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Tag: George Kittle

  • RECAP: Just A Bit Less Than We Deserved – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    Perhaps- we should have seen it coming. Perhaps we should have realized that all of the inefficiencies that plagued the Eagles all season were not going to evaporate in the playoffs. That the issues that we’ve seen all season in play-calling and execution — would just miraculously be fixed? But perhaps the most shocking revelation of Sunday’s 23–19 NFC Wildcard Playoff loss by the Eagles at the hands of the 49ers was that when the game came down to a great fourth quarter performance by a franchise running back — it wasn’t by Saquon Barkley.

    In an NFC Wildcard Game at Lincoln Financial Field that once again opened with rising tensions between the 49ers and the Eagles at the coin toss — it was San Francisco who struck first with a two-yard connection between Brock Purdy and Demarcus Robinson. The Eagles answered right back with a one-yard Dallas Goedert rushing touchdown but a missed PAT from Jake Elliott. In the second quarter — Goedert capped off a drive highlighted by the running of Saquon Barkley with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Hurts. On the next 49ers drive — George Kittle exited with an Achilles injury. The 49ers had a chance to add points before halftime but a field goal try evaporated with a Brock Purdy fumble.

    The 49ers came onin the second half. The Eagles did not. The Eagles failed to score touchdowns on two Quinyon Mitchell interceptions.

    At the beginning of the fourth quarter — Christian McCaffrey grabbed a 29-yard touchdown pass from Jauan Jennings on a trick play. With 8:40 left in the game — the Eagles did rally and pull ahead 19–17. But with under 3 minutes left in the game — McCaffrey caught a four-yard strike from Purdy but missed the PAT.

    With 43 seconds left — the Eagles drove down to the 49ers twenty-one yard line — only to fail to convert on a 4th and 11. The drive included multiple dropped passes to end the Eagles season.

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • 49ers TE George Kittle Suffers Devastating Injury vs. Eagles

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    The San Francisco 49ers suffered a major setback during Sunday’s NFC Wild Card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, as star tight end George Kittle was ruled out with an Achilles injury in the second quarter.

    The team confirmed the injury during the game, announcing that Kittle would not return. Prior to going down, he had recorded one catch for six yards as the 49ers looked to establish their offense early.

    Kittle went down in visible pain and required assistance to leave the field, immediately raising concern given the seriousness typically associated with Achilles injuries. The early diagnosis suggests the injury could be season-ending and may even impact his availability for the start of the 2026 season.

    One of the most physical and versatile tight ends in the NFL, Kittle is a cornerstone of Kyle Shanahan’s offense as both an elite pass catcher and dominant run blocker. His absence dramatically alters San Francisco’s offensive game plan and places increased pressure on the rest of the receiving corps.

    As the 49ers attempt to survive the postseason without one of their emotional and on-field leaders, all eyes will be on further medical evaluations to determine the full extent of the damage and the long-term outlook for one of the league’s premier tight ends.

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    Don Drysdale

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  • Around the NFL: How Week 18 sets up the AFC field for Broncos’ potential playoff opponents

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    Around the AFC

    Patriots, Jaguars vying for top seed. The Broncos received a massive belated Christmas gift on Monday courtesy of Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who relinquished all gamesmanship and said point-blank that Los Angeles would rest star quarterback Justin Herbert. Denver would have to absolutely implode to lose Sunday’s matchup. In such an event, though, New England (13-3) and Jacksonville (12-4) would be set up to seize that vaunted No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Patriots are playing a 7-9 Dolphins team that’s been mathematically eliminated; the Jaguars face 3-13 Tennessee, one of the worst teams in the NFL. Denver can’t afford to get too cute here.

    Fernando-mania. The Raiders are the NFL’s hottest current mess. They’ve lost 10 straight. The Pete Carroll experiment seems all but destined to end after one unceremonious year. 48-year-old minority owner Tom Brady was captured by TMZ getting a little close with 25-year-old influencer Alix Earle on New Year’s Eve. Las Vegas continues to be in the news for plenty of reasons beyond the actual on-field product. The good news? Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is only solidifying his case as a legitimate No. 1 pick, with a 14-of-16 line for 192 yards and three touchdowns in a drubbing of Alabama at the Rose Bowl on Thursday. Raiders general manager John Spytek has to be licking his chops.

    Rivers done, again. The great season-saving Philip Rivers Experiment is over, as the 44-year-old will now step back into retirement after three losses in Indianapolis. What a valiant effort it was, though: Rivers has a higher QBR (39.3) in three starts in 2025 than the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa or the Raiders’ Geno Smith have this season. The Colts announced rookie QB Riley Leonard will start in Week 18, with Indianapolis (8-8) removed from playoff contention. Rivers, though, expressed nothing but gratitude for the opportunity.

    “I got three bonus games that I never saw coming,” Rivers told reporters, “and couldn’t be more thankful that I got an opportunity.”

    Around the NFC

    Teach me how to Purdy. It’s time to officially crown San Francisco as serious NFC contenders. The 49ers were a distant afterthought in their own division a couple months back, floating at 6-4 behind Seattle and the Rams. Suddenly, the Niners have ripped off six wins in a row with the return of starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who’s playing with rarely-before-seen levels of confidence. Case in point: hitting a nasty Dougie after a touchdown against the Bears last Sunday in a 24-of-33, 303-yard, five-total-TD performance. As 49ers tight end George Kittle has said, heaven “forbid a white guy has a little bit of motion.”

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    Luca Evans

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  • 49ers’ George Kittle misses practice again as status for Bears game Sunday remains uncertain

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    George Kittle’s injured ankle forced him to miss practice again on Thursday, leaving the 49ers’ Pro Bowl tight end’s status for Sunday night’s game against the Chicago Bears in question.

    Coach Kyle Shanahan said on Wednesday that Kittle still has “a chance” to face the Bears as long as he was able to heal quick enough from his injury during Monday night’s win over Indianapolis.

    San Francisco (11-4) has clinched a playoff spot and can earn the top seed in the NFC by beating the Bears (11-4) and Seattle (12-3) in the final two games of the season.

    But losing Kittle would be a big blow to a San Francisco offense that has been operating at a high level during a five-game winning streak. The Niners have gone back-to-back games without having to punt for the first time in franchise history.
    Kittle is a key part of both the run and pass game for the 49ers. The Niners’ running game has improved since Kittle returned after missing five games early this season with a hamstring injury.

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  • Luke Farrell relishes dirty work as 49ers’ new blocking tight end

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    SANTA CLARA – The 49ers were mostly inert during free agency this offseason, choosing instead to focus on contract extensions with franchise cornerstones Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and George Kittle, while at the same time shedding salary to get younger following a 6-11 season.

    It wasn’t looked upon favorably by a fan base hoping for some star power. There was one exception, and it was a big one in a physical sense. Luke Farrell is not big in terms of name recognition, but he plays big.

    Almost lost in the whirlwind opening days of free agency was the team quickly reaching an agreement with tight end Luke Farrell. While throwing others overboard – allowing their own free agents to leave, as well as releasing some under contract – the 49ers extended a hand to Farrell, a 27-year-old four-year veteran with Jacksonville who received a three-year contract with $11 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $20.25 million.

    Tight end Luke Farrell was the first and one of the few players the 49ers snapped up when free agency began in 2025. Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group

    It was a pretty good chunk of change for a team looking to reduce payroll, especially with the presence of a Hall of Fame candidate in Kittle already on the roster and still in his prime.

    “I’ve heard from guys that have been there,” Farrell said of former Jaguars teammates who once played for the 49ers. “I like how they operate and the opportunity to play in this offense with these coaches and players.”

    Since he arrived in 2017, the year Kittle was drafted, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has cycled through eight more tight ends – Garrett Celek, Logan Paulsen, Ross Dwelley (he left and came back last year), Levine Toilolo, Jordan Reed, Tyler Kroft, Eric Saubert and Brayden Williams.

    None received the kind of financial compensation afforded to Farrell.

    “I think having a No. 2 tight end in the NFL is huge,”  Shanahan said. “Usually, there’s one guy who excels in the pass game and one guy who excels in the run game.”

    Farrell, at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, has just 36 career receptions and has yet to score his first NFL touchdown. But he’s a people mover who operates almost as an extra tackle. Rather than rely solely on angles and leverage, Farrell can actually move the mountains that face him as edge setters or beasts coming on stunts from the interior.

    The San Francisco 49ers' Isaac Alarcón (67) and the San Francisco 49ers' Luke Farrell (89) train at the San Francisco 49ers' practice facility in Santa Clara, Calif., on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
    Tight end Luke Farrell, right, works with Isaac Alarcon during a 49ers blocking drill at the club facility in Santa Clara. Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group

    “Luke, his (game) tape was very, very impressive,” offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster said. “He literally has an impact on defensive ends. When he blocks or hits one, there’s movement. You see things with him that you don’t see in a lot of tight ends.”

    The presence of Farrell, a fifth-round pick out of Ohio State in 2021, will put Kittle in the passing game more often as a receiver, either flexed or put in motion, while he takes care of a big percentage of the dirty work along the line of scrimmage.

    “I take a lot of pride in it,” Farrell said. “Since I was in college, I’ve just really bought into the team mindset and whatever I can do to help propel the offense forward and the team forward and that’s what my role has been. Also, all I can do on special teams. It’s allowed me to have the career I’ve had so far, and I have a lot of gratitude for it.”

    The attention paid to Kittle could result in Farrell’s first NFL touchdown as well as increased opportunities for Brock Purdy for a reliable set of hands as a receiver.

    “He’s got unexplored talent in the passing game,” tight ends coach Brian Fleury said.

    Which is fine by Farrell.

    “I’m always in the mindset of wherever they need me, I’m going to be there,” Farrell said. “I’m going to be where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be there, and that’s as a receiver, too.

    Kittle, like Farrell, was a fifth-round draft pick. He was also from a Big Ten school, Iowa, and has morphed from unassuming rookie with close-cropped hair to big-time, big-haired personality on a national scale.

    Rashod Berry #13 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Luke Farrell #89 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after a touchdown during the first half in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
    Rashod Berry #13 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Luke Farrell #89 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after a touchdown during the first half in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2019 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) 

    Farrell carries with him the same mentality he had at Ohio State, where he was a player simply trying to make a roster at the outset.  He didn’t see himself as an NFL player. An excellent student, Farrell’s long-term goal for athletics was staying involved as a physical therapist.

    “I was a developmental guy at Ohio State, redshirted, and really didn’t get any significant time until my third year,” Farrell said. “Then it was like, `OK, this is a real possibility.’ Once it became possible, I just wanted to keep doing what I was doing and perform the role they wanted me in. When you have success on a team like that, you’re going to get the exposure.”

    Farrell cuts an impressive figure among the position group, and Kittle is excited to see what he brings in terms of physicality.

    “I like that he’s a big dude. I’m a huge fan of that,” Kittle said. “He’s got great tape. He’s excited to be here, and I’m excited to get to work with him, too. He’s an experienced guy and has played a lot of reps, so it’s not like you’re teaching a rookie.”

    During the offseason, Farrell attended Tight End University in Nashville, the yearly summit for the position hosted by Kittle and fellow Pro Bowl tight ends Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. Before that, Farrell’s connection to Kittle came in a Zoom meeting during the COVID pandemic.

    “He was on because his dad had a connection with Kevin Wilson, who was our tight ends coach at the time. They both coached at Oklahoma,” Farrell said. “George had some down time, and we were just studying a lot of ball and were trying to pick up any skills we could just from film study.

    “He hopped on with us, told us what he was about, gave us some of his experience and wisdom, having a handful of years in. (When I signed with the 49ers), he reached out right away and welcomed me.”

    San Francisco 49ers tight end Luke Farrell (89) makes a catch next to Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darien Porter (26) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
    San Francisco 49ers tight end Luke Farrell (89) makes a catch next to Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darien Porter (26) during the first half of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) 

    Farrell joins the 49ers, a Super Bowl contender, from a Jaguars team that went 4-13 last season after twice going 9-8. In Farrell’s rookie year, they were 3-14, so he knows what a losing locker room can feel like.

    The 49ers, Farrell believes, don’t have the vibe of a team that went 6-11 a year ago.

    “If you didn’t know what happened last year, you’d have no idea of their record,” Farrell said. “That’s a testament to the people in the building, and their resiliency and how professional they are. You don’t dwell on the past when you’re looking forward to the season.”

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    Jerry McDonald

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  • Feeling like his old self again, Chris Godwin is flourishing in Tampa Bay’s offense

    Feeling like his old self again, Chris Godwin is flourishing in Tampa Bay’s offense

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    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Godwin is back, even if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver who’s a model of consistency never actually went away.

    But nearly three years removed from a serious knee injury he feels is finally behind him, the longtime sidekick of Mike Evans is flourishing like never before.

    Entering play Sunday, Godwin led the NFL in receptions (43), ranked third in receiving yards (511) and was tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions (five) with Evans, Ja’Marr Chase, George Kittle and Allen Lazard.

    The Bucs (4-2), coming off a 51-point outburst against New Orleans in which Godwin had 11 catches for 125 yards and two TDs, host the Baltimore Ravens (4-2) on Monday night.

    Godwin’s strong start has followed an offseason in which he grieved the death of his father while also preparing for a move to slot receiver on the field, a role he filled earlier in his career.

    The position change has also helped the Bucs’ rejuvenated running game, which is benefitting from Godwin being an excellent blocker.

    “I think what I learned over the last four or five years, I’m really comfortable there. … It allows me to be involved in other ways instead of just catching the ball,” Godwin said.

    A third-round draft pick of the Bucs in 2017, Godwin is a four-time 1,000-yard receiver whose accomplishments are sometimes overshadowed by the remarkable consistency of Evans, the only receiver in NFL history to begin a career with 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

    Godwin was closing in on 100 receptions in December 2021, when a severe knee injury ended his season with 98 catches for 1,103 yards.

    And although he recovered well enough to catch 104 passes in 2022 and top 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons, it took Godwin until this year to begin feeling like he’s truly back.

    “I mean, he’s helping as much in the run game as he is in the pass game. … His (performance) speaks for itself,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said, reflecting on Tampa Bay rushing for 277 of the franchise-record 594 yards the Bucs gained at New Orleans.

    On one of his two touchdowns against the Saints, Godwin took a short reception from Baker Mayfield, broke two tackles and turned it into a 55-yard scoring play.

    Entering Sunday, Godwin led the NFL in yards after catch with 335, including 105 of the 125 yards receiving he had at New Orleans.

    “He’s healthy, he’s competitive, he’s out there having fun. He’s running, he’s catching, he’s blocking,” Bowles said. “You’ve seen the best of what Chris Godwin has right now.”

    Baltimore, which has won four straight following an 0-2 start, has the NFL’s top-ranked run defense. The Ravens are 31st against the pass and will be tested by Evans and Godwin, who coach John Harbaugh said pose “tremendous matchup problems.”

    “You single (Evans) up, he’s a problem. And then you have (Godwin) in the slot — if you single him up, he’s a problem,” Harbaugh said. “They’re both catch-and-run players; they’re both contested-catch players.”

    With Mayfield also off to a strong start in first-year offensive coordinator’s Liam Coen’s system, the Bucs have a top 10 offense and are averaging 29.7 points per game.

    One of the keys has been getting playmakers other than Godwin and Evans involved. Rookie Bucky Irving is the team’s leading rusher, and second-year pro Sean Tucker figures to get more playing time against the Ravens after scoring twice and accumulating 192 yards from scrimmage last week.

    “It’s one thing when a guy is going off because you feed the hot hand, right? But, if we’re able to spread the ball around, everybody gets involved,” Godwin said.

    “And then as the game progresses, you have so much more at your disposal than just the handful of plays that were working early on,” the receiver added. “So, when a team makes adjustments, now you have answers for it.”

    Just don’t ever expect the Bucs to forget Godwin is one of the answers.

    “Chris is a reliable guy,” said Mayfield, who marvels at the consistency of both Godwin and Evans, Tampa Bay’s career receiving and scoring leader.

    “It’s how smart he is, understanding the defense and the coverages, understanding what we’re trying to get done within our own concepts, and (he’s) a guy that is all about winning,” Mayfield said. “He’s playing really well, feels good (and) we have to keep him going.”

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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  • Super Bowl LVIII: A guide to the 49ers’ championship rematch against the Chiefs

    Super Bowl LVIII: A guide to the 49ers’ championship rematch against the Chiefs

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    The stage is set for a Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11 in Las Vegas. Both teams overcame a season of peaks and valleys, nonstop headlines and the pressure to sustain the success they’ve enjoyed over the past several years. The Chiefs are looking to solidify a dynasty, while the 49ers have an opportunity to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Kansas City in Superbowl LIV. If the game itself doesn’t excite you, a highly anticipated Usher performance, wacky commercials and Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce schedule conflicts might. Super Bowl LVIII has just about everything. Here’s what to know. Details on kickoffSometimes, you can get so caught up in planning your Super Bowl that you can lose track of the time the game actually starts. Super Bowl LVIII is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be telecast on CBS. | SAVE MONEY | Score major deals on TVs in time for the Super BowlThere will be an alternate telecast airing at the same time on Nickelodeon. The telecast will open with an animated performance of the song “Sweet Victory” from “Spongebob Squarepants.”Spongebob or Tony Romo? The choice is yours.| MORE | Tom Brady speaks about the ‘respect’ he has for Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy ahead of Super Bowl LVIIIWhat colors are each team wearing?The Chiefs will wear their red jerseys, while the 49ers will wear white.Each season, the winners of the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) alternate between which conference representative will be considered the home team in the Super Bowl. The home team gets the first pick over the away team of which color jersey they will wear.The Chiefs represent the AFC and are considered the home team this year.Kansas City also wore red while the Niners wore white when they met in Super Bowl LIV.| MORE | Cheer on Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers at home with Niners-themed party itemsFree Usher concert!Usher was announced in September as the headlining performer for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. The NFL released a series of ads promoting his performance that included a callback to his iconic “Confessions, Pt. II” music video. A Las Vegas performance makes all the sense in the world for Usher, who had a residency in the city from June 2022 to December 2023. Earlier in his superstar career, Usher said it was a goal of his to one day take over Las Vegas and put on an unforgettable show. He’s already been doing this, but now, the world will be watching. “It definitely has been a challenge to squeeze 30 years into 13 minutes,” he said when he addressed the media Thursday in advance of Sunday’s Super Bowl.He said he’s been asking himself, “What songs do people know me for, what songs have been a celebration of all of the journey?”| MORE | Making the trip to Super Bowl LVIII? Check out these things to do in VegasHow much does it cost to attend the game?Prices for a seat at Allegiant Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday start no lower than $5,000 across multiple ticket vendors. Below is a roundup of prices As of the morning of Feb. 5. Vivid Seats: Tickets are selling from $5,307 on Vivid SeatsStubHub: Tickets are selling from $5,394 on StubhubSeatGeek: Tickets are selling from $5,773 on SeatGeekTicketmaster: Tickets are selling from $5,800 on TicketmasterTickPick: Tickets are selling from $6,944 on TickPickTicket Network: Tickets are selling from $7,282 on Ticket NetworkKeep in mind these are the lowest ticket prices. The average price of a ticket ranges from $9,000-$12,000 across multiple vendor sites.KCRA 3’s Del Rodgers said that when he played in Super Bowl XXIII, ticket prices were $100. Both teams’ road back to the Super BowlOften in team sports, greatness can be taken for granted. Each season ends with just one champion, they’re celebrated for a few months, and then the pressure to do it again is immediately back on as if it never happened. No teams have won more playoff games than the Chiefs (13) and 49ers (8) since the 2019 postseason. The writing was probably always on the wall for them to meet in the Super Bowl again, but you wouldn’t know it based on the discourse around both teams since last spring. The Niners entered this season with a quarterback controversy on their hands. | MORE | What to know about 2 Niners players with Sacramento-area tiesBrock Purdy was thrown into the fire in 2022 as a rookie and helped San Francisco make a push to the NFC Championship Game, but he tore a ligament in his elbow in the first quarter and the team got blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy, the last pick in his draft, went undefeated as a starter in the 2022 regular season and brought the team within one game of the Super Bowl, but ahead of the 2023 season, he was coming off an injury to his throwing arm and the 49ers still had to figure out what to do with Trey Lance, who they drafted in 2021. | MORE | Sacramento’s Bark Purdy makes Puppy Bowl finals for Most PupularPurdy and Lance competed for the starting quarterback spot in training camp. After months of media speculation, 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Purdy had won the starting spot, telling Sports Illustrated in August: “He would have to melt in practice to lose .”Trey Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys weeks before the season and the Niners came out the gates on a roll. The Niners won their first five games, lost the next three and then won eight straight to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 (when most of the Niners key players were resting for the playoffs). Despite a 13-4 season where San Francisco blew their opponents out more often than not, some still poked holes at their success.Purdy was named a finalist for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. Still, some argued he was being carried by his supporting cast, particularly Christian McCaffrey, who is also a finalist for MVP. The 49ers defense is loaded with talent, but they weren’t as statistically dominant as they have been in years past. In the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, the Niners trailed 24-7 at halftime and it looked like the team was going to fall a game short of reaching the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. But in the second half, the script flipped. The Niner defense got stops, Purdy made plays and his supporting cast did too. Now all the doubters are going to have to wait a week. As for Kansas City, the reigning Super Bowl champs have been facing doubt since the first game of the season, a loss to the Detroit Lions at home. Much was made all year long of the Chiefs’ lack of reliable wide receivers. The offense in the regular season was the least dynamic it looked since Patrick Mahomes won league MVP in his first year as the starter in 2018. Mahomes still had a reliable security blanket in Travis Kelce and the guidance of one of the greatest NFL coaches ever: Andy Reid. But as the season progressed, narrow victories against weaker teams became memorable losses to playoff teams. The spotlight has been on the Chiefs since they beat the 49ers in Super Bowl 54, opening the door for them to be the next great NFL team after 20 years of dominance from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s Patriots. But this year, they were under the microscope like never before. Between Kelce’s headline-grabbing relationship with Taylor Swift and Mahomes’ increasing frustration with the offense’s struggles, the stage was seemingly set for the best team of the past five years to melt down. | MORE | Will Travis Kelce propose to Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl? There’s a gambling line for thatIt looked like this may not be the Chiefs’ season and they would crack under the pressure to keep their success going. It turns out, the playoffs removed all of that pressure. While much was said of the struggling Chiefs offense this season, the emergence of a truly dominant defense flew under the radar. That defense has held Kansas City’s playoff opponents to a combined 41 points in three games. Mahomes and Kelce returned to their typical playoff form and have willed the offense to victories, along with running back Isaiah Pacheco, who has had a rushing touchdown in all three games. | MORE | 49ers legend Jerry Rice had a hilarious response to Travis Kelce breaking his recordThe Niners’ quest for the sixth Super Bowl in franchise history has led them to the same destination it did four seasons ago: A matchup with a Chiefs team that keeps finding new ways to break their opponent’s hearts. But who’s to say this time won’t be different? We’re just going to have to watch and see. Daily Super Bowl Coverage The San Francisco 49ers are just one win away from securing the franchise’s sixth championship. KCRA 3 is going all in on Niners coverage live from Las Vegas every day this week leading up to the Super Bowl. Watch our specials at 7:30 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

    The stage is set for a Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.

    Both teams overcame a season of peaks and valleys, nonstop headlines and the pressure to sustain the success they’ve enjoyed over the past several years.

    The Chiefs are looking to solidify a dynasty, while the 49ers have an opportunity to avenge their heartbreaking loss to Kansas City in Superbowl LIV.

    If the game itself doesn’t excite you, a highly anticipated Usher performance, wacky commercials and Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce schedule conflicts might.

    Super Bowl LVIII has just about everything. Here’s what to know.

    Details on kickoff

    Sometimes, you can get so caught up in planning your Super Bowl that you can lose track of the time the game actually starts.

    Super Bowl LVIII is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be telecast on CBS.

    | SAVE MONEY | Score major deals on TVs in time for the Super Bowl

    There will be an alternate telecast airing at the same time on Nickelodeon. The telecast will open with an animated performance of the song “Sweet Victory” from “Spongebob Squarepants.”

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Spongebob or Tony Romo? The choice is yours.

    | MORE | Tom Brady speaks about the ‘respect’ he has for Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy ahead of Super Bowl LVIII

    What colors are each team wearing?

    The Chiefs will wear their red jerseys, while the 49ers will wear white.

    Each season, the winners of the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) alternate between which conference representative will be considered the home team in the Super Bowl. The home team gets the first pick over the away team of which color jersey they will wear.

    The Chiefs represent the AFC and are considered the home team this year.

    Kansas City also wore red while the Niners wore white when they met in Super Bowl LIV.

    | MORE | Cheer on Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers at home with Niners-themed party items

    Free Usher concert!

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 15: Singer/songwriter Usher performs during the 2022 Lovers &amp&#x3B; Friends music festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds  on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

    Usher was announced in September as the headlining performer for the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.

    The NFL released a series of ads promoting his performance that included a callback to his iconic “Confessions, Pt. II” music video.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    A Las Vegas performance makes all the sense in the world for Usher, who had a residency in the city from June 2022 to December 2023.

    Earlier in his superstar career, Usher said it was a goal of his to one day take over Las Vegas and put on an unforgettable show. He’s already been doing this, but now, the world will be watching.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    “It definitely has been a challenge to squeeze 30 years into 13 minutes,” he said when he addressed the media Thursday in advance of Sunday’s Super Bowl.

    He said he’s been asking himself, “What songs do people know me for, what songs have been a celebration of all of the journey?”

    | MORE | Making the trip to Super Bowl LVIII? Check out these things to do in Vegas

    How much does it cost to attend the game?

    Prices for a seat at Allegiant Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday start no lower than $5,000 across multiple ticket vendors.

    Below is a roundup of prices As of the morning of Feb. 5.

    Keep in mind these are the lowest ticket prices. The average price of a ticket ranges from $9,000-$12,000 across multiple vendor sites.

    KCRA 3’s Del Rodgers said that when he played in Super Bowl XXIII, ticket prices were $100.

    Both teams’ road back to the Super Bowl

    Often in team sports, greatness can be taken for granted.

    Each season ends with just one champion, they’re celebrated for a few months, and then the pressure to do it again is immediately back on as if it never happened.

    No teams have won more playoff games than the Chiefs (13) and 49ers (8) since the 2019 postseason. The writing was probably always on the wall for them to meet in the Super Bowl again, but you wouldn’t know it based on the discourse around both teams since last spring.

    The Niners entered this season with a quarterback controversy on their hands.

    | MORE | What to know about 2 Niners players with Sacramento-area ties

    Brock Purdy was thrown into the fire in 2022 as a rookie and helped San Francisco make a push to the NFC Championship Game, but he tore a ligament in his elbow in the first quarter and the team got blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles.

    Purdy, the last pick in his draft, went undefeated as a starter in the 2022 regular season and brought the team within one game of the Super Bowl, but ahead of the 2023 season, he was coming off an injury to his throwing arm and the 49ers still had to figure out what to do with Trey Lance, who they drafted in 2021.

    | MORE | Sacramento’s Bark Purdy makes Puppy Bowl finals for Most Pupular

    Purdy and Lance competed for the starting quarterback spot in training camp. After months of media speculation, 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Purdy had won the starting spot, telling Sports Illustrated in August: “He would have to melt in practice to lose [the job].”

    Trey Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys weeks before the season and the Niners came out the gates on a roll.

    The Niners won their first five games, lost the next three and then won eight straight to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 (when most of the Niners key players were resting for the playoffs).

    Despite a 13-4 season where San Francisco blew their opponents out more often than not, some still poked holes at their success.

    Purdy was named a finalist for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. Still, some argued he was being carried by his supporting cast, particularly Christian McCaffrey, who is also a finalist for MVP.

    The 49ers defense is loaded with talent, but they weren’t as statistically dominant as they have been in years past.

    In the NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, the Niners trailed 24-7 at halftime and it looked like the team was going to fall a game short of reaching the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season.

    But in the second half, the script flipped.

    The Niner defense got stops, Purdy made plays and his supporting cast did too. Now all the doubters are going to have to wait a week.

    As for Kansas City, the reigning Super Bowl champs have been facing doubt since the first game of the season, a loss to the Detroit Lions at home.

    Much was made all year long of the Chiefs’ lack of reliable wide receivers. The offense in the regular season was the least dynamic it looked since Patrick Mahomes won league MVP in his first year as the starter in 2018.

    Mahomes still had a reliable security blanket in Travis Kelce and the guidance of one of the greatest NFL coaches ever: Andy Reid. But as the season progressed, narrow victories against weaker teams became memorable losses to playoff teams.

    The spotlight has been on the Chiefs since they beat the 49ers in Super Bowl 54, opening the door for them to be the next great NFL team after 20 years of dominance from Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s Patriots.

    But this year, they were under the microscope like never before. Between Kelce’s headline-grabbing relationship with Taylor Swift and Mahomes’ increasing frustration with the offense’s struggles, the stage was seemingly set for the best team of the past five years to melt down.

    | MORE | Will Travis Kelce propose to Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl? There’s a gambling line for that

    It looked like this may not be the Chiefs’ season and they would crack under the pressure to keep their success going. It turns out, the playoffs removed all of that pressure.

    While much was said of the struggling Chiefs offense this season, the emergence of a truly dominant defense flew under the radar.

    That defense has held Kansas City’s playoff opponents to a combined 41 points in three games. Mahomes and Kelce returned to their typical playoff form and have willed the offense to victories, along with running back Isaiah Pacheco, who has had a rushing touchdown in all three games.

    | MORE | 49ers legend Jerry Rice had a hilarious response to Travis Kelce breaking his record

    The Niners’ quest for the sixth Super Bowl in franchise history has led them to the same destination it did four seasons ago: A matchup with a Chiefs team that keeps finding new ways to break their opponent’s hearts.

    But who’s to say this time won’t be different? We’re just going to have to watch and see.

    Daily Super Bowl Coverage

    The San Francisco 49ers are just one win away from securing the franchise’s sixth championship.

    KCRA 3 is going all in on Niners coverage live from Las Vegas every day this week leading up to the Super Bowl.

    Watch our specials at 7:30 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

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  • Bold trades keyed offensive jolts for 49ers, Eagles

    Bold trades keyed offensive jolts for 49ers, Eagles

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    SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers got a jolt offensively when they made the bold decision in October to trade four draft picks to add Christian McCaffrey to an already deep group of playmakers.

    The Philadelphia Eagles made an aggressive trade of their own to supercharge their offense when they added game-breaking receiver A.J. Brown in a draft-day trade.

    The two moves by the NFC powerhouses are big reasons why the Niners (15-4) and Eagles (15-3) are set to meet in the conference title game in Philadelphia on Sunday with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line.

    “It’s what we expected and he’s only exceeded all our expectations,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said of the trade that brought McCaffrey to San Francisco.

    McCaffrey was languishing in last place in Carolina and the Niners were sputtering a bit on offense when they sent four draft picks to the Panthers to add McCaffrey.

    McCaffrey got back to performing at the star level that made him one of the league’s most dangerous players and the Niners turned into the NFL’s most diverse offense with versatile players like McCaffrey, Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Kyle Juszczyk.

    “He’s a guy that if you leave him one-on-one with a linebacker, good luck: He’s going to tear you apart,” Kittle said. “You have to put two guys on him. And then if you pressure at all, you’re bringing a linebacker, and every other guy on the field has a one-on-one. Whether that’s Deebo, Brandon Aiyuk, me, Kyle Juszczyk. Those are a lot of one-on-ones where I’m going to take my guy over anybody else. And if you double anyone else? Good luck on Christian McCaffrey.”

    Since inserting McCaffey into the starting lineup in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams, the 49ers have won 12 straight games. During that span, the Niners rank second in the NFL in scoring at 30.4 points per game and second in yards per play with 6.10.

    “It’s a force multiplier,” general manager John Lynch said at the time of the trade. “It makes everyone around him better.”

    McCaffrey leads the NFL with 1,341 yards from scrimmage in the 11 games since he became a starter and is tied for the most touchdowns with 12, including at least one in the last eight games.

    But he is far from satisfied.

    “What makes it so fun is that constant pursuit for perfection,” he said. “I think everyone on this team has that.”

    Brown has had a similar impact on the Eagles after being acquired from Tennessee during the draft for a first and third-round pick and immediately getting a $100 million, four-year deal with $57 million guaranteed.

    The move helped Jalen Hurts develop into an MVP finalist and lifted a team that got knocked out in the wild-card round a year ago as the seventh seed into the top team in the NFC.

    “I thought we had a lot of pieces to try and make a potential run,” Brown said. “We’ve just got to put it together and execute. I think things are going well, of course. We’ve still got a lot of work to do. It’s not really a time to self reflect.”

    Brown had 155 yards receiving in his Eagles debut and kept on rolling all the way to 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. He topped Mike Quick’s 1,409 yards in 1983 for most in a season in team history.

    Brown’s addition alongside DeVonta Smith has given the Eagles a much more difficult offense to slow down than the one San Francisco faced in Week 2 of the 2021 season.

    “The first thing is his size and strength,” Niners defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said. “That’s the one thing that separates him from a lot of receivers, but not only that, when he catches the ball he turns it to a different gear. His run after catch, it’s been pretty dynamic to watch this year. He’s big where he can go down the field and make plays on the deep balls, but also he’s just catching the 5-yard routes and turning it up field and turning that into an explosive.”

    The Eagles see the difference McCaffrey has made on the 49ers offense as well.

    “You just add in another really, really good player into your organization, and that shows up,” defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said. “He can beat you a lot of different ways, and we’ll have to have a plan for all the ways that he’s beating people.”

    ___

    AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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  • Christian McCaffrey Trade To The San Francisco 49ers: Analyzing The Fit And Finances

    Christian McCaffrey Trade To The San Francisco 49ers: Analyzing The Fit And Finances

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    If you have followed this page over the past couple weeks, you know full well that a certain someone has been advocating for the San Francisco 49ers to trade for Pro Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey.

    I won’t go as far to say that general manager John Lynch and Co. heeded my call. But late Thursday evening, news broke that pretty much shattered the NFL news cycle.

    Multiple media reports indicated that San Francisco did indeed acquire McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in a blockbuster trade. Both San Francisco and Carolina made the deal official a bit while later.

    In return for one of the game’s most-electric players, San Francisco sent second-and-third-round picks in 2023, a fourth-round pick next April and a fifth rounder in 2024 to Carolina.

    To be clear, this is a high price to pay for an injury-plagued back who had suited up in a combined 10 games in the previous two seasons ahead of the 2022 campaign.

    But it’s also a move that San Francisco viewed as a necessity following an ugly Week 6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and with the team set to welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to town on Sunday.

    A first-round pick of the Panthers out of Stanford back in 2017, McCaffrey has returned to pre-injury form this far this season with 670 total yards and three touchdowns through six games. Let’s break down this deal below.

    MORE FROM FORBESSan Francisco 49ers on the Forbes NFL Team Valuations List

    Christian McCaffrey’s Fit With The San Francisco 49ers

    Objectively, it couldn’t be more ideal for both sides. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has always fancied himself dual-threat running backs dating back to his days as the Houston Texans’ offensive coordinator all the way back in 2008.

    McCaffrey is just that. In fact, his 33 receptions this season would lead the 49ers. Prior to the injuries of the past two seasons, McCaffrey caught a combined 223 passes while hauling in 83.8% of his targets in 2018 and 2019.

    It’s also not like McCaffrey doesn’t do damage on the ground. He’s averaging 61 rushing yards per game at a clip of 4.6 yards per attempt throughout his career.

    McCaffrey has loads of experience in San Francisco’s outside zone-blocking scheme, too. That should make it a seamless transition for the star back.

    The addition of McCaffrey changes the dynamics for San Francisco’s offense in a big way. Once he returns from injury, Elijah Mitchell will be used a change-of-pace back. The 49ers can also utilize current RB1 Jeff Wilson as a short-yardage guy. He’s scored a whopping 19 touchdowns in his past 37 games.

    More importantly, opposing defenses are now going to have major issues game-planning against the 49ers.

    Deebo Samuel likely won’t need to see much action in the backfield with McCaffrey in the mix. He can now focus primarily on being a wide receiver opposite breakout player Brandon Aiyuk.

    The idea of defenses having to plan for formations with the likes of McCaffrey, Kittle, Samuel and Aiyuk all on the field is a thing of nightmares for coordinators.

    Finances Of The Christian McCaffrey Trade

    From a salary cap perspective, this deal does very little in 2022. McCaffrey is due a mere $1.035 million base salary after restructuring his conract with Carolina back in the spring. San Francisco is on the hook for a pro-rated version of that (roughly $669,705.00).

    The long-term outlook is different. McCaffrey is playing under a four-year, $64 million contract that he signed back in April of 2020. He’s set to count $19.55 million against the cap in 2023 with cap hits of $19.55 million in 2024 and $15.45 million in 2025.

    In terms of the 49ers responsibility for that, he’ll count $12 million against their cap in 2023 and 2024 with a $12.2 million hit in 2025.

    By taking on McCaffrey’s contract, Lynch and Co. are now committing top-end cash to yet another position.

    Even prior to this blockbuster trade, the likes of fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tight end George Kittle, left tackle Trent Williams, linebacker Fred Warner, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and defensive lineman Arik Armstead were among the highest-paid NFL players at their respective positions.

    This doesn’t even take into account the need to sign Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa to what would be a record-breaking contract extension next summer. His new deal will likely come in at somewhere near $25 million annually.

    Prior to this deal, San Francisco was projected to have roughly $18.5 million in cap room for next season. The McCaffrey trade brings this to well under $10 million.

    Financial gymnastics would have to be part of the game for the 49ers’ front office. This would likely include restructuring the contracts of Williams, Armstead, Warner, Kittle and Charvarius Ward, who are set to count a combined $76-plus million against the cap in 2023.

    As it stands, the 49ers have avenues that could help with the cap next spring. The increase in the NFL salary cap moving forward due to its historic television contracts will help here, too.

    Remaining San Francisco 49ers Draft Picks Following Christian McCaffrey Trade

    On the surface, this deal seems to deplete San Francisco’s draft capital, especially with its first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft already gone due to the Trey Lance deal.

    That’s just on the surface. The 49ers are projected to pick up two third-round compensatory picks under the guise of the NFL’s minority hiring program. It should also pick up a fifth, sixth and seventh via the NFL free-agent compensation loophole.

    This should leave the 49ers with a nice amount of selections once all is said and done. Sure they’ll be without picks in the first two rounds. But the question becomes whether anyone selected in that range would have anywhere near the same impact as a healthy Christian McCaffrey over the next three-plus seasons. It seems highly unlikely.

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    Vincent Frank, Contributor

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