It's hard to believe San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is the third-longest tenured head coach in the NFL. To some fans, it feels like only yesterday when the young play caller took over the coaching carousel that had plagued the Niners for much of the 21st century.
While many players have thrived under him and received unmitigated praise as a result, some have slipped through the cracks, only to find themselves unappreciated, and at times, forgotten.
Now it's time these players get their flowers. After all, better late than never.
Honorable mention: Colton McKivitz, K'Wuan Williams, Kendrick Bourne
5. Emmanuel Sanders
The only reason he isn't higher on the list is because of how brief his stint in a 49ers uniform was.
Sanders wasn't even a major contributor after getting traded to the Niners mid-season, but his presence was certainly felt. He arrived at a time when George Kittle had just one productive season under his belt, and Deebo Samuel was still developing.
Sanders brought a steady, veteran presence to the young pass-catching group they lacked before his arrival. Just recently, Kittle threw a nod his way when he compared Sanders' veteran prowess to that of newly acquired Mike Evans. In doing so, he recognized the importance of having an elder statesman present to mentor younger, more talented players.
Sanders was by no means a statistically dominant player in his half-season under Kyle Shanahan, but his
4. Matt Breida
Breida's time with the 49ers can be summed up in one word: production.
During his three seasons with the Niners, he rushed for an impressive 5.0 yards per carry while adding 67 catches for 561 yards. He did all this after going undrafted and certainly earned every opportunity he received.
Despite his success, he only led San Francisco in carries once and mostly served as a complementary back to players like the plodding Carlos Hyde and the often-injured Raheem Mostert.
Breida saw action with three more teams after he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, but he never regained the form he found in red and gold. Shanahan's refusal to lean into the young talent will forever leave fans questioning whether Breida could've established himself as a premier back if given the opportunity.
3. Arik Armstead
Though much of the 49ers' defensive success during the Shanahan era has been built on its elite pass rush, Armstead rarely gets the credit he deserves. The defensive tackle anchored San Francisco's front seven for nine years, predating Shanahan's tenure.
In that time, helped the Niners reach two Super Bowls. In 2019, he recorded a career high 10 sacks, an impressive feat for an interior tackle.
Though players like Nick Bosa and DeForest Buckner get most of the credit for the Niners' pass rush, Armstead provided interior linemen with a tough assignment that allowed the rest of the defensive line to run wild and get to opposing quarterbacks.
2. Dre Greenlaw
Always Robin, never Batman.
That's been the story for much of Greenlaw's career, as he's been overshadowed by the great Fred Warner. It hasn't been without good reason. Warner has earned every bit of praise that has come his way. But the 49ers defense would not be what it was (and is) without the linebacker, minus his one-year stint with the Denver Broncos last season.
Greenlaw has eclipsed 100 tackles twice in his career, and one could make the argument that San Francisco would have won the Super Bowl back in 2023 if he hadn't gotten hurt early in the second quarter.
Now back in the Bay, Greenlaw will likely continue to operate under Warner's shadow, but the 49ers' interior defense will likely be much more stout than it was a year ago, largely thanks to the seven-year pro.
1. Kyle Juszczyk
There's really no quantifying how valuable Jusczyk has been in his nine seasons with San Francisco. It's impossible to make an argument regarding his value using basic metrics, which is probably why he often flies under the radar.
But there is a reason why the veteran has made it impossible for his head coach to take him off the field in a time when the fullback is a lost art in the NFL. Like Armstead and Greenlaw, Juszczyk also played an integral role on both Super Bowl teams. He even caught a touchdown pass in Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs.
From pass protection to short-yardage gains to catching timely passes, Juszcyk has done it all for the 49ers. Now entering his 14th season, the jack of all trades continues to provide quiet value to his offense and doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon.
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