VIDEO: Joe Staley Admitted He Lost Faith 49ers Would Return to NFL Playoffs
By Scott Rogust
The biggest surprise of the 2019 season can be debated ad nauseam, but one team consistently in the talks are the San Francisco 49ers. Nobody thought they'd finish 13-3 and as the top seed in the NFC. That includes left tackle Joe Staley, who admitted following the 2016 season that he had doubts the team could ever return to the playoffs again.
Joe Staley admitted that during the recent ‘dark years’ he doubted if the #49ers would make it back to the playoffs.
— KNBR (@KNBR) January 8, 2020
“But, you know, once I met Kyle and John, and the vision they had for the franchise, I was pretty confident that we were going to get there.” pic.twitter.com/5UhAmg5lbI
While Staley had his doubts following the teams 2-14 campaign back in 2016, but he was reassured by the additions of John Lynch as general manager and Kyle Shanahan as head coach.
Boy, did those hires prove to be the right ones.
Roller coaster ride: 49ers' Joe Staley happy to be back on a playoff peak https://t.co/olu1PP01Uo
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) January 7, 2020
The team got their franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo via a trade from the New England Patriots, while adding a stud on defense in Nick Bosa in the NFL Draft. Throw in the additions of Kwon Alexander, Richard Sherman, and Dee Ford, and you've got an elite 49ers team.
Joe Staley's faith in the San Francisco 49ers paid off, as the team are favored to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIV and have a strong chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy down in Miami.