This article will break down the faces of the 49ers. With the 2020 NFL season finally looking somewhat close to a possibility we are dropping a new series. It’s about the faces of a franchise. We are naming the players who represent their teams be it statistically or in name value. It might be the best players on the team or those you think about first when someone brings up a franchise. As we all hopefully get closer to the 2020 NFL season getting underway, we’re going to look at three faces of the San Francisco 49ers organization.
Faces of the Franchise: 2020 San Francisco 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo
The 49ers are a franchise known for their quarterback play. They have been blessed by two Hall of Fame quarterbacks who both are arguably the best ever to play the position. Joe Montana and Steve Young are on the short-list for the best all-time and Montana almost certainly is a unanimous “Mount Rushmore” selection. That’s what when you look at the 49ers, you look at their quarterback position.
Jimmy Garoppolo is seen by many as more of a game managing quarterback than a star at the position. I happen to disagree. Given his time in the league behind Tom Brady and the fact that he’s only started a season’s worth of games, he’s way ahead of the curve. He threw for just shy of 4000 yards last year and had 27 touchdowns passes. Both of those numbers should go up this season.
More than what he does statistically, he provides the necessary swagger and helped bring the 49ers back to elite status, taking them to the Super Bowl in his first full season under center. He has the look and ability to lead this team and be the face of the franchise for years to come.
George Kittle
When I think of the 49ers, I think of Kittle first and foremost. He’s the best tight end in football and more than that, he is loved in San Francisco. He’s currently going through some contract negotiations but there is no way the 49ers are going to let him go. They will be forced to pay him high-end wide receiver money despite being a tight end. In the end, he’s worth the 15-16 million a year for his production, leadership, popularity, and blocking. He has every tool in the shed.
For the second consecutive year, Kittle has produced at least 85 receptions and north of 1000 yards. Last season he battled through injuries and still had amazing production, despite missing a pair of games. His performance against the New Orleans Saints where he took a pass on fourth and three and fought off a facemask for some 15 yards and continued downfield if all you need to know about Kittle. He’s a beast. An absolute madman.
Kittle is a tremendous blocker as well and it’s an aspect of his game that is vastly underrated. Unless you follow a team closely, you won’t know how well that teams tight end blocks. Kittle is a warhorse on the line. He will push defensive players five yards beyond the tackle and actively seeks out blocks at the second level. It’s part of the game he relishes and it shows. He’s just dominant in every aspect of the offensive game. He’s the face of the 49ers, and could soon be the face of the NFL.
Nick Bosa
It’s hard to wrap your head around a rookie being the face of an organization, but Nick Bosa absolutely is. The impact he made as a rookie was major. He anchored a young defense that was tops in the league. Bosa not only sacked opposing quarterbacks nine times but was relentless pressuring the passer. Bosa was a weapon, hitting opposing quarterbacks 25 times and had 16 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and recovered a pair of fumbles. Bosa even found the endzone on an interception return. His impact was huge defensively.
The 49ers defense was very impressive and Bosa was as impressive as anyone on that squad. He has tremendous charisma and was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Bosa was also named the 2019 defensive rookie of the year. He also was a two-time NFL player of the week and was the NFL defensive player of the month once. He was just all over the field dominating week in and week out.
Barring a sophomore slump, Bosa should continue to break out in 2020 and should have north of a dozen sacks this year. I expect him to make a run at NFL defensive player of the year and if he plays to his abilities he will continue to lead the 49ers defense as they grow. He and Javon Kinlaw could make up the best young defensive line in football. It should be one heck of season and Bosa will be the backbone of one of the league’s premier defensive units.
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