The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in an agonizing, thrilling overtime Super Bowl on Sunday, leaving the team’s supporters depleted with sadness.
Supporters of the 49ers flocked to the Bay Area, with some even traveling from Southern California.
“They gave it their all in the game. “I wish they had prevailed,” Tracy Quinn remarked. “We traveled from Los Angeles to support our team, and everything is well. Baby, next year. “Go, Niners.”
Written by Eric Williams
Published at 3:32 PM ET on June 14, 2023
2022 was one of Nick Bosa’s best seasons as a professional; he set a league record for sacks (18.5) and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career.
Maybe he’s just getting warmed up. That’s because on the first day of free agency in March, the 49ers unexpectedly signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave away from the Philadelphia Eagles, which made it simpler for Bosa to get to the quarterback.
Bosa recently told reporters, “I’m really enthusiastic about the move. “For the past few years in Philadelphia, we have been viewing tapes on him. Kris [49ers defensive line coach Kris Kocurek] would brag about him every time we watched him. He is among the league’s top interior players in our opinion, particularly when it comes to pressuring the passer. It will be really beneficial for us to have him on our team.”
The 49ers already boasted one of the most dangerous defensive lines in the NFL, led by Bosa and defensive lineman Arik Armstead. But Hargrave’s acquisition catapults San Francisco into elite status.
“He’s just incredibly humble,” Hargrave remarked of his early encounters with Bosa. “Being named Defensive Player of the Year, all I had to do was walk in, introduce myself, and attempt to help me catch up on stuff. Kind of like a family, actually.”
With a career-high 11 sacks to help Philadelphia lead the league with 70 during the regular season, the seven-year veteran had his greatest season yet with the Eagles last year. For the Eagles, edge Haason Reddick recorded a career-high 16 sacks, in part because Hargrave constantly forced the pocket inside.
Hargrave was near the top of Kocurek’s list of available free agents, but he was unsure if the 49ers would have a chance to sign him. In the end, Hargrave signed a four-year, $84 million contract with San Francisco, which includes a $40 million guaranteed sum.
Regarding signing Hargrave, Kocurek told reporters, “It’s just one more piece to the puzzle.” “Clearly a very talented element of the puzzle. I’ve been following Javon’s career, and he’s always been a really gifted player.
However, I believe that over the past several years in Philadelphia, he has truly set himself apart from many other interior players in the league, particularly in terms of pass rush ability — from rushing the quarterback to winning one-on-ones at a very high level
