Joe Staley's presence on the San Francisco 49ers roster is something that will be felt for years to come. Earlier on Friday, guard Laken Tomlinson said his now-retired teammate is the type of player who leaves a place better than he found it.
"What he did for the San Francisco 49ers, all we can say is 'thank you' for all of his sacrifices, all of the time he put into making the program what it is," Tomlinson said of Staley.
Third-year linebacker Fred Warner also spoke with reporters via a video conference call on Friday and was asked to share his favorite memory of Staley; one that might stay with him for the foreseeable future.
Staley knew what it was like to watch great linebacker play. He was teammates with Patrick Willis, after all.
"There was a few conversations that me and him had—we didn't have a lot—but there was a couple where he pulled me aside and told me how much he respects my game and sees a lot of potential in me to be one of the greats; comparing me to Pat, and playing with Patrick, seeing some of the similarities. So that meant a lot to me, honestly. We'll miss Joe a lot."
Staley's words meant a lot to Warner because of the level of respect the linebacker has for the 13-year veteran.
"I respect Joe so much," Warner said. "I mean, just the pro he is, the teammate he was. Obviously, he was a goofball and liked to keep it light. But at the end of the day, he came to work, and he played at a high level."