The San Francisco 49ers finished the 2017 season as one of the hottest teams in the NFL. They did not lose a game in December and – after starting the season 1-10 – won their final five games.
One key component of the 49ers' winning streak was wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who joined San Francisco on March 9, 2017, after signing a two-year contract.
On Thursday, the 49ers locked Goodwin up for the next three years. Shortly after the contract extension was announced, he told reporters via a conference call that his two goals in 2018 are to stay healthy and help the 49ers win games.
With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo signed for the next five years and a brilliant offensive mind in head coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers are seen as a team that could excel in 2018. San Francisco is reportedly an attractive destination for impending free agents. We'll see if that holds true when the free agent signing period begins in less than a week.
RELATED 49ers WR Marquise Goodwin says his goals for 2018 are to stay healthy and win games
Goodwin feels the 49ers have done a lot to create a team that is attractive to other players and will only improve in 2018.
"We were in good shape before, and I think we're in great shape now because I feel the moves that we made have kind of solidified a few positions," Goodwin told reporters via a conference call on Thursday afternoon. "It's kind of made some clarity to a lot of situations. So I feel moving forward, the more people we add can only make us that much better."
While players have already reached out to Garoppolo to see what it is like with the 49ers and wide receiver Pierre Garçon is actively recruited impending free agents, Goodwin says he has not interacted much with other players.
RELATED 49ers sign WR Marquise Goodwin to a 3-year extension
"I try to dedicate my time to my wife and my family when I'm away from football," he said. "I know how long the season can be and how much it takes away from them, so I try to give them more of that in the offseason. So I haven't had the opportunity to really communicate with many people in the football world."
The facilities and employees impressed Goodwin when he first arrived in Santa Clara last year. When did he know that the 49ers could be a long-term home for him?
"When I first stepped foot in the facility," he said. "I remember just walking around in amazement. Firstly because we had finger recognition to get into the building and that was crazy to me because that was the first time I had seen something like that since college...Everything was just great. The whole environment, the weather – I couldn't believe the weather – and the people. Even from the workers in the cafeteria – how humble they were, how nice they were, how well they treated me, how well they made me feel at home – all the way to management."