Super Bowl Notebook: 49ers 'Quack Attack'; Kittle Seeking Payback; Jimmy G's Backpack
MIAMI (CBS SF) -- The San Francisco 49ers have begun their final preparations for their Super Bowl showdown on Sunday with the Kansas City Chiefs. Here's what they are talking about.
49ers Defensive Line Powered By 'The Quack Attack'
When the clock runs out Sunday, it will be the end of a long journey from two-a-days at the University of Oregon to the NFL title game for San Francisco 49ers defensive line stalwarts Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner.
The pair were college roommates and dreamed about playing in games where everything is on the line.
"It's been awesome," Buckner said. "Coming in as a rookie already having one of my good friends and college roommates on the team already, who's been in a similar position as me, getting drafted in the first round and being the team's first pick the year before, and really helping me transition into the locker room and having a guy to really bounce ideas off of throughout the year."
"All the hard times, we had a lot of good times at Oregon, and we went through a rough patch here the past couple of years. To finally have this year, everything happening the right way and getting here to the 'big dance' it's been a hell of a ride."
Kittle Seeking A Little Of Paycheck From His Freshman Year At Iowa
It always brings a smile to his face when San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is asked about the blocking prowess of his star tight end George Kittle.
Among the league's top receiving tight ends when Kittle approaches Shanahan on the sidelines during a game it has little to do with asking for his number to be called on a pass play.
"He's never once came up to me about a pass play, but he comes up to me about every seven plays about what kind of run play we need to do, who we need to allow him to hit, things like that," Shanahan said. "It makes it very fun to call plays for him."
When Kittle was asked if there was someone he was looking forward to blocking against the Chiefs, he flashed back to his early college days.
"I'm looking forward to blocking the Iowa linebackers, Kansas City Chiefs Ben Niemann and Anthony Hitchens," he said. "Hitch used to bully me in practice when I was on scout team in Iowa, so I'm going to give it back to him a couple times."
Jimmy G's Backpack Keeps It All In Perspective
It could be easy to loose your perspective when the accolades, praise and fan worship reaches the heights of being a quarterback that has led your team to the Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers star Jimmy Garoppolo carries a simple reminder with him everyday to keep it all on an even keel. It's his backpack.
"I was that kid in youth football, I didn't get recruited out of high school, I went to a 1-AA Eastern Illinois," he said. "That's why I still carry the backpack with me. It's kind of a reminder to me every day just – it doesn't matter where you start. You keep working hard, put in the time, good things will happen."
49ers Assistant Coach Kate Sowers Makes NFL History
There was a large crowd of reporters surrounding San Francisco 49ers assistant coach Kate Sowers on NFL Media Night on Monday and rightfully so. On Sunday, she will become the first female and openly gay person in the NFL history to be part of a coaching staff on the sidelines of the NFL's biggest game.
She says it still seems a bit surreal, but its a childhood dream come true. Sowers fell in love with football at a young age, played as much as she could. In a Microsoft Surface television ad, Sowers flashes back to writing in her journal as a child.
"I hope someday I will be a good football player," a page in the journal read. "I am good at football. When we play football at home, I can make a touchdown in one catch. I am the leader of our football club."
Sower told reporters Monday that this week make her appreciate "everything you have in the moment."
"Everybody who plays and loves this game dreams about this Sunday," she said. "Here I am and I have an opportunity to do that. It's unreal. This is a dream, it's a dream come true for all of our players, regardless how many times you go to a Super Bowl, it's always special. It's always a little different.
Ford Says His Blunder In Last Year's AFC Championship Cost Chiefs A Super Bowl Trip
Dee Ford agrees with the pass rusher who replaced him in Kansas City that his blunder that cost the Chiefs a Super Bowl trip last season is inexcusable.
Ford was called for lining up in the neutral zone in last year's AFC title game against New England. The penalty negated an interception that would have sealed the win for the Chiefs. New England instead drove down and scored and eventually won the game in overtime.
Ford was traded away last March to San Francisco and the Chiefs brought in Frank Clark to replace him. Clark said earlier in the playoffs that Ford's mistake was inexcusable.
"He's right," Ford said. "It's inexcusable. But don't we all do it?"
Mostert Cherishes His Long Journey To NFL Stardom
Raheem Mostert is with his seventh NFL team. None of the other six is here at the Super Bowl. Mostert's 49ers are.
It's a tribute to the special teams star turned game-breaking running back's perseverance.
"I took a piece of every city I was in," Mostert said Monday night, "and applied it to my life and I will always cherish that.
"You go through tough things, but you don't lose faith. My wife was with me through all the cuts and did a great job of keeping me level-headed, letting me know I had a purpose in life to fulfill. It was tough, but we made it through."
Mostert was with Philadelphia, Miami and Baltimore and released by each of them in 2015. The next year, it was the Browns, Jets and Bears saying hello and goodbye.
His career with the 49ers was not a headline grabber; he was mostly a special teamer, though a good one. Then he began getting the ball as a running back, and in this postseason he's been one of the biggest stars in the NFC.
He ran for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the 37-20 win over Green Bay for the NFC title.
"It's having the faith and never losing the faith," he said. "It's been quite a journey."
© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.