to-helmet hit. San Francisco lost both defensive end Nick Bosa and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to left knee injuries earlier in the game. Brady struggled in an 11-point loss to New Orleans in his first NFL game not in a New England Patriots uniform.
Full circle for Jets' Gore with facing familiar foe in 49ers
It all comes full circle for the 37-year-old Gore on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, when his Jets host the team with which he began his career 16 years ago. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)NEW YORK – Frank Gore took his first snap as a pro in what seems like a lifetime ago. “I want to win, especially coming off a loss last week,” Gore said, referring to the Jets' 27-17 defeat at Buffalo. “I love Frank Gore,” said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who remembers watching him at the University of Miami while serving as the offensive quality control coach at Tampa Bay from 2004-05. So, to see Gore on Sunday at 37 facing the franchise with which he spent his first 10 NFL seasons might amaze some.
Camp injuries, virus protocols had some NFL teams scrambling
I think theres a lot of teams in the league right now that are dealing with all kinds of injuries.He's right. Teams all over the league were sent scrambling during camp. Certainly not during training camp when players are going hard to make the roster as the start of the regular season rolls closer. It's the soft tissue injuries and those things that you are trying to prevent with the ramp-up period," Bitonio said. That will certainly be something to monitor as the regular season begins and teams deal with injuries and potential replacements.
Abram, Simmons among 2nd-year players poised for breakouts
Instead, the rookie safety injured his shoulder in the season opener and didnt play again last season. Now Abram is one of several second-year players poised for a breakout season in 2020. While Abrams season was cut short because of an injury, Tennessee first-round defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons started late because of one. Simmons recovered in time to play nine games of the regular season and three playoff games. He showed flashes as a rookie with 59 catches for 680 yards and five TDs despite substandard quarterback play from Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges.