Whenever the trade deadline rolls around, San Francisco 49ers tackle Joe Staley's name always seems to come up. He just finished his 11th season in the NFL and has done so with one team. The 49ers drafted Staley with the 28th overall selection in the 2007 draft, and he has anchored the left side of the offensive line since being moved to the spot the next year.
Remaining with the 49ers is important to Staley. He would rather endure losing with the team that drafted him than leave for a team ready to make a Super Bowl run. Of course, many believe the 49ers are headed for a quick turnaround following the team's strong finish to the 2017 season.
A trade to an immediate contender never interested Staley, who was the guest during this week's episode of the "49ers Insider" podcast with Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Staley discussed why remaining with the 49ers for the rest of his career is important to him.
"I just think, you spend so much time in one spot, I just feel like it would mean that much more to me to be able to be a part of something, go through the tough times, and get back to the top," Staley said. "I just know that if we do win a Super Bowl while I'm here, that it would just be that much more special to be able to do it in one spot, and withstanding all those tough times, and finally win the ring.
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"I also don't want to chase a ring (by joining another team). I can't speak to anybody else, but for me, it would feel like I really didn't have a big part in that. I was kind of running coattails of other players or whatever if I was to get traded to a different team.
"And also, I just don't want to go anywhere else. This place has been really good to me, and I love the people here. Even in the tough times, this is home to me."
Staley shared that his goal while entering the NFL was to have a long career while not becoming one of those individuals who played 12 years on seven different teams.
Staley finished 2017 as the second-highest graded tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. He did not allow a quarterback pressure during the 49ers' season finale against the Los Angeles Rams and allowed just three over the team's last five games.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Staley, which includes his impressive rendition of "Hakuna Matata" from "The Lion King," below.
