Blogs

MT: Football School in Session

The second phase of San Francisco’s offseason program is called “Football School.”

Fundamental work under the coaching staff’s supervision began on Monday and will last two weeks before the 49ers take part in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamps.

The opening session was heavily attended and included the first on-field work from new wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

“I thought it was important for me to come out and try to get as familiar as possible before the season starts,” the 11-year pro told 49ers.com.

Boldin wanted to learn the offense and get used to working with starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

The on-field relationship continues to blossom. In addition to the quarterback, Boldin already sees a talented roster and hopes to boost its chances of winning the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl in 2013.

“I do see a hungry team, a team that wants to avenge what happened last year,” said Boldin, a key reason why the 49ers came up short to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. “For me, I’m glad to be a part of that because my whole thing is winning championships.”

Boldin isn’t the only veteran taking part in the voluntary work.

Carlos Rogers also told 49ers.com about his reasons for joining the workouts. In previous years, the ninth-year pro didn’t make it a priority to take part in voluntary offseason work with the Washington Redskins. Now, Rogers enjoys the offseason sessions that better prepares him mentally and physically for upcoming seasons.

“You can do all the workouts you want to at home, but you don’t get the drills and the work with your teammates,” Rogers, a 2011 Pro Bowler said. “You can learn more. It’s totally different than working with a strength coach and just running around… I take pride in coming here.”

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Recent 49ers Free Agency Additions

The 49ers roster features many homegrown players that have been drafted and developed by the respected front office staff led by general manager Trent Baalke. But San Francisco also features some top-notch free agents which have shaped it into a Super Bowl contender.

As the 2013 free agency period gets off to its frenzied start, 49ers.com takes a look back at some of the biggest impact free agents signed by the franchise in recent history. View a photo gallery of recent 49ers free agent additions and vote for your favorite at the bottom of this post.

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Niner Talk: 49ers-Falcons NFC Playoffs

The San Francisco 49ers are set to make the franchise’s 14th appearance in the NFC title game and second in as many seasons this Sunday in Atlanta.

It will also be a homecoming for Augusta, Ga., native Carlos Rogers, one of San Francisco’s starting cornerbacks.

Rogers joined our Niner Talk podcast this week to discuss his return to his home state in addition to a number of topics. The veteran defensive back also touched on his relationship with fellow starting corner Tarell Brown, plus discussed the matchup against Atlanta’s talented receiver tandem of Roddy White and Julio Jones.

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Morning Tailgate: Dec. 13

There’s a new video posted on NewSantaClaraStadium.com that all 49ers Faithful fans will want to check out.

The video features incredible aerial views of the new Santa Clara Stadium, future home of the five-time Super Bowl champs.

Book your own tour of the new stadium site and learn more about securing a seat in the new building.

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Carlos Rogers Discusses Welker Matchup

It’s going to take a group effort to limit the production of New England Patriots slot receiver Wes Welker.

At least that’s the assessment of Carlos Rogers, San Francisco’s starting cornerback, who will line up in the nickel package this Sunday night against one of the most productive wideouts in the NFL.

Welker, New England’s shifty slot playmaker, ranks ninth in receiving yards (1,116), fourth in targets (142) and third in receptions (95).

He also needs five catches to become the first player in league history with five, 100-catch seasons.

It’s a challenge that San Francisco’s Pro Bowl defensive back is ready to face.

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Morning Tailgate: Dec. 5

Jed York speaks of flexibility when it comes to the technology vision for the new Santa Clara Stadium, the future home of the San Francisco 49ers.

“We want to make sure it’s an open-source stadium that can grow and develop over time,” the 49ers CEO recently told Fortune’s editor-at-large Adam Lashinsky in a video aired on CNN Money.

In the piece, York discussed the team’s vision for the billion-dollar future home for the five-time Super Bowl champion franchise. The 49ers CEO also expressed his excitement in the team’s working partnership with the City of Santa Clara and the Stadium Authority.

“I think the most important thing is we have a public-private partnership,” York told Lashinsky. “If you don’t have a good relationship between your municipality and a sports team, then you’re setting yourself up for failure.”

The 49ers certainly feel good about the recent developments for the stadium. Besides having the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl to be played at the new stadium beginning in 2014, this week will mark the “topping out” ceremony for the stadium project when the highest pieces of steel will be erected.

While construction remains rampant at the stadium site, the same can be said for the team’s technology vision. York and the team’s technology department aim to find ways to compete with the NFL’s high-definition television coverage.

