49ers schedule: Former Niners who face San Francisco in 2022

The 49ers schedule in 2022 will provide a number of ‘reunions,’ former Niners players suiting up against their old team. Let’s look at some of those such players.

Amid a rain-soaked Levi’s Stadium in Week 7 last season, the San Francisco 49ers ensured they would fall victim to the visiting Indianapolis Colts, thanks to a last-second defensive play by one of their former standouts, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who helped seal Indy’s win.

It wasn’t the kind of reunion for which the Niners had been hoping.

Buckner, San Francisco’s first-round NFL Draft pick from 2016, made his presence known. That much can’t be argued.

The 49ers schedule for 2022 will also provide a chance for other Niners players to enact some sort of vengeance against their former team regardless of how their respective tenures with San Francisco came to a close.

Yes, the 49ers will be facing off against many an old friend this season.

Let’s look at a few players who’ll be squaring off against their old team and when.

49ers schedule, Week 1 @ Bears: WR Dante Pettis

You remember San Francisco’s second-round draft pick from 2018, don’t you? Wide receiver Dante Pettis flashed plenty of promise his rookie season only to disappear into head coach Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse the following year before being off the roster entirely in 2020.

The New York Giants subsequently claimed Pettis later in 2020, and he spent a non-impressive year-plus with the G-Men where he appeared in five games and caught 10 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown during that span.

Now, Pettis will hope he can resurrect his otherwise floundering career with the Chicago Bears, the 49ers’ first opponent this upcoming season.

Chicago isn’t exactly loaded with receiving talent right now, so this is a good opportunity for the former University of Washington standout to make his mark.

Meanwhile, it’s likely Shanahan would love nothing more than to ensure Pettis is a complete nonfactor over the course of this Week 1 showdown at Soldier Field.