2021
The 49ers had arguably the most dramatic first five weeks of the NFL season, with each of those games all decided by eight points or less. That led to a 2-3 record as their Week 6 bye arrived.
San Francisco’s biggest obstacle thereafter was the health of its players. Already without running back Raheem Mostert, who was widely expected to handle the lead role and suffered a season-ending knee injury, and starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who landed on Injured Reserve due to a Week 2 groin injury, the 49ers also were dealing with kicker Robbie Gould being sidelined for four games due to a groin injury he sustained in pregame warmups in Week 4 against the Seahawks. Then in Week 9, starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey suffered a season-ending torn quad.
Any one of those injuries – among a host of several others – could’ve derailed San Francisco’s season. Instead, they went 8-4 after the bye and managed to snag the sixth and final season in the NFC playoff picture, buoyed by a run game that produced 100 or more rushing yards in 13 of its 17 regular season games.
That in part helped the 49ers make a surprising playoff run with upset wins over the Cowboys (Wild Card Round) and Packers (Divisional), setting the stage for an NFC Championship showdown with the Rams in Los Angeles. However, the 49ers’ season would end there with a 20-17 loss to the Rams.
Changes
Not many on the personnel side, but the same cannot be said for the coaching staff.
- Offensive Coordinator Mike McDaniel was hired as the Dolphins’ new head coach
- Special Teams Coordinator Richard Hightower took the same position on the Bears’ new coaching staff led by head coach Matt Eberflus.
- Quarterbacks Rich Scangarello departed to become the University of Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator, replacing Liam Coen, who returned to the Rams this offseason.
- Tight ends coach Jon Embree took the same position, and added assistant head coach duties, on McDaniel’s Dolphins staff.
- Wide receivers coach Wes Welker took the…
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