Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
49ers asked fans to get loud and they delivered in win vs. Steelers
Sep 23, 2019 at 10:22 AM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
There was some curiosity leading into the San Francisco 49ers' home opener of how loud the Levi's Stadium crowd would be on Sunday. Then there was some concern when droves of Pittsburgh Steelers fans were seen making their way through stadium gates. The opposing team's fans came out in full force, as expected, but left the game disappointed in the end.
Still, the majority of the fans at Levi's Stadium were cheering the home team, and those in attendance got loud, as the team requested during the week leading to the game. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh even went as far as to
challenge fans to get loud on Sunday.
"Everyone talks about a home-field advantage in all sports, but football is the one that you have to communicate the most," head coach
Kyle Shanahan explained on Friday. "So it's a fact on home-field advantage, O-linemen cannot hear snap counts, so D-linemen can tee off. Guys cannot hear audibles. You've got to use all the signals. People can't communicate the same."
"I think our home crowd is awesome," quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo said last week as the 49ers prepared for the Steelers. "I mean, these last two games in Tampa and Cincinnati especially, it turned into a home game with all the red out there. It was fun. So yeah, I would expect a great atmosphere this Sunday, and I hope the crowd is rocking."
From the reactions of the players, it sounds like the Niner Faithful answered the challenge on Sunday.
"I really wanted the fans to be into it this game, with us being 2-0 on the road," linebacker
Fred Warner said after the win. "They came through, especially in those last few seconds in that last drive. That was the loudest I ever heard it, for sure. That for sure rattled the quarterback and got us the W in the end."
Cornerback Richard Sherman noticed, too. He felt the fans' energy had a significant impact on Sunday's outcome.
"Niner Gang, we appreciate you guy," Sherman said. "We went out there and fought for you. It's not always pretty. It's not always going to be a blowout and just get to sit comfortably in your seats and drink. Sometimes, we've got to keep you on the edge of your seats. Got to keep you involved, got to keep you in the seats, you know. That's what they told us.
"But, we appreciate you guys sticking through, being loud, being proud. 3-0 for the first time since '98. Niner Gang."
The 49ers are off next weekend and will return to Levi's Stadium on Monday, October 7 when the team hosts the Cleveland Browns.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Steelers are reportedly still pursuing 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk
According to NFL Insider, Benjamin Allbright, the Pittsburgh Steelers are trying to trade for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, to add him as a weapon for QB Russell Wilson. The Steelers added Wilson earlier this offseason after the Denver Broncos decided to move on from him. Aiyuk, if paired with Steelers WR George Pickens, would give Wilson two dangerous threats in the passing game.
👀 pic.twitter.com/261FS6DjhL— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL)
49ers' culture led to Josh Dobbs and Jauan Jennings reunion
When Josh Dobbs signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent, he was already familiar with at least one new teammate. Dobbs played two seasons alongside Jauan Jennings, the Niners' dependable and physical wide receiver, at the University of Tennessee, and was thrilled to reunite with him in Santa Clara. San Francisco made Jennings a seventh-round draft pick in 2020. Four years later, they find themselves teammates once again.
Jennings recently joined Dobbs on his podcast, "Torchbearers." The two reminisced about their time at Tennessee before briefly discussing their reunion with the Niners.
When asked to share his thoughts on the team, Jennings offered a glowing assessment: "Everybody just comes to attack the job, to do their best, and
PFF mock draft has 49ers adding cornerback with 'unique fluidity and size'
Analyst Steve Palazzolo unveiled a first-round mock draft for Pro Football Focus, attempting to forecast the selections for each NFL team within the top 32 picks. While the San Francisco 49ers concentrated on strengthening the defensive line in free agency, Palazzolo envisions the team continuing to fortify that side of the ball.
In his mock draft, Palazzolo predicts that the 49ers will select former Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa with the No. 31 overall pick.
"Tampa's unique fluidity and size for a cornerback make him worthy of a top-75 pick," reads the analysis from Pro Football Focus' big board. "If he can clean up his footwork, he can
Deebo Samuel and Brock Purdy are why the 49ers can afford to pay Brandon Aiyuk
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
