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49ers’ Kyle Juszczyk working to hurdle like Brandon Aiyuk
May 11, 2021 at 10:09 AM
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San Francisco 49ers fullback
Kyle Juszczyk is working hard this offseason. One of his inspirations is a teammate. No, it's not another running back or a hard-hitting blocker. It's wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk.
You may remember
Aiyuk's Week 4 leap over Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps last season as the then-rookie receiver headed into the end zone on a 38-yard score. The play instantly went viral on social media.
"I thought the touchdown was a hell of a play. It was a really good play," head coach Kyle Shanahan
said after the game, which ended up being a 25-20 loss. "I thought we could get the first with the look we had, but for him to turn that into a touchdown was an unbelievable play."
Juszczyk is hoping for an opportunity to show off his athleticism in a similar manner.
"[M]y goal this year is to take the hurdle [crown] from my mentee, [Brandon Aiyuk]," Juszczyk wrote via Instagram along with videos of his offseason training (h/t to
David Lombardi of The Athletic for the find).
Juszczyk stayed with San Francisco, re-signing on a five-year, $27 million deal in March.
"Kyle is a unique football player whose versatility, leadership, and skillset are a tremendous fit with us," general manager John Lynch said
via a statement following the re-signing. "He has been integral to the success of our offense the last four seasons, and his contributions on the field are just a portion of the value he brings to our team."
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