49ers news: Mitch Wishnowsky earns lofty NFL accolade

The 49ers’ punter, Mitch Wishnowsky, put together efforts over the course of September to earn him an NFC Special Teams Player of the Month award.

While there have been more than a handful of headaches for the San Francisco 49ers over the course of the 2022 season thus far, it’s somewhat refreshing to know the team’s efforts during the offseason to revamp special teams have made some notable improvements.

However, one of the incumbent returnees, punter Mitch Wishnowsky, is one of the standouts for the Niners over the course of the opening month of the regular season.

For his efforts over the course of September, Wishnowsky received his first-ever Special Teams Player of the Month award.

Through three games this season, Wishnowsky is averaging 46.8 yards per punt and also has the current long of 74 yards.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White took home the NFC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Month awards for September, respectively.

49ers fully invested in Mitch Wishnowsky with new contract

Wishnowsky, somewhat of a surprising fourth-round pick by San Francisco in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Utah, was heading into a contract year this season and was poised to hit NFL free agency once the year concluded.

That prompted the notion he’d need to put forth quite the year to justify the team drafting him in the first place, while somewhat average campaigns in the last three years suggested the 49ers may ultimately move on after 2022 anyway.

However, instead of letting him walk, the Niners elected to extend the 30-year-old Australian native with a new four-year, $3.28 million contract that keeps him with the team through 2026.

Perhaps that was a shocker, too, as it’s not all too common to see lengthy deals handed out to specialists, but Wishnowsky responding with a notable accolade helps justify the long-term investment.

Either way, congratulations are in order for Wishnowsky, and one has to hope his efforts continue over the course of the season.