49ers super fan known for massive tailgates readies for NFC Championship vs. Lions
SAN JOSE – Longtime 49ers fan Jesse Mendez can prove he's a proud member of the Faithful many times over.
Whether it's his impressive setup tailgating at each home game, the number of times he's traveled to watch the team play, or all the signed jerseys that make up his large collection of gear and souvenirs at home.
"This is for me, for tailgating this is where all the magic happens. It's an eight-burner grill. We cook a lot of food for a lot of people out there at the tailgate," Mendez told KPIX while showing off the equipment in his backyard.
He says that as an official "Early Tailgater" he has access to the parking lot before most people and can usually be the first person in around 6:00 a.m.
Throughout the day, he will cook for 150 people and may see around 400 people show up to their tailgate.
"It's been forever, you know, this is this lifelong thing right here," he said of his love for the team.
While the pride shines for the team outside his home with signs and two cars themed for the Niners. Mendez's collection inside his house and his home office is on another level with more than 60 jerseys.
"We will have the Frank Gore, just got signed on the jersey that I've had for years so which was pretty cool," he said while showing KPIX his Niners closet.
Ahead of the NFC Championship Game on Sunday against the Detroit Lions he can never be too confident for his team.
"Nervous. Going to every game nervous, I mean it's game by game and it all matters about who shows up on that field and who plays the hardest," he said.
While he always wears the same jersey during the tailgate and another during the game, he has added a new tradition this season with one of the comically large hats he and some friends are now wearing in their seats.
"The newest edition," Mendez said. Some told him they think it helped the Niners beat the Green Bay Packers during the NFL Divisional Round. "It's because the hat, you turn the hat around, and I was like OK we'll take it as the hat turn around."
He plans to wear the hat again against the Lions because he doesn't want to change anything in his routine that may hurt the team's chances of winning and going to the Super Bowl.
"It will go forward till we start doing bad and then we'll flip it backwards," he said
Superstitions aside, he feels that the Niners are ready for their match-up after quite the scare in their first playoff game last weekend.
"I think we got the first-round jitters out last week which, I think, put a few more gray hairs in my beard, a lot more gray hairs in my beard," Mendez said.
His love for the team has only grown in the past 10 years, especially now that the team plays closer to his home in the South Bay.
A proud member of the fan group the 408 Faithfuls, he says they have already enjoyed this season with so many highlights. But Mendez doesn't want it to end this weekend.
"I've met so many people in just not in the Bay Area but across the United States and we're like a family," he said. "You know through and through we're there for them and hopefully we'll be able to see this team through to the Super Bowl."
