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It might be more challenging than usual for the San Francisco 49ers to get motivated for football when they run onto the field at Levi's Stadium to face the Arizona Cardinals on September 13. That's because there may be no fans in the seats cheering for them.
So much for having a home-field advantage.
The coronavirus pandemic could force several NFL teams to play without fans in their home stadiums. The city of Philadelphia prohibits outdoor events involving more than 50 people. That would apply to Lincoln Financial Field and the Eagles. However, city officials made it clear that the mandate is
a "fluid situation" and could change.
49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead joined
The Breakaway podcast this past week and was asked about the possibility of playing at Levi's Stadium, and potentially opposing teams' stadiums, without fans in attendance.
"It's definitely going to be interesting,"
Armstead said. "It's something that none of us has really gone through. So, it's going to be interesting, but I'm missing football and am just excited to get back in any fashion, really. I miss playing, miss being around the guys, so hopefully, we can be back in some capacity."
Which side of the football has more of an advantage with an empty stadium? After all, no fans or even limited fans would make road games against teams like the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints, both of which are on the 49ers' schedule, a lot easier.
"The game's definitely going to be a little weird, but we're professional athletes, and can make those adjustments," Armstead continued. "I think no crowd gives an advantage to -- I would say gives it to the offense. Defensively, we communicate, but we don't have to communicate as much. So, when the crowd is there, and they're loud and rowdy, it definitely affects the offense a bunch.
"But it's going to be a challenge for both, too. Defensively, you make a big play, and it's kind of quiet. Really, no momentum shift or anything like that. It could be a little weird."
As for the 49ers themselves, Armstead doesn't foresee a significant drop-off from last season. The team has enough talent to overcome any Super Bowl hangover, and Armstead believes it could even be improved.
"Every season brings new challenges, but I feel like everyone is just getting more and more comfortable with one another, settling into our roles, and what our coaches ask of us, and what we need to do to go out there to get victories," Armstead explained. "So I think we've been getting better and better each year since Shanahan took over.
"I continue to see that growth in us, and we want to improve from last year, and I think we have the roster to do it, so I'm excited to get back to work."
The San Francisco 49ers appear to have found their quarterback. It was a bumpy road on the journey to locate him, too. There was the up-and-down tenure of Jimmy Garoppolo, whose relationship with Head Coach Kyle Shanahan seemed dysfunctional, at times. Then there was the short-lived Trey Lance experiment.
Garoppolo and Lance are no longer being with the team, and one major reason is the emergence of Brock Purdy as the team's QB. Purdy finished his second season with a trip to the Super Bowl, after having a Pro Bowl season in which he finished with 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also led the league in multiple statistics, including passer rating (113.0) and QBR (72.8). Additionally, Purdy finished fourth in NFL MVP voting.
But a year ago, no one knew what to
The news of Arik Armstead's departure from the San Francisco 49ers after nine seasons with the team shocked linebacker Fred Warner. Armstead, a former first-round pick, was an impactful force on the football field. However, his availability over the last two seasons forced the 49ers to reevaluate his contract, and when his salary could not be significantly reduced, the two sides parted ways.
"Huge surprise," Warner said of learning that Armstead was being released. "Ever since I've been here, we called him the blueprint for how to be a Niner. That was the longest-tenured Niner that's been here and a guy that's done it right through and through."
Warner has been in the NFL long enough to understand how the league works. Over the years, he's watched several
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
