SANTA CLARA — The last time the 49ers lost in the Super Bowl, the world shut down. The COVID-19 pandemic halted football activities and forced teams to cram a rushed training camp right before the season began, interrupting the NFL’s circadian rhythms.
The Niners went 6-10 and missed the postseason in that 2020 season. Jimmy Garoppolo’s high ankle sprain limited him to six starts as injuries doomed San Francisco’s quest to return to the Super Bowl.
This time around, after the second Super Bowl heartbreak of the Kyle Shanahan era, the 49ers have a fully healthy Brock Purdy and an upset star receiver in a contract dispute. They have a better understanding of what it takes to return to the pinnacle of football, but a certain existential dread that comes along with a second bout of near-immortality.
“It does when you lose the games,” said Nick Bosa when asked if doubt about returning to the Super Bowl sets in.
“But I think that passes, then you get to work and you really have no other option but to grind it out again.”
The grind has led to the opening of training camp on Tuesday, when Bosa, George Kittle, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch addressed local media at Levi’s Stadium.
“This one went a lot faster,” Shanahan said. “I think that is the tough thing about going to the Super Bowl and stuff, whether you win or lose — how long it takes with some of the things you put off all the way to February. Recovery you need, just mentally and physically. But when you get to this point, it all kind of feels the same.”
Bosa, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, was a rookie in 2019 when San Francisco made its run to Super Bowl LIV. His torn ACL in Week 2 of 2020 was a big blow to that season. He now has a better understanding of how to tackle offseasons, especially ones cut short by deep postseason runs. That has been the norm for San Francisco.
“There’s plenty of time in the offseason to take it slow,” Bosa said. “Sometimes I get antsy and want to get after it quicker. But as I go in my career, I understand that you have to build it up at the right time. Especially when you’re playing 20-game seasons — just building it up slow and peaking at the right time.”
Tight end George Kittle didn’t have the luxury of building up meticulously. A shoulder sprain in the Super Bowl and core muscle surgery kept him out of the weight room after the season.
Kittle’s playing weight during the season is between 242 and 245 pounds, he said. That dropped as low as 214, he revealed, as he could only focus on recovery instead of lifting for several weeks.
Once his shoulder and core healed, Kittle returned to training and was able to put muscle back on. This past week, he said he got up to 243 pounds.
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Kittle wasn’t the only one on the mend, and getting to full strength is always key for any team — but especially one trying to mount another championship-caliber season. Rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall, who injured his hamstring away from the team, will miss the first several days of training camp. Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw are also on the Physically Unable to Perform list from their major injuries last year.
Having Purdy fully in the mix is a big difference. Last year, the quarterback was recovering from his elbow injury and couldn’t participate in some offseason activities. There was some uncertainty over whether he’d be available for Week 1. Now, he’s a full go after leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl and establishing himself as an MVP candidate.
Having the quarterback position locked into place is a luxury. Even though this summer has been shorter for Purdy than it has been for 30 other starting quarterbacks, he should have a much stronger foundation than he did at this time last year.
“It’s cool,” Shanahan said of Purdy. “It’s nice, there’s a lot more certainty. I felt good about him last year and just talking him every day, watching his rehab, he looked great. But it was still a scary injury. And you’re nervous when he comes back. This year, just being able to go through an offseason that wasn’t just in the film room…He’s pumped to start tomorrow.”
When Lynch was playing in Denver for Shanahan’s dad, Mike, the coach would remind the team that “we have a chance” — and that’s all you can ask for.
Lynch and the 49ers front office elevated Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator and hired former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to the coaching staff. They extended running back Christian McCaffrey and added pass rusher Leonard Floyd.
No matter how the Brandon Aiyuk contract situation gets resolved, no matter how little time the 49ers had to put the emotions of another Super Bowl loss behind them, it’s hard to argue they don’t have a chance.
“As close as we’ve come, I think you just keep adding those types of people and you give yourself a chance,” Lynch said. “We’re going to push each year to compete for championships.”
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With former vice president of player health and performance Ben Peterson taking a new job with the Atlanta Hawks, Lynch said that head athletic trainer Dustin Little and head strength and conditioning coach Dustin Perry will take the department lead together. Their official titles have yet to be announced.
Both Purdy and McCaffrey got married this offseason, with the latter’s wedding in Rhode Island attracting the tabloid world’s attention because of bride Olivia Culpo.The June 29 event at the historic Ocean House hotel in Watch Hill was quite a scene.“Any excuse to get the boys together is a fantastic time for me,” Kittle said. “I’ve never been to Rhode Island, I don’t know anyone from Rhode Island except for Olivia and her family. So it was kind of cool to meet other people from Rhode Island. It was kind of wild, too, because she’s really famous. And so having the amount of police officers around us as security, stuff, people from Rhode Island just standing there on the corners with photographers and paparazzi — that was a wild experience. But overall, beautiful wedding, everyone there was incredible, so much fun. Hopefully they have another one, just for fun, and invite me again.”
Shanahan, Lynch and Bosa each said they haven’t watched the Netflix series “Receiver,” in which both Kittle and Deebo Samuel star.
