Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
49ers tackle Mike McGlinchey opens up about his support of autism awareness
Nov 29, 2018 at 11:08 AM
•
More than 800 NFL players will showcase custom cleats during Week 13 as part of the NFL's
"My Cause, My Cleats" campaign in support of causes important to them. San Francisco 49ers rookie tackle
Mike McGlinchey will be among those players sporting custom shoes when he takes the field at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.
McGlinchey's game-day cleats will feature a design in honor of autism awareness, a cause that is close to home for the standout rookie tackle. He joined 95.7 The Game on Wednesday night and shared that his younger brother, Jimmy, has autism, and why the NFL campaign means so much to him.
"It means the world to me, and Jimmy, he's a rock and the light of our family, and he always has been," McGlinchey told Damon Bruce. "It means the world to me that I'm able to physically represent him not only with the name on my back but with his name on my shoes. It's cool for our family. Jimmy is our favorite guy. He's the best part of our family, and he keeps us all grounded.
"Growing up with him was nothing but the best. He gives us all perspective on how to truly enjoy and what's truly important about life. Like I said, I couldn't be more proud to be representing that cause, and for him, and for my family."
Bruce asked McGlinchey what he knows about autism that others might not.
"My mom actually got into early intervention when Jimmy was diagnosed," McGlinchey responded. "A couple of years later, after he had gone through school and stuff, she started working in special ed. She was a teacher by trade. She was a Catholic school teacher, so she switched over to special ed after Jim.
"The thing that she always preaches and talks about is that parents should never be in denial. It's not like a kiss of death. It's not something to be ashamed of if your child has autism. It's a blessing, and it's certainly a gift that your family probably doesn't know yet, but you'll figure it out later down the road. Jimmy has been nothing but that.
"The one thing that my family and my mom specifically always preaches is don't be ashamed of that. Don't be in denial. Seek help for your child. The earlier you can get on it, the better their outcome is going to be. We've found that out with Jimmy, and he's doing great."
You can listen to the entire conversation with McGlinchey below.
LISTEN
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers considered trading Mike McGlinchey last year
Mike McGlinchey received a life-changing payday, signing a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos. The offensive tackle has known for a while that he would not return to the San Francisco 49ers, the only NFL team he has played for and the one that made him the No. 9 overall pick in 2018.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear to McGlinchey that he was likely playing his final months for the team. There was too much money invested in other spots, and the 49ers knew they couldn't compete with other interested teams.
Behind the scenes, Lynch and Shanahan kept McGlinchey in the loop of what the team was thinking, and everything pointed to the tackle playing elsewhere in 2023 … maybe even
49ers GM John Lynch on right tackle hole: "There'll be a competition"
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 27
The San Francisco 49ers said goodbye to a longtime member of the franchise this offseason when starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos that included $50 million in guaranteed money.
McGlinchey, a player prone to criticism during his career with the 49ers, was extremely unlikely to re-sign, which the right tackle openly admitted, due to financial restrictions.
However, the 49ers made the first step into filling his vacancy by re-signing swing tackle Colton McKivitz, who has seen action on several spots along the offensive line, but is now expected to compete for the starting position.
With
Podcast: 49ers with Grant Cohn: Are the 49ers the favorites in the NFC with Trey Lance?
By Rohan Chakravarthi
Mar 24
Rohan Chakravarthi and Grant Cohn discuss whether the 49ers are favorites in the NFC after free agency.
The audio for the show is embedded above, while the video is available below.
?feature=share
You can listen to "The Rohan Chakravarthi Show" from our
Photo: Recovering 49ers QB Brock Purdy spotted by fan
Brock Purdy can begin throwing again sometime in June. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback is expected to be ready to hit the field—practice or in-game—sometime in September.
Purdy is recovering from surgery to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury sustained in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He hasn't been seen since the surgery, with his last public appearance taking place In Arizona, during the week leading to the Super Bowl.
One fan spotted Purdy, though, getting a photo with the 49ers quarterback (h/t TheSFNiners). As expected, Purdy is wearing a massive brace on his throwing arm,
