placeholder image

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports


“The kid is phenomenal”: Ronnie Lott praises 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga

Sep 27, 2022 at 12:38 PM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
On Tuesday, San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga received plenty of praise from one of the greatest defenders ever to step on a football field. Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott joined KNBR's Murph & Mac show and was asked about the 49ers' talented second-year safety, who has spent this season wowing film evaluators.

"The kid is phenomenal, and what I love is the timing, and the anticipation, and the feel [for the game]," Lott said. "What's great is that here's a guy that looks like he's moving faster than everyone else. And what I mean by that is his anticipation of understanding the moment. So, those kinds of situations where you are anticipating feeling the game, understanding the game, seeing the field, and being present to know, 'I'm trying to observe all of what's going on, on the field,' that's what you want to see from all of your guys."

Lott commented that the 49ers have other players who do the same thing, naming linebacker Fred Warner as an example. Hufanga, like Warner, is an exceptional talent.

"This young man, the way he gets around, and what he does, and the plays that he's made so far have been just outstanding," Lott added.

Hufanga leads all NFL defensive backs in run stops with nine. The next closest defensive backs have five.

Hufanga trains with another Hall of Fame safety, Troy Polamalu. Of course, that comes as no surprise to Lott.

"To me, what I see is, I see a lot of Troy," Lott said. "And the reason I see a lot of Troy is that the beauty of when you watch somebody, when you watch what they do, and how they do it, it mimics certain things. So what I've seen is the mimicking of certain situations where getting across the line of scrimmage, or being able to anticipate on a blitz, or being able to see something that you watch on film and being able to anticipate that in getting to the position you need to get to."

Lott praised Hufanga's passion for the game and how he prepares himself each week, feeling that the young safety is on his way to becoming a special player.

You can listen to the entire conversation with Lott below.




Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

49ers roster moves: Talanoa Hufanga placed on IR, O-lineman added

By Site Staff
Nov 21

The San Francisco 49ers announced that safety Talanoa Hufanga has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To fill Hufanga's roster spot, the team signed offensive lineman Ben Bartch off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad to a one-year deal. The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown. Bartch (6-6, 315) was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. Throughout his four-year career with the Jaguars (2020-23), he has appeared in 41 games (20 starts). In 2023, he appeared in eight games and made three starts. Bartch was waived by Jacksonville on October 31, 2023, and signed to the team's


placeholder image

49ers' Talanoa Hufanga suffered torn ACL vs. Buccaneers, Shanahan confirms

By David Bonilla
Nov 20

During a Monday morning conference call, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan updated reporters on the team's status following their 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shanahan shared an injury update concerning safety Talanoa Hufanga, who sustained a knee injury in the third quarter and was subsequently ruled out. Following the game, Shanahan expressed concerns about a potential ACL injury for the All-Pro safety. On Monday, Shanahan officially confirmed that Hufanga would be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL. The good news is that Shanahan and the 49ers expect the injured safety to be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 season. "They


placeholder image

Kyle Shanahan expresses confidence in Ji'Ayir Brown replacing Talanoa Hufanga for 49ers

By David Bonilla
Nov 20

In the aftermath of Sunday's 27-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Monday morning that his All-Pro safety, Talanoa Hufanga, sustained a torn ACL. That is a significant loss for the defense, but the coaching staff is confident in third-round draft pick Ji'Ayir Brown's ability to fill the void for the remainder of the season. "That's one of the reasons we went for him," Shanahan said via a conference call. "We knew we needed some depth there, and the coolest thing about him ... I think you heard it from guys yesterday, but the way he's been


placeholder image

John Lynch: Losing Hufanga is tough, but 49ers fortunate to have Ji'Ayir Brown

By David Bonilla
Nov 21

John Lynch clung to hope that safety Talanoa Hufanga hadn't sustained a severe injury during the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unfortunately, fears were confirmed when it was revealed that Hufanga had torn his ACL and would miss the remainder of the season. "I went in and saw him in the locker room after," Lynch said Tuesday morning on Bay Area radio station KNBR's "Murph and Mac" show. "He was still hanging on to hope. I was trying to, but unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards." The silver lining is that the 49ers had a contingency plan. Rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, drafted in the third round, seamlessly stepped into Hufanga's position alongside Tashaun Gipson, demonstrating his NFL readiness. "First of all, with Huf, I mean, those


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone