SANTA CLARA — It’s a new season at 49ers headquarters and the renewed energy was palpable during San Francisco's first on-field practice of organized team activities (OTAs) open to local media.
Coach Kyle Shanahan noticed a difference on the first day of Phase 1 when the entire team reported to Santa Clara for the start of the offseason program
It wasn’t because he approached his players to attend, but rather the message he shared at the end of the 49ers' 2024 campaign.
“The way I addressed it the most, was at our last meeting in January,” Shanahan explained. “I just told the guys, I talked about how the season ended the year before, and how when I felt them all come back. I felt guys weren’t ready to come back and I understood that.
“But I told them how I really won’t understand it this year, not that that was right or wrong, but I couldn’t comprehend it. We’re off five weeks earlier, we all know how disappointed we are. And a lot of us have played a lot of football here.”
The 49ers have played deep into the post season in three of the past four years, shortening their recovery time in preparation for the following year. After a 6-11 showing in 2024 the 49ers were home watching games in January, gaining an extra five weeks of off time.
After the season ended, the 49ers went through a transformation of sorts, losing several veteran players to other teams during free agency. Subsequently, 11 rookies were added to the roster through the 2025 NFL Draft. Shanahan saw getting all of the new faces aligned with the culture of the locker room as a challenge.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
“We are going to have a team that doesn’t know what we’ve done in the past, or how you guys have earned a lot of stuff,” Shanahan said. “We need to show them, and the first meeting when we get back, I expect our whole team to be here and for it to be important to guys. “
“I thought the coolest thing was everyone being there on the first day. We have every guy show up and I didn’t have to call anyone and beg them which said a lot. They all knew what I said on the last day and I wanted to see if it really meant something to them, not to where I had to call and remind them and I didn’t and they all showed up and they’ve all been working and to me that’s been something I really appreciate and I know I got the right guys.”
Those veteran leaders now have the responsibility of making sure that the rookies and free agents align themselves with the priorities of the team. Through the first on-field session it appears to be working.
Fred Warner was already chirping challenges at the offense and running to congratulate defensive teammates when big plays were made. George Kittle was offering advice to new additions to the tight ends group as they learned blocking techniques.
It has only been one open practice, but it appears the 49ers have the right intentions looking towards a new start to a fresh season, with the right foot forward.
English (US) ·