The San Francisco 49ers had a good offseason in the estimation of many fans. One of the most popular moves was bringing back linebacker Dre Greenlaw after he spent a season away with the Denver Broncos. The Niners started their voluntary offseason program on Monday, and Greenlaw was there with a message that will get fans pumped up.
The camera caught him on his way to the practice field and he said, "Gets no better than this. Happy to be back with the fellas, with the guys. Let’s get it started. Only here for one reason."
That one reason is pretty obvious. Greenlaw, just like the rest of the Niners who have been through it all since 2019, wants to win a Super Bowl. 49ers fans will never forget when Greenlaw went down with a non-contact injury just over two years ago in the Super Bowl. It was a torn Achilles, and one can’t help but wonder how that game might have turned out had Greenlaw been healthy for the entire contest.
Even though Greenlaw is now 28 years old and has a lengthy injury history, he can still make an impact. Niners fans know that when he is right, no one is more ferocious or hits harder on defense. Reuniting him with Fred Warner should do wonders for both players, so maybe San Francisco’s defense can have a return to glory in 2026 under new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
The defense has a lot to prove after last season. That side of the ball was ravaged by injuries, so lots of guys will be looking to come back and prove that their ailments have not slowed them down. Warner will have a chip on his shoulder coming off the ankle injury. Nick Bosa will be looking to prove himself after tearing his ACL yet again. And Greenlaw has something to prove after last season with Denver did not go as planned.
That’s a recipe for success, as a lot of good players will be trying to show that their best days are not behind them.
But as Greenlaw’s message revealed, the overarching goal is still to win a Super Bowl. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was smart to not set that as the ultimate goal last season since he thought it would be more of a rebuilding year, but this season after adding Mike Evans and bringing back Greenlaw, making a run in the playoffs definitely feels like more of a possibility.
If Greenlaw can stay healthy and look like the guy he was during his best days in San Francisco, then maybe San Francisco can make another run as it tries to take advantage of however long the championship window remains open.
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