Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
49ers’ Kyle Juszczyk chasing Super Bowl glory, not personal achievements
Sep 28, 2023 at 12:11 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Kyle Juszczyk is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and is widely considered the best fullback in the NFL. He has been with the San Francisco 49ers since 2017 and was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first free-agent class.
"At this point in my career, I've had a lot of individual successes," Juszczyk recently told Matt Maiocco during an interview for NBC Sports Bay Area's "49ers Talk" podcast. "I've had the Pro Bowls, the All-Pros, I've signed three contracts, widely known as one of the best fullbacks in the league. So I take a lot of pride in all that, and I love that. I truly do."
Juszczyk has yet to catch a pass this season but has 151 receptions for 1,576 yards and nine receiving touchdowns in his seven seasons with the 49ers. He loves catching passes, and the accolades he has earned are nice. However, in his 11th NFL season, the veteran player is focused on team goals, not individual ones.
"My favorite thing in the world to do is to catch the ball," Juszczyk shared. "I've always said if I could choose one thing or the other, I don't care that I'm a fullback, I want to catch the ball. That's what always motivated me to block harder, is so I could stay out there, so I have another chance to catch the ball.
"But, all that being said, having all those individual goals, having already done them, but I haven't won a Super Bowl, now my focus is just so much on that ultimate goal and team goal of winning a ring. That means more than anything to me."
That goal could be reached this season. Juszczyk is part of a talented 49ers roster and a team that is the
betting favorite to win Super Bowl 58. His Niners have come close, reaching the NFC Championship Game three times and a Super Bowl over the past four seasons. They just haven't been able to bring him the organization's sixth Lombardi Trophy, though.
"At the end of the day, if I finish the season with my 20 to 30 catches, but we lose in the playoffs, I've done that," Juszczyk said. "That's cool and all, but I want something more. I really do want that ring. And so right now, if that requires me just doing more blocking, more decoys, that kind of stuff, and seeing other guys succeed, that's fantastic. That's okay."
The fullback is willing to do whatever his coaches ask of him. There have never been so many offensive weapons around him. The 49ers boast other playmakers like running back
Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers
Deebo Samuel and
Brandon Aiyuk, and tight end
George Kittle, to name a few. If that means less involvement in the passing game for Juszczyk as San Francisco continues to rack up wins, so be it.
"I'm genuinely happy that we're winning and we're scoring 30 points a game," Juszczyk added. "I will take that right now. I hope I get the ball more, but it's not absolutely required."
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Kyle Juszczyk is 49ers' nominee for 2023 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
The NFL announced the 32 nominees for the 10th annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award, which recognizes players around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field.
The San Francisco 49ers' nominee is fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who has been with the team since signing in 2017. It is the fourth consecutive year Juszczyk has been the team's nominee.
The award winner will be revealed as part of NFL Honors before Super Bowl LVIII.
Created in 2014, the award honors the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr.
A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community — Warrick Dunn, 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship
Kyle Shanahan's candid remarks on 49ers QB Brock Purdy's Super Bowl potential
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been impressing with his recent performances, leading all NFL quarterbacks in various categories. However, many still doubt his status among the NFL's elite. Following a dominating Thanksgiving win over the Seattle Seahawks to conclude their November slate of games, even Purdy's skeptics are beginning to acknowledge the 23-year-old's potential to lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl victory.
After Thursday's game, head coach Kyle Shanahan fielded questions from reporters, including whether he would categorize Purdy as elite and if he considers the player a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.
Shanahan initially hesitated in his response,
Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy, Steve Wilks preview 49ers-Seahawks Week 12 matchup
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, quarterback Brock Purdy, and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks spoke with reporters on Tuesday as the team prepares for its Week 12 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Here is everything they had to say.
Transcripts provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan
Opening comments:
"All right, injuries. We've got [OL Spencer] Burford, knee, won't practice. [OL] Aaron Banks, toe, limited. [CB] Shemar Jean-Charles, shoulder, limited. [WR] Ray-Ray [McCloud III], rib, limited. [DL Javon] Hargrave, thumb, limited. That's it, go ahead."
Aaron Banks, does he have any chance to potentially
49ers being favored over Eagles 'doesn't make a lot of sense' to Kyle Shanahan
Sitting at 10-1, the Philadelphia Eagles own the NFL's best record. They are set to host the San Francisco 49ers in a highly anticipated NFC Championship Game rematch on Sunday in front of a rowdy Lincoln Financial Field crowd. Despite the Eagles' five-game winning streak, the 8-3 road-team 49ers are currently favored by three points.
Oddsmakers might be favoring the 49ers because of how they have won games recently. Bouncing back from a challenging October, the team is now on a three-game winning streak, dominating opponents with an average margin of victory of 20.7 points.
In contrast, the Eagles have secured victories with a more modest average margin of 4.8 points over their last four games, including an overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on