LISTEN: Why Do The 49ers Keep Imploding? →
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports


A Goodbye, Thank You Letter to Retiring 49ers Great Joe Staley

Levin T. Black
Apr 25, 2020 at 11:45 AM

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

Dear Mr. Joseph Andrew Staley,

For all the San Francisco 49ers fans who had the pleasure to watch you chucking pass rushers aside for the past 13 years while donning the red and gold, allow me to simply say thank you.

The decision to retire when the team is so close to completing the quest for six must have been difficult. You will find no ill will here. You've been a reliable and stabilizing force on the 49ers for more than a decade.

Who can forget the ridiculous block you made in the 2012 NFC Championship game? A game changing block nearly 20 yards downfield! I know you're getting up there in years so I included the play below just in case you don't remember.

Maybe no other left tackle in history could make that block. That's no hyperbole. Your speed downfield was special and made a gusty play like this possible. Thank you for the hustle on that play in particular.

You made six Pro Bowls in your time with the 49ers. Thank you for each and every one of those stellar seasons. Thank you for the seven other seasons as well.

Thank you for showing football doesn't have to be so serious at all times. The Joe Show was a must watch because it was great comedy. Pat McAfee has got nothing on you.

Thank you for playing through injuries. It is being reported you are retiring in part due to the accumulations of them.

The sacrifices you made with your body won't go away completely upon retirement. I have met retired linemen and seen the havoc all the jabs and punches to disrupt pass rushers cause.

Thank you for playing with those and thank you for paying that price for years to come. Hopefully the nose straightens back out.

Thank you for the blocks that made Frank Gore's career so consistent. He brought a lot of brightness to some very dark years for the 49ers and your blocks played a big part in that.

Thank you for the 26 career receiving yards. You should have gotten more passes thrown your way! You could have been the best receiver to come out of Central Michigan instead of that Antonio Brown guy.

Thank you for sticking with the team when things fell apart following the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. You stuck around and helped bridge the gap between winning seasons. You were the connection that tied the past with the present and that has provided the team a bright future.

Finally, as a fellow Mid-American Conference graduate (Ball State), thank you for representing the MAC like a champ.

Speaking of that, I'm sorry you didn't get your ring. You certainly deserved one. Hopefully the 49ers give you a place in the Ring of Honor. They should do so immediately. Have the ceremony at the first home game at which fans are allowed.

They should also retire your number despite already being tied with the New York Giants for the most in the league (12). The number 74 should be as synonymous to you as No. 16 to Joe Montana or No. 80 to Jerry Rice.

Goodbye Joe, you will be missed

The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.

0 Comments

  • No Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News


49ers Notebook: Christian McCaffrey 'feeling great now, ready to go'; Concern for Nick Bosa; Renardo Green poised to start

By David Bonilla
Nov 8

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that running back Christian McCaffrey is expected to be activated off injured reserve on Saturday, making him available for his 2024 season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. "We'll take him off IR...



These 6 49ers players are inactive vs. Buccaneers

By David Bonilla
Nov 10

The San Francisco 49ers have released the list of inactive players for their Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These six players will not suit up for the game. Inactives: OL Ben Bartch WR Chris Conley (hamstring) QB Joshua Dobbs DT Kevin Givens (groin) CB...



49ers vs. Buccaneers: Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel set to play

By David Bonilla
Nov 10

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (hip), running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles), safety Malik Mustapha (calf), and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (rib, oblique) were all listed as questionable for the team's Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All four...



NFL Week 10 Predictions: 49ers Lead Picks Over Buccaneers, Chargers Heavy Fan Favorites

By Site Staff
Nov 9

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the San Francisco 49ers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, November 10, at 10:00 a.m. PT. The 49ers are currently favored by 6.5 points. Each week, 49ers Webzone staff members participate in the NFL Pick 'em...


Latest

More by Levin T. Black

More Articles

Share 49ersWebzone