SANTA CLARA – The Seattle Seahawks nixed Super Bowl LX from the 49ers’ to-do list a week ago in blowout fashion.
As that on-field show goes on without them – Feb. 8, the Seahawks face the New England Patriots – the 49ers won’t completely vanish.
They’ll be among the main attractions during the Super Bowl extravaganza in Santa Clara, San Francisco and around the Bay Area.
Here are 10 things for 49ers fans to track during Super Bowl week:
1. D-COORDINATOR HUNT
Kyle Shanahan is on his fifth defensive coordinator in as many seasons. Once he completes the NFL’s hiring process by interviewing minority candidates, he’ll likely appoint someone quite familiar to him. That could mean an in-house promotion of Gus Bradley or Daniel Bullocks. Raheem Morris, ousted as Atlanta’s coach, served on the same Tampa Bay Bucs staff 22 years ago when Shanahan got his NFL start. More staff shuffling figures to take place, too, but not as much as last year’s three-coordinator switch.
2. PRO BOWL INDOORS IN SF
Kyle Juszczyk was surprised to learn after the 49ers’ season-ending loss that he’ll next be competing inside San Francisco’s Moscone Center. That is where the Pro Bowl Games (and flag-football competition) will take place Tuesday night, preceded by two days of practices. Other 49ers voted in: Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Luke Gifford, Jon Weeks and George Kittle, who is recovering from Achilles surgery but soldiered up for a golf boondoggle last weekend with a few teammates.
3. COLLECT HONORS
McCaffrey is up for a slew of awards at NFL Honors on Thursday night: MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and USAA’s Salute to Service. He has already won the prestigious Bart Starr Award, the Pro Football Writers of America’s Comeback POY honor, and the 49ers’ Len Eshmont and Bill Walsh awards. He is also a finalist for the FedEx Air & Ground NFL POY award, with a potential $15,000 donation to SF-Marin Food Bank at stake.
Shanahan is a finalist to win AP NFL Coach of the Year for the first time in his nine seasons.
4. HALL PASS
Roger Craig and Frank Gore could be part of this year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class that will be announced Thursday night at NFL Honors, which will be held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Craig is a Seniors finalist, and Gore is a first-ballot finalist along with Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald and Jason Witten.
5. ‘RISE OF 49ERS’ DOCUSERIES
A four-episode docuseries about the 49ers’ Super Bowl dynasty (five wins from the 1980s to early 1990s) will air Sunday and Monday nights at 6 p.m. PT on AMC and AMC+. Bay Area native Tom Brady serves as executive producer and helps weave through rare NFL Films footage of Bill Walsh’s team speeches and photos, along with interviews with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young and Eddie DeBartolo.
6. COACH PURDY
Brock Purdy will serve as a captain and work the sideline in a glow-in-the-dark flag football event Feb. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Toyota Glow-up Classic will take place at the Super Bowl Experience at Moscone Center. featuring Bay Area high school girls players.
7. KITTLE’S PRESENCE
Kittle and his wife, Claire, will host the Tight Ends & Friends party next Thursday night in San Francisco, in partnership with Sports Illustrated and Tight End University, his program with Travis Kelce of the Chiefs. Kittle’s magnetic personality surely will surface at other points of Super Bowl week.
8. McCAFFREY’S SHOP
McCaffrey is expected to help promote the While On Earth apparel line he co-founded, with possible appearances Feb. 5 and 6 at Sport Beach Clubhouse across from the Moscone Center.
9. TV STARS
Fred Warner, who excelled as an ESPN studio analyst a year ago, is expected to help with NBC’s Super Bowl coverage.
His first three seasons on the 49ers, 2018-20, coincided with Richard Sherman’s tenure, and Sherman’s work as a Prime Video analyst the past two seasons likely will get him on multiple media platforms analyzing the Super Bowl efforts of his original team, the Seahawks.
10. PLAY FOOTBALL FAMILY FESTIVAL
MacDonald High School, some 2 ½ miles east of Levi’s Stadium, will host the NFL’s Play Football Family Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 7, the day before the Super Bowl. Local youth and families will participate alongside some 49ers, as well as the Super Bowl participants’ cheerleaders and mascots. It’s free to register.
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