Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Joe Staley still has a hunger to continue playing football. His decision to retire had nothing to do with that. It had everything to do with his health, future, and family.
The former San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle doesn't sound like he regrets the choice, and is already looking forward to life after football. First, that means resting and recovering from an injury-plagued final season.
Staley didn't come to a decision easily. He started kicking around the idea of calling it a career immediately after the crushing Super Bowl defeat in February—the second of his career. In fact, he was contemplating his future the morning after the game, as the team started its trek from Miami back to the Bay Area.
Fullback
Kyle Juszczyk spoke with reporters via a video conference call on Tuesday and was asked to share one of his favorite memories of his former teammate. The story he shared was a testament to Staley's competitiveness and strong desire to continue playing.
"I think one of my favorite memories is probably right after the Super Bowl," Juszczyk said. "He was contemplating his retirement. I think it was in the morning, we were on the bus ride to the airport, and he says, 'Guys, I think I'm going to retire.'
"I'm like, 'Come on, Joe, we still need you, man. Let's get another year.' He said, 'Yeah, I think I'm going to retire.'
"Ten minutes go by, he's like, 'Yeah, guys, I don't know, I'm 50-50. I've just got to think about it.' Another 10 minutes pass. 'Yeah, I think I might come back. I might come back. Let's just give it some more time.'
"And by the time we got to the airplane, he's like, 'I'm coming back! I got to play! I got to play!'"
Nearly three months later, Staley did retire. The decision came after a visit with a specialist, Dr. Robert G. Watkins in Los Angeles, informed him of the potential long-term effects should he choose to continue playing.
"I had herniations at a bunch of different levels and really severe stenosis,"
Staley shared earlier this month. "... He was like, 'If you're going to continue to play football, you're probably going to have to have fusion surgery on multiple levels.'"
While Juszczyk was left with the impression that Staley would play in his 14th NFL season, it wasn't meant to be.
"Obviously things didn't turn out that way, but you could just see the wheels turning in his head, and what a competitor he was," Juszczyk continued, "and how much he really did love the game. I know under perfect conditions, I'm sure he'd still like to be out here with us. But Joe will have a lasting impression on me and I'm really happy to have played with him as a teammate."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