“What I really want to do is build a software-driven stadium as opposed to a hardware-driven stadium,” the 49ers CEO explained.

In York’s mind, scoreboards will be obsolete in five years. Fans will be utilizing smart phones and personal tablets for instant information.

“I would much rather leverage the great companies that we have in the Silicon Valley who are creating smart phones, creating tablets, that our fanbase and the majority of folks in Northern California use  on a daily basis,” York went on to say.

The team has visions of a ticket-less, cash-less building for the future home of the 49ers, all while increasing viewing options on a fan’s preferred personal device.

But as York explains it, the key is to be flexible. With technology rapidly improving fan’s experiences within NFL stadiums, the 49ers CEO wants to be at the forefront of it.

Visit NewSantaClaraStadium.com for ticket information on the future home of the 49ers.

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49ers Focused on Finishing Strong

It’s all about finishing in the NFL.

Not only are the fates of games decided in the last quarter of play, but the fates of teams can be decided in the final quarter of the season.

Take the 2011 New York Giants for example. Big Blue was sitting at 6-6 through 12 games last year, before going 3-1 in the final four games to sneak in the playoffs to make its eventual Super Bowl run.

“It’s very important to finish this quarter strong,” Carlos Rogers said. “We talk about fourth quarters. This is the last quarter and the teams that do good in the playoffs – around the end of November, December they kind of click, kind of get going and establish themselves into the playoffs. That’s what we’ve got to do. Can’t come into the playoffs with losses like we did last week and not hitting on all cylinders.”

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Morning Tailgate: Nov. 30

Time and time again the San Francisco 49ers have proven to be a united front. Two recent examples shed a bright light on the team-oriented locker room.

According to CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, teamwork was involved in the recent five-year contract extension for All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman. Three players, Vernon Davis, Carlos Rogers and Ray McDonald, all restructured their contracts to give the 49ers enough cap flexibility to sign the talented linebacker long-term.

The other example would be the professionalism shown by Alex Smith in the wake of Jim Harbaugh’s decision to start Colin Kaepernick Sunday in St. Louis. In order to understand the potential reasoning for the move, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports caught up with a cast of Harbaugh’s former teammates to learn more about the 49ers coach’s playing career as it relates to his coaching decisions.

Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk told Silver, “I’m pretty sure about the fact that this is not a game-playing thing for him. It’s for the greater good of the team. There is no personal gain for him. Everything he does is for the greater good of that team, and he’s not going to deviate from that.”

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Carlos Rogers Awaits Next Challenge

Carlos Rogers might want to pay extra attention to the St. Louis Rams injury report this week. As the team’s primary slot cornerback in the nickel package, his duties will change drastically depending on the availability of Rams receiver Danny Amendola.

The shifty, 5-foot-11, 188-pound wideout hasn’t played since he suffered a collarbone injury in Week 5, but is questionable to return on Sunday. Before his injury, Amendola established himself as Sam Bradford’s go-to guy on the perimeter, as evidenced by his 15-catch, 160-yard performance against the Redskins in Week 2.

“In a series, if they have to drive 14 times, they’re going to throw him the ball at least seven times on the drive,” Rogers said. “He’s their main target. They have a lot of deep threat, fast guys, but any time he’s on the field, any time he’s moving, we think they’re trying to give him the ball.”

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Morning Tailgate: Nov. 5

Fresh off a bye week, the San Francisco 49ers remain in first place of the NFC West with a 1.5 game lead over the Seattle Seahawks, who defeated the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 at home on Sunday.

The 49ers, themselves, will play a third consecutive division game in Week 10 when the St. Louis Rams visit Candlestick Park.

While the Rams are alone in last place in the NFC West at 3-5, Sunday’s game remains pivotal for both teams.  Since 2000, 29 teams have reached the halfway point of their season with a .500 or below winning percentage and proceeded to the playoffs, including at least one in each season.

The 49ers aim to make sure the Rams aren’t the 30^th team to make the group.

San Francisco is coming off a strong showing in Week 8, a 24-3 win over Arizona that featured impressive quarterback play from Alex Smith.

The NFC’s Week 8 Offensive Player of the Week’s performance was reviewed in greater detail by Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, who believes the 49ers remain Super Bowl contenders heading into the second half of 2012.

“I really like what I’ve seen out of him this year, mostly,” King wrote about Smith, who is second in the NFL with a 69.4 completion percentage. “He’s as accurate an intermediate passer as I’ve seen this season. I think he’s going to be asset, not a question mark, as the 49ers make a Super Bowl push.”

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