49ers roster: 3 players who aren’t getting enough respect in 2021

Unsung 49ers Player No. 1: Safety Jimmie Ward

Just like Arik Armstead, safety Jimmie Ward is the victim of not tallying the numbers all those stat heads out there would love to see.

Case in point, the last time Ward recorded an interception was back in 2016 before Kyle Shanahan even took over.

San Francisco 49ers

But generating turnovers is only a small part of what a back-of-the-line defensive back is responsible for doing. And while fans might call out Ward for the lack of interceptions, Shanahan already expressed his adoration for the versatile defensive back, saying this back in 2019:

"We love Jimmie. I’d wear his jersey on the sideline if I could. I love his mentality, I love watching him play. … When he is healthy, he is one of the better players. You guys see what he does. He plays extremely physical out there. He’s not scared of anything, he’s not scared to fail."

With free-agent cornerback Richard Sherman no longer on the roster, Ward is now the elder statesman of San Francisco’s secondary, and he’s taking on a bigger leadership role in response:

"The few years Sherm was here, I feel like he was one of the best leaders I ever saw in the game of football. If I’ve got to be an a**hole, I’ll be an a**hole. If I’ve got to be a big brother, I’ll be a big brother. If I’ve got to be a coach, I’ll be a coach. But at the end of the day, I can’t do none of that if I don’t lead by example."

Again, those looking purely at stats don’t necessarily see what Ward does on the field to put his teammates in a better position to make plays.

And those leadership efforts certainly don’t show up on the stat sheet either.

But it doesn’t change the fact Ward should command a lot more respect as a veteran leader.