49ers mailbag: What are fans hyped to see in season opener in Pittsburgh?
Nine weeks shy of the 49ers’ season opener, it’s a numerically appropriate time to awaken the Faithful. So, by the expanding reach of social media, here are who and what they’re hyped to see Sept. 10 at the Pittsburgh Steelers:
Can’t wait to go to this game! I’m just excited to see 49ers football back in action. Hopefully they don’t drop this opener like they did last year in Chicago. (@calebpisowicz)
A sober reminder that the 49ers lost that rainy opener 19-10 to a Bears team that next lost 14 of 16 games. More bleak history: the 49ers also dropped openers in 2017, ’18 and ’20 under coach Kyle Shanahan.
BOOOOOOOSSSSSSAAAAAA!!! (@droops510)
Two weeks until the 49ers’ veterans report for training camp (July 25), and that includes Nick Bosa, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. So, two weeks until the pseudo-deadline for the 49ers to award Bosa an extension over $30 million annually, perhaps as the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. If no deal is reached when camp opens, don’t expect him to hold out and endure steep fines, but rather show up and stay away from the field until he’s paid (see: T.J. Watt’s “hold-in” with the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers).
McKivitz vs. T.J. Watt (@cvoersaa)
Speaking of T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ pass rusher preceded Bosa as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Watt is coming off a 2022 season marred by a Week 1 pectoral injury (5 ½ sacks, 10 games). He will be a tough assignment for Colton McKivitz’s first season-opening start, presuming he’s indeed the successor at right tackle to Mike McGlinchey (now on Denver). McKivitz has five career starts. He is two years removed from getting cut out of camp and being relegated to the practice squad.
Fun fact: Steelers are 15-2 in their last 17 home openers; that’s straight up, not against the spread. (@j_edward_drummond)
Fact check: That is a false statement. The Steelers lost their home opener four of the past five seasons. They are 11-5 in home openers under coach Mike Tomlin. They are 16-7 in home openers since moving into their stadium, now named Acrisure Stadium. So, please, be sure to double check those facts!
HARGRAVE (@roushwn)
A bonus storyline to this opening matchup is that Javon Hargrave was a 2016 third-round draft pick by the Steelers. He played there four seasons. After three years with an NFC-team-we-will-not-name, Hargrave came to recharge the 49ers’ defensive line, at a steep price (four years, $84 million).
CMC (@shaunturner10)
Christian McCaffrey scored three touchdowns in his only previous visit to Pittsburgh, a 2018 loss with the Carolina Panthers. And he’ll be expected to score three per game this season after exhibiting last year what an ideal catalyst he is in Shanahan’s offense.
OMG my heart started racing! Hyped to see my fave #54 Fred Warner (@itsa_me_mara)
“All-Pro Fred” reclaimed that status last season in leading the 49ers in tackles. He’s already one of the franchise’s all-time best third-round picks, an elite club that includes Joe Montana, Bob St. Clair, Dave Wilcox, Terrell Owens, and John Taylor.
The 49ers not turning the ball over five times like the last time they played the Steelers (@davezdude)
Indeed, the 49ers committed five turnovers in that 2019 home opener – and still beat the Steelers 24-20, on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to Dante Pettis with 1:15 remaining.
Juice body slamming Minkah (@TeeJayK16)
Ah yes, fullback Kyle Juszczyk decleated Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with a vicious stiff-arm to extend a reception in that 2019 win. Juszczyk is entering Year 7 with the 49ers, the last player from this regime’s initial crop of free agents. The only longer-tenured player on this roster: defensive lineman Arik Armstead, their 2015 first-round pick.
The ol’ Torrey Smith 75-yard TD from Kap to cap off an awful performance from the 49ers D (@Ryan_TheMayor23)
Pretty sure there won’t be an encore of that score, from their 43-18 loss in 2015 at Pittsburgh. It did tie for Colin Kaepernick’s second-longest touchdown pass of his career, behind only an 80-yarder to Brandon Lloyd in 2014.
I’m really looking forward to the first game of the season! I look forward to seeing how the new players perform, especially Jake Moody. (@jason.mayeroff)
Moody? The kicker? Indeed! The 49ers are banking on Moody to repeat what Doug Brien did in 1994: win the Super Bowl as a rookie drafted in the third round.
Starting QB … (@commutequeen)
Yes, the 49ers will have one – or two, or three. Which one? That simply cannot be answered for another two months, until Brock Purdy’s surgically repaired elbow ligament is re-examined before the opener.
Brock Purdy proving last year wasn’t a fluke (@oldstylin)
For those not convinced in Purdy after he produced eight wins before his NFC Championship Game injury, here are testimonials from the 49ers’ brass:
John Lynch, in March: “Yes, he’s done it for part of one year, but the way he did it, not just that he did it, the way he did it gave a lot of confidence to everybody in our building. There were things that surprised me. I had no idea he was that good of an athlete, the escapability. … He has left us all with a lot of confidence that he is a real guy.”
Shanahan, the next day at the NFL owners’ meetings: “We’re going to start whoever gives us the best chance to win. Brock is the guy who’s leading that because we’ve seen him play.”
Trey Lance at QB1 (@rwerhle1)
That makes the most sense if, 1) Purdy’s arm needs more time to strengthen, 2.) Lance proves accurate enough in camp to fend off Sam Darnold’s challenge.
trent williams (@moyaa.jshh)
Hold on, if anyone deserves to capitalize their name, it’s left tackle TRENT WILLIAMS, who’s gunning for a third straight All-Pro season (and his elusive first Super Bowl).
49ers to win! (@justice_kaina808)
Opening with a win won’t be nearly as satisfying as … a season-ending win Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.