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San Francisco 49ers rookie safety
Talanoa Hufanga was excited to start his first NFL game. You could hear it in his voice on Friday when he spoke with reporters.
"Oh man, it's been a blessing," Hufanga told reporters after the team's last practice of the week. "It's been a long time coming. All glory to God, first off. It's a unique experience. I've been here, just trying to enjoy this process, enjoy this role, whether I'm on the field, I'm off the field."
The 49ers leave Chicago with a 33-22 victory, snapping an embarrassing four-game losing streak. Hufanga will continue to get opportunities with Jaquiski Tartt (knee) on injured reserve.
"Oh man, he was great," cornerback Josh Norman said of Hufanga's performance against the Bears. "He was great. He was everything we asked for
and some. He wasn't scared of the moment. He actually grabbed that moment by the horns, and he ran with it. He's just going to continue to keep improving, and a guy like that, he only can get better.
"I mean, he's a rookie, for crying out loud. He played like a vet today."
Hufanga is close with another former USC Trojan — NFL great Troy Polamalu.
"If you want to have a big brother, it's Troy Polamalu," Norman added. "That's for sure. He is an awesome talent, and if [Hufanga] can come [close] to [playing like] him one day, that's a big feat. But he's starting off on a good foot."
Another defensive teammate, All-Pro linebacker
Fred Warner, was also impressed with the rookie safety's ability to fill in for Tartt, even though he didn't get to see a lot of the rookie's play today.
"I thought he did great," Warner told reporters. "Obviously, you've got to go back and watch. He's playing behind me, so half the time, I don't really know what he's doing, but it seemed like he was around the ball, being disruptive, and doing the right things, being in the right spots. I think he did a good job."
Next up for Hufanga and the 49ers are the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on November 7.
Just when you thought the San Francisco 49ers and Tom Brady storylines had concluded, the future Hall of Fame quarterback drops another tidbit that sparks discussion. During an episode of "DeepCut with VicBlends," the host asked Brady what he would do if the NFL came calling once again.
VicBlends inquired if Brady would consider returning to the football field if a playoff-bound team like the 49ers needed him.
"I'm not opposed to it," Brady said, per Jordan Mendoza of USA Today. "I don't know if they're gonna let me if I become an owner an NFL team. I don't know, I'm always gonna be in good shape, always be able to
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
